Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-08-05
Continued.

me there"
The Sicilian dotted his cap and
saluted me profoundly.
Il guessed well" ne remarked, smiI-
ingly, that the Signor Conte's hands
were not these of q coral-fisher. Oh,
yes! | know a gentleman when [ see
him-though we Sicilians say we are
all gentlemen. 1t is a good boast, but
alas! not always true! A riyederci,
sigEor! Command me when you will
! am your servant"
Pressing his hand, l sprung lightly
from the brig on to the quay.
"a rivederci!" l called to him
Again, and yet again, thousand
thanks,"
ooh! tropp onore, signor-tropp'
onOIe!" and thus I left him, standing
still bare-headed on the deck of his
little vessel, with kindly light on his
brown face like the reflection of a
fadeless sunbeam. GOod-hearted,
merry rogue! His ideas of right and
wrong oCdly miXed-yet his lies were
better than many truths told us by
our candid friends-and you may be
certain the great Recording Angel
knows the difference between a lie
that saves and a truth that kills, and
metes out Heavens reward or punish
ment accordingly.
My first care, when | found myself
in the streets of Palermo, was to pur-
chase clothes of the best material and
make adapted to a gentleman's wear
l explained to the tailor whose shop
| entered for this purpose that [ had
Joined a party of coral-fishers for mere
amusemnt, and had for the time adopt
ed their costume. He believed nv
story the more readily as / ordered
him to make several more suits for
me Immediately, giving him the name
OF Count Cesare Olivia, and the address
OF the best hotel in the city He served
me with obsequiOus humility, and al
lowed me the use of his private back
room, where | discarded my fisher
garb for the dress of a gentleman
ready-made suit that happened to
fit me passably we'll Thus arrayed
rooms at the chief hotel of Palermo for
some weekS-weeks that were for me
full of careful preparation for the
task of vengeful retribution that Law
before me. One of my principal OBJ
Jects was to place the money I had
with me IN safe hands. [ sought out
the leading banker in Palermo. and
introducing
name, stated that l had newly re-
turned to Sicily after some years alb
sence. He received me well. and
though he appeared astonished at the
large amount of wealth | had brought.
he was eager and willing enough to
make satisfactory arrangements with
me for its safe keeping, including the
bag OF jewels, some of which, from
their unusual size and luster, excited
his genuine admiration. Seeing this.
L pressed on his acceptance a fine
emerald and two large hrilliants, all
unset, and requested him to have a
ring made of them FOR his own wear.
Surprised at my generosity. he at
first refused-but his natural wish to
possess such rare gems finally pre-
vailed, and he took them. over-power-
ing mo with thanks-while [ was
perfectly satisfied to see that I had
secured his services so thoroughly by
my jeweled bride, IL at he either for
got, or else saw no necessity to ask
me for personal references. which in
my position would have been exceed
ing difficult, if not impossible. to OBJ
tain. When this business transaction
was entirely completed, I devoted my
self to my next cODsideration-whic
was to disguise myself so utterly that
no one should possibly be able to rec
ognize the smallest resemblance in me
to the late Fabio Romani either by
look, voice, or trick of manner. [ had
always worn a mustache-it had turn
ed white in company with my hair
/ now allowed my beard to grow-it
came out white also. But in contra st
with these contemporary signs of age.
my face began to fill up and look
young again; my eyes, always large
and dark, resumed their old flashing.
half-defiant look-a look, which, it
seemed to me. would make some famil-
lar suggestion to those who had once
known me as I was before I died. Yes
they spoke Of things that must be
forgotten and unuttered; what should
do with these tell-tale eyes of mine
| thought ard soon decided. Nothing
was easier than to feigr weak sight
sight that was dazzled by the heat
and brilliancy of the southern sun
shine; | would wear smoke-colored
glasses. | bought them as soon as the
idea occurred to NE. and alone in my
room before the mirror I tried their
effect. | was satisfied; they perfectly
completed the disguise of my face
With them and my white hair ana
beard, | looked like a well-preserved
man of fifty-fve or so, whose only
physical ailment was slight affection
OF the eyes
The next thing to alter was my voice
l had, naturally, peculiarly soft voice
and rapid, yet clear, enunciation, ant
it was my habit, as it is the habit O.
almost every Italian, to accompany my
words with the expressive pantomimt
of gesture. | took myself in trainins
as an actor studies for a particular
part [ cultivated a harsh accent. ant
spoke with deliberaticn and coldnes
occasionally with a sort of sarcastic
brusQuerie, carefully avoiding tn
least movement of hands or head dur
ing converse. This was eXceedingl,
difficult of attainment to me and foo'