The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-10-14

Maria 'Buopa sera" and went up to my
own room.
1t was hot that nIght-hot even for
late summer in Malta-breathlesSly
hot
/ leaned from my balcony and saw
the dark water below lie smooth as pol
iShed steel-only broken where the
scattering rush Of small Try was fol,
lowed by the arched back Of q plunBing
porpoIse. Then away towards the point
came the phosphorescent gleam Of wa
ter cleft by the oar-bladel, and In the
hush Of the night could hear the reg
uiar rocking OF oars Ia the Fowloc6s,
md from some back street the high
notes OF two shrlll mandolin with q
guitar accompaniment. Later, even
this died away. and the hot painting
night was my own.
The water below, Just lnpplng the
rocks. began to whisper To me myster-
lOusly Of It's depth and coolneRB, and In
VIted me to 60 down, as often did, for
long lonely swim under the quiet
stars. Two mosquitoes. which had
somehow found their way under my
mosquito curtains, trumpeted ghrill elf
ish warnings that they were ready for
bnttle and thlrsting for blood! listen
cd and then slid down the stair and u
minute later was rolling lazily In
twenty feet Of dark water, that broke
into ghostiy pale sparkle At every
stroke | made / slipped away slowly
into the middle Of the Grand Harbor It
self. and then. turning. came back into
| the deep water that met the opposite
shore Of the bay.
\ II the Grand Harbor had any mys-
terry such night and time as this
might fifty reveal II. In such times the
unknown dwellers Of the deep open sea
might wander In to explore. In any lit
tie cove one might find some strange
beast prone upon the shadowy rocks, or.
who could tell? glimpse Of startled
mermaid. or be clasped BY one OF those
sirens who sang useleBsly 70 Ulysses
ages ago. glIded on without noise,
half-luughIngly encouraging these Idle
| fnucies, when I heard low voices with
in a few yards OF me. and II was easy
TO imagine for moment that the old
stories were no dreams after all, and
that had CHANGED upon lovers hardly
mortal.
The dreamy night and the childish
fancies which had been weaving for
the last half hour are my only poor
excuse for not, slipping away at once.
AS It was overheard the latter part OF
a farewell as pretty and passionate nE
ever was accompanied by whispering
| water, and / blushed. even In the dorit-
ness, at my stupidity. and.splnshing out
into the open, headed for the Sally port
In the noislest manner possible. But !
i IL a H. hi
raced even with me.
"Ah! the Signor fngieez.' he grunted.
and ! was pleased to fancy that his
voice had note Of relief.
mo other" told him. and then, at-
ter we had swum score Of strokes IN
silence 81 came suddenly upon ghosts. -
| / said gravcly. Folk who died long
ngo, ] could not see them. and II l
heard anything have forgotten It,
"If any of our chatterIng people had
met ghosts" 'CenZIni dubbed at my
side significantly, they might have
died"
something else that / wanted TO say.
but how to say It directly / could not
"a night like this" whispered
cIunsIly enough, as we drew near the
opposite bastiOn. Is like Paradise Tor
! you and me. II II brought trouble to
any one else" I stopped. not know
| ing how to say what / meant, but Cen
zinl answered aptly enough.
when ! was little one" he told
me. looking straight ahead nB II for any
possible stnrgnEer: when I was a little
ono. l remember | cried for the moon.
NV mother told me then that she was
| quite safe md too far of to reach. To-
night ! thought her much nearer: but
balcony over the water Is much too far
and the moon is safe still"
| ~ am glad TO hear t." said more
| cheerfully. IT could not bear to see
her pulled down Good night Endy-
mion-or perhaps Leander e better?"
Ghost both Of them" told him
softly. and turned ashore. while he
swan farther into the bay, to his own
place
When choosing my fruit Of mourn
ing. after this little adventure, never
Thought OF mentioning the EhostG to
grnye-faced little Pnollna. This was
about the time. however. that found
myself getting fuller measure. and had
occasional roses dropped among tbs
fruit
rnnean. with its Accomplishments Of
terror and quarantine.
/ wag always the mad Engllshmnn"
to my ncighbOrs. and never more 30
than now when I explained 10 old Ma
ria and To Nolennn-eyed PaOllna that 1
stll expected fruit for my broahnSt ia
BILE. | cherish a medal OF my patron
saint. which Maria insisted upon hang-
inE round my neck at that time and
which, she protested, was my safeguard
ngniDFt the penalty Of fooihargineHH
But what with the hot season htot 60
winds. and the constant fear OF death,
many people fell III Of many Obscure
ailments.
old Maria and her crony with wood.
en-thlmbled, Cesare. the cobbier' sat
one evening over n pennyWotth or wine
md gIonted like EhOuls over recollcc-
lions Of Inc last dong ago) epidemic,
"Ticra are BenIgno Fal7oH," Cesa e
reminded her. "He was foreman of
conI-portrrs 10 veiia. He laughed At
tho cholera TO me on the plaaEl. and fell
before he was out OF my sight"
"Thcrc waB pretty 'Richetta. Mar 4
remembered. 'Richetta hy the DoEanh.
I AMI IN With her. and her sister TereS.l,
on Monday night 10 finish ner WeI'
ding drppE-0nu on WeoheSuAg wv ""
led her IN IT,
'Ccnzlnl. lounglng against the Wnu
and listening as ines Two ravens g ,,llii
"a croggnd himself and turned yellow
"santn Maria no declared. II, my
ae,f am nick" and sick he was, and do
Ilrlous. and talking nonsense OF little
proIInn ~ the House N the Bay before
twrnty. -four hourE had gone By.
".
.,y,g viii hnye your fruit" told
Paollna az my door two mornings later