The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-09-07

] settled, unreasonng belief in marVels and spells. Then, too, an Italian, who through timidity and gentleness had l not at once become a butt, might well be vested with abnormal powers He was 'furrener," an explanation in It. self for all sorts of oddities, one who talked an outlandish gibberish, and ate ] eVil-smelllng messes and came from a | country where as it was well known,
 there were miracles and visions, and men wasted away with unknown dis eases and sometimes were turned into wolves and sometimes had shapeless things beckon to them at night and drag them away. Little wonder that the current comment was that "Gardi- Iii knew his book" and that "Pozzi didn't have no earthly show agin' him"
 Shorty was not at all backward in re- vealing what message the little Dago had sent the very day he came in for Shorty's faith in the marvellous could remove mountains of reason. He had lost no time in communicating Gardinls defiant words to Pozzi, and the mannei in which they had been received had doubled his amazement.
 "Rlast me-" he said to the colonel, and to every other man he came across in the performance of his duty, "ilcst me 1t old Pozzi ain't turnin' Whte-liv- cred. Talk about havin' the ager? l Why, he shook like a tin of soup on a 1 tray when l said says l. "Livin' CT dead he kin do yez."
 l The old colonel thought little of all l this nonsense, and yet at night when | he would hear the canary trilling above his read he could not help picturing man rent with passion, with h'tten lips and SC orching eye, pacing to ana ITO, with the tiny creature perched on ms shoulder
 Mear while one by one, the days Were marked off on PoZZi's calendar ana winter. the season of his liberation, was at hand Then came a welcome break in the dull, dragging monotony It was announced that some pious church folks were preparing to give a grand concert in the chapel. Not only would they furnish, music both vocal and instru- mental, but the home talent would be permitted to contribute to the enjoy ment of the occasion. The eventtul evening came and the men were assem- bled. Shorty, ever on the OUTLOOK 70 befriend one of the notables, seized the coloners arm and guided him to seat on the side The visitors occupied the first part of the programme with pa triotic song recitation and ddacuc dls- courses. Then the chosen of the con- victs, song and dance men. serio comics and impersouators, prouder than Kings, each one in his proper order, advanced to the little platform from the right, did his turn. bowed decorously and with drew to the left
 Finally a fat little man, with dancing black eyes and dimpled cheeks all agrin, ripped lightly up the steps and made a queer drop bow that caught the au- dence at once. It was Gardini, He was dressed as an Italian immigrant, with velveteen jacket, green knee brooches, ribbed hose and silver-buckled shoes. With comical exaggeration he swung an accordeon high in air and then began to sing as follows
 I mallied me an Ilish gal.
 We hava two a kid.
 One a play ze harrp,
 Ze ozzer play ze fid
 Gee whispered Shorty to the colo mel, "git on to his laughin' in Pozzis
 
 with was Irish, too. Say, stand by for battle murder and suddint deat', now mark me"
 The colonel followed the singers sneerins glance to the left. Yes there sat Pozzi, with his hands in his pockets and his head down, sending back the challenge with an upward glare of his one fiery eye. Could no one read, as he did, its settled deadly purpose? The colonel hesitated for a moment, dread ing to attract attention to himself, and then half rose in his place, But in that instant the tragedy occurred. The littla Italian dropped his queer bow, and fair ly ran off the platform. As he came bobbing down the steps, Pozzi rushed upon him, and with marvellous rapidity plunged file ground down into rude stiletto, into this breast again and again. The eyes of murderer and mur- dered met and clashed with unextin- gushable hatred
 It was a hard task to quiet hysterical l visitors and excited men, but discipline at length had Its way, The former were dispatched to their homes, the latter | were marched to their cells, Pozzi, all | unresisting, being locked in c Az to | await the disposition of the officers of 1 the law on the following day. The ] night watchmen went their rounds. try l ing each grating and warning each in- ! mate to retire in haste and in silence. The gong rang, the lights dWindled | there was peace in the main hall the | peace of rest and sleep and cessation of | care
 Two o'clock struck that hour of sick ly chill and lowered vitality, and a screech thrilled through the main build- ing. "Gardini, Gardini Gardin." came the cry from c 42 vibrating from flag ging to roof in waves of fright. For an instant there was a hush, as the men awakened and wondered what evil thing had touched them; and then from A. the topmoSt tier, rang out Shrill voice: Cord Almighty, its the dead Dago a'ntng Pozzy,' and pandemo- nium ensued.
 The men screamed, they tugged fran tically at the gratngs, beating the bars with their tins, they howled inarticu- lately, they blasphemed, they sang snatches of rbald song. High flashed the lights in the corridors; up the stairs and along the tiers glided the warden, keepers and watchmen in stocking feet, entreating threatening. Locks snapped l. back and gratings slammed, as men v .@ t.