The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-09-18

Sandro, but now that / see a very
dirty ghost sitting before me- and re-
fusing 10 drink good wine, | know that
there are ghosts. and that they are not
good comrades Drink your wine. Nardo
and speak up like n man. Tn not afraid
OF you now that you are dead any more
than ] was when you were alive. but
non Nike 10 sit over my wine with one
| speak"
lhe ghost was not To be taunted in
10 breaking silence, and gradually that
silence oppressed Sandro. The latter
| spoke fhe truth when he said he was
not afraid~of Nardo. but any one Will
auinit that IL is not cheerful to sit at
tdDle with ghost who is soaking wet
anu olsgracefully muddy, and who will
| neither drink nor speak. but sits star
ing as rudely as II he were a German
| tourist. Sandro was irritated by the
ghosts conduct, and in the circum-
seahces no one can blame him. The best
| man who ever lived would be irritated
a. the Bhost OF man whom he had had
me misfortune To Kill should come back
IN oraggled and dirty dress. and do
| floor.
II there Is anything that you want.
Narao, said Sandro. perhaps you will
Ipeiftlon II. III YOU dont want anything
pesndps you Will go away and let me
@nnisn mn my wine in peace. Nobody invi-
~ ~ YOU 10 come here and IL was just
,ae.ie, ,,i inpertinent for you 10 thrust
yourseif among dinner party of hon
est folks. But you always were imper-
.lnen.. Ihat was the reason, If you re-
,,ueinper, why / WAS obliged TO spoil my
KNIFE against your ribs"
Inc stranger gazed steadily into San
uro eyes. but he made no sound. Just
then the door opened the breadth OF a
hand. and the scared face of Antonio
was visible through the opening He had
Ventured back to see III Sandro was still
alive, and IL so. whether he was as bad
~ frightened as the rest OF the gondo-
iers had been. Saniro saw and read
nhe meaning of Antonio's face and
seized the opportunity to show his ut
Ter fearlessness of ghosts
see mere. Nardo," he exclaimed, II
VIII do anything that man can do to
please you tonight. What would YOU
like 10 Save me do? Say the word and
j am az your service"
The stranger rose up. and moving
toward the door. from which the terri
rec Ahionao mad already vanished
Deckoned slowly TO Sandro to follow
him.
Certainly" said Sandro. "Perhaps
you nave forgotten that IL is still rain
ing dogs. but no matter. A little rain
VIII not hurt us. Lead the way. and I
VIII follow-that Is. IL my legs will let
me. for the wine has loosened the Joints
or them, till they are Ike the legs OF
the beg gar or the Campo SAINT Angelo.
who, we all know, has no legs what.
ever
There Is no doubt that Sandro had
drunk too much wine, and that his
brain. as well as his legs, was affected
by II. still. his courage was undimin-
ished, ana he was ready to follow the
ghost TO purgatory or anywhere else.
AS the two passed into the calle. and
turned 10 the left, directing their steps
10 where a gondola was moored. San
dro saw group Of his late dinner COM
panions gathered at a corner. at what
they Supposed 10 be a safe distance
from the ghost. He called to them.
"Goodby till we meet again. am gong
TO dine In purgatory with the good Mar
do. l will tell you all about il when I
return
When the gondola was reached. the
ghost n'otioned TO Sandro to enter and
seat himself under the felze. This Is
really too kind" said Sandro. "Nardo
thou art a good devil after all. Take
me to my house. and my wife will pay
thee in case / am too drunk TO find my
pocket. Thou art a most excellent dew
II. and ] ask thy pardon for that stab
gave thee" Sandro dropped with his
head on the cushioned seat OF the gon-
dola and fell instantly asleep. The ghost
took up the oar, and the gondola floated
down the narrow canal. until the Cana
lazzo was reached. This was rapidly
crossed. and the gondola took the
shortest way across the city toward the
Pont del Mendicantl. Sandro's late
companions. after crossing the ira
ghetto. followed swiftly on foot.
They were in time TO see the gondola
gain the open lagoon. In spite of the
storm, the ghostly gondolier rowed
steadily toward the cemetery. and in a
few minutes was lost to view in the
driving rain.
Heaven have mercy on poor San
iros soul" said Bad'tolo. "We shall
never see him again"
And they never did. What was be-
ieved by many to be his body was
found in the lagoon a fortnight later. |
but IL was never satisfactorily identf- |
led. That he was carried off by the |
ghost Of his victim, who escorted him |
straight to purgatory, was firmly be- |
ieved by all who knew the unfortunate |
Sandro. Certain sceptical policemen
that the ghost was I'm real
ty Nardo's brother. who had lured
Sandro into his boat and murdered him /
when out of sight OF any witnesses
Doubtless Nardo had "a brother. for IL
vas notorious that he had once been
Imprisoned for robbing his brother OF
new suit of clothes but nobody in
yenice had ever seen the brother, who
vas varlously alleged TO be Condo
ier at Burano a cab driver at Treviso.
nd a fisherman of Chioggia. The only
ertainty is that Sandro was never seen
live after ne entered the strangers
'ondola. and nobody but an infidel can
oubt that his bold and basphemous
anguage at the inner table was fifty
unished by the ghost OF the dead Mar
o.-W. l.. Alden In Black and White.