The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-11-01

"When you say there are no ghosts"
replied Bartolo, you forget the picture
| in the academy which proves that the
blessed Saints Mark and Nicholas and
George appeared to fisherman and
made him row them over to S. Andrea.
If there are ghosts Of saints, there
must be ghosts Of sinners"
| ''Not ut ALL" said Sandro. "The
saints-and I don't deny that there
may be saints, though I never have
seen one-can, Of course, work miracles
and consequently they can make
ghosts Of themselves If they want to.
But Nardo was not saint, as every
one will agree. So whatever st. Mark
and his comrades may have done has
nothing to do with what Nardc can or
cannot do Besides, / am not so sure
about that story Of the saints and the
fisherman. True, there Is the picture,
but any one could have painted it.
| What I want to know is where is the
ring that the ghost Of St Mark gave
to the fisherman. Show me that ring
and perhaps may believe the story"
Just then loud clap Of thunder
shook the wall Of the Osteria, and two
of the younger gondoliers crossed
themselves. "You see, Sandro," said
the old gondolier solemnly, ''it does not
do to say blasphemous things about st.
Mark. There is going to be a storm,
and who knows that it is not sent to
rebuke thee? There was man whom
knew, man much Of thy age and
appearance. He, too, was IN unbeliey-
er, and he said one night at the ira
! ghetto Of S. Toma, in the presence Of
| four or five Of us, that he didn't con-
| slider St. Mark fit to be patron saint
because he did not send German trav-
elers to Venice except in the spring.
Ten days later that man played eight
soldi in the lottery, putting two soldi
on each Of four numbers. What hap
pened? Why every one Of those num-
bers won, and the man was fit to kill
himself because be had not played on
the uuaterno. Instead Of winning q
! few lire he might have won fortune.
/ That shows that it is dangerous to
speak. lightly Of the blessed saints"
st have nothing to say against the
| saints" returned Sandro, who did not
seem very much impressed by the
others narrative. II let them alone,
and expect them to let me alone. But
| ghosts are a different thing. Now !
| don't care centesimo for all the
ghosts in purgatory. In the first place,
| there isn't any purgatory; in the Sec
ond place, there are no ghosts, and, in
| the third place, If Nardo has a ghost
| looking for rue, shall be glad to see
him here or anywhere else and will
| agree to offer him bottle Of wine and
to share it with him."
"For heavens sake, Sandro!' cried
Young ondolier-Antonio the foolish
"don't speak such wild and wicked
words. Who can tell who is listening?
Above all, don't talk in that way while
| there is thunderstorm growing. 1t
is as black as midnight outside. l my
self don't always believe in everything
| when the sun shines, but when 1t is as
dark as this and the thunder may
strike at any minute, believe every
thing"
A fresh thunderclap that seemed to
rush from one side Of the heavens over
Venice to the other and back again, as
| II it was In search Of some one, COM
! PEELED the company to keep silence.
When quiet returned, Sandro once
more, with unabashed spirits, resumed
his skeptical comments on ghosts.
'sYou are wretchedly superstitious-
all Of you." he said. 81 don't so much
mind your ideas about religion, for un-
less you waste too much money in
masses and other
Another crash that sounded as If the
Osteria itself had been struck or
smashed into million Of pieces, inter
r,pted Sandro, and when he was able
t. continue his remarks he did not take
tae trouble to mend his broken SEN
J tence.
"As l was saying" he continued. Il
| don't find fault with you for believing
in religion and saints and all such
things, for If you want to be children
you have q right to suit yourselves.
But that you should believe in ghosts
and be afraid Of them, is trying to my
| temper. Consider little. How can g
ghost hurt you? he never carries
knife; no man ever yet pretended to
have seen ghost with knife. He
can't hit you, for he is as thin as so
much smoke, and you might as well
expect a Whit Of Toni's cigar to hurt
you-which is strong enough in all con-
science to hit you between the eyes and
knock you down. If there are ghosts,
they are as harmless as so many girls,
and for my part should as soon think
Of being afraid Of 2-months-old girl
baby"
'wait till you see ghost" said old
Bartolo. "You will sing q different
song then. If ghost were to appear
to you tonight-and it is On excellent
night for ghosts-I believe that you
would be the worst frightened man in
Venice"
"You think I would be frightened:"
cried Sandro angrlly. "You are an old
man, and l am peaceable one, or
should have something to say to you
on that question of being afraid. But
I will tell you what should do If
were to see a ghost. I should welcome
him as if he was my oldest friend.
| should say to him. Come and have q