Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1902-01-16

tor all.
I had at that time a business cont
mission in the larger towns OF Italy,
and from Verona l was going on to
Venice. In my compartment was a
Young Italian-a rather nasty looking
fellow, clad in a curious green travel
ing cloak. We did not speak to one
another, and as it was very cold,
curled myself up in my corner and
went to sleep, wishing inwardly that
| had had the forethought to bring
nice warm overcoat with me like that
of my companion.
When | awoke we were apparently
nearing Venice, and | was the only
occupant of the carriage. Where the
Italian had got out l did not know,
out. curiously enough, he had left
his cloak behind him. 1t was a new
garment, warmly lined, and l slipped
it over my shoulders, intending to
hand it over to the officials at Venice.
Ten minutes later the train steamed
into the station, and l tumbled out to
look after my luggage. There were
good many people in the train, and in
my eagerness | quite forgot that | was
wearing cloak which did not belong
to me, and which ought to hand over
forthwith to the lost property office.
Outside the station there were the
usual crowds of persuasive gondoliers
plying for hire, and the whole scene
was one of hustle and confusion. 1t
was now late at night, and the lights
of the station, reflected in the inky
black water, had a weirdly pictur-
esque effect. Presently a gondolier
came toward me, gave me searching
glance which took me in from head
to foot, and then inquired, with a
courtly bow, if he might have the
honor of taking the signor to his
hotel. | signified my assent, and in
few moments my few belongings
and myself were more or less snugly
slowed away. With few strokes
my gondolier drew clear of the crowd
at the station, and we We're presently
gliding down the broad bosom of the
Grand Canal
The night was cold, and there was
a kind of damp frostiness in the bit
ing wind which sighed across the la
goon. Instinctively | drew my cloak
closely round me, and then realized
with jerk that l had quite forgotten
to deliver it to the railway officials.
How forgetful of me-" l thought.
But, never mind! will send a mes
senger from the hotel with it to-
morrow morning."
The ancient palazzo, now turned in
to plebeian hotel, at which
l had engaged rooms, was
situated on side canal some
little distance from the Grand
Canal, and we were presently thread
ing a maze Of narrow waterways,
lit only by twinklng lamps which
threw struggling lines of light across
the inky water. Everything was alb
solutely quiet, for Venice is indeed
a silent city when night falls on the
scene Occasionally but very rarely,
a gondola would cross our path, and
every now and then there came the
monotonous chant of my gondolier. as
we neared a point where the canal
branched off. "Sa sta!" he would
chant, as We turned to the right 'sa
premi!" as we dived into some devious
waterway to the left; while if We were
keeping straight on, "lungo eh."
rolled across the water from his lips
1t seemed to me that we were
taking rather long time to reach the
hotel, but as l not been in Venice be-
fore, | did not like to say anything.
Presently, however, the gondola ran
alongside sort of decayed stone
quay, above which lowered a closely
shuttered house, evidently of con-
siderable antiquity.
Surely this is not the Hotel -"
| cried, in surprise; ''it looks more
like dungeon"
The gondolier bowed low. "Tt is
not, signor," he said; " the hotel 10
down the passage on the left, and
will do myself the pleasure of CON
Quoting your eXcellency thither."
He stepped off the gondola, tossed
loop of rope over a stone projec.
tion, and led me toward a narrow pas
sage, which l had not noticed. At
the far end of this alley l saw a
twinkling oil lamp, which my guide
assured me was the light of the Hotel
-. Inwardly | cursed the friendly
Italian merchant at Verona who had
recommended me to such miserable
place.
Suddenly, without the slightest
warning, l felt something slipped over
my head l heard few muttered
commands, and then | felt myself
being carried by strong arms.
| could not see, | could hardly
breathe; but l realized at once that
| was the victim of an outrage. And
the memory of all the crimes which
have occurred in this vast network
of silent waterways and ancient
houses surged into my brain until
felt sick with Terror