The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-08-20
WALTER BLOOMFIELD

She lay In the dlSenai W9ere tnree
centuries before the fumes Of boiling
pitch had assailed the DostTiis Of the
Immortal Florentine. A swarm Of
worsmen were busy about her. and
the arrangements for the comfort Of
her TIVE passengers surpassed any
thing Of the kind I had seen or sup
posed possible. Two stately cabins
had been specially constructed, one
fore and one aft; they were divided By
a spacious general cabin, and both
richly furnished with all things need
full for comfort The crew consisted
Of seventeen men; that 10 to say. Of
Captain Jacope Peru9ia-a fine man
Of sixty or thereabouts, who had
served Signor Simona for forty years
and sixteen sailors. The fore cabin
was assigned to me. the after cabin
to Signorina Simona and her maid.
In all there was accommodation for q
score OF souls. Signor Simona intro
duced Captain Perugia to me as q
man Of whose fidelity and good sea
manship he had had frequent proofs.
and assured me that he had voyaged
SO many times between Venice and
Constantinople that he could safely
navigate the Grecian archipelago with.
ow a cnaft' "nereat sefs,ueu na.
rowly the face and head Of the captain
thus appraised. and was satisfied that
ne aese.sea uis uaS. 80 ~ -.
"ol"''nseanenns .0' " N
spared no expense tne n'',ns W. "
tne or,o Mahpie1o pfoeeeoeo sio~ei
tnan couid nave "1sneo' ana tnree
weeks passed oe1o.e sae "3s 1eaoy
ior sea ana ne.s as.m ! pe,eeisee
.ne oana "a S'S1aaS Nas' S wy -a. Ia.
ossss "o"e" - "oiA 1"e s'V.o
Wncn sne oes,seo NOT ~ uepai. WY"
ou oo' souo net eoone s
pietea- Sisnof oinona "As = su.e~u
man wei! 'efseo ~ .ne waSs u aIe
klno' yet IN oeapns WIN nls eaush,el
ne was ou' u Guy N Ie osuue VI ."e
po"e1' 20 great - '"e t'es W
Al iast the oay o"e "aen Sapoin
fefusia fepel.eo 70 esno. e.woAH ,
1nat M Hisa.oo" ~ eauS " sAA
win tne nrs1 1aSotaoe "mo' tast ner
cargo OF "escnanoise vas We. Anu
sateiy stofea' ana Ah n's oausn.els
baggage aooafd IL "ss tnen tnat
Slsnof cimona oFoeFeo tne YEN enss's
OF sequins 10 oe plAeea upon .ne aoos
u my caoH, "here / snoaio nave
tnem constantly IN signt' anu gave me
q sealed letter ior denVefy VIVID tne
chests TO Signor Mafio batusta' OF
Constantinople. He commended dis
daughter to my care. and both our
lives and fortunes to the protecuon OF
God In q manner 80 natural and anect-
ing that but few persons could nave
witnessed the scene unmcved. As for
Anita she wept anundantly, anu
showed either great Mai oeVotion OF
consummate skili In acting. And the
wind now serving, the Orto Mahpiero
stood out to sea.
II was with strange emotions. not
unmixed with sadness. that watched
the spires and campaniles of Venice
wax DINNER and yet more dim as the
swelling sails of the Orio Malipietro
bore M southeastward along the Adri.
attic. and could not repress thouchts
NJ all which bad banpened n me sInee
I frat set foot IN that marvellous city.
so snpronriate,v called the bride of
the sea. Anita noticed nv abstrac.
ton. and with the admirable tact
which seems to pertain only to femin-
Inc natures sought to dispel 1t by en-
gaging me In conversation. Poor
Anita: pitied her greatly. for she
had fixed her affections en- one who
had determined not to reciprocate
them-on q man who had never 50
much as spoken 10 ner OF love. anu Tor
him she had abandoned her aged
father tfor whom l am sure she had
real anectioo). and mad embarked on a
perilous journey under circumstances
tne most damaging 10 her reputation.
dau never suitereo such treatment
as oeiei Inc al Inc hanos ~ woman
In Ensiana shouid prooabiy haSe
oeea content w;th inns Dra'e young
venetian iaoy ioi M"' ior l oouo''
eu 10. sue was as in.'n,u, as sue was
pefs's'sn'' "u' "s Hnshsu auH sun
' az" ny Ua@"
never " fesaiu any "onn o,.et 'nan
I'd que ~ "noln no lai'n Snou'u ov pu'
vas 'oo ieeen'i! fes's'e'eo " oe "s"'
" oFoAen.
Our progress was extremely slow.