The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1907-08-30
Seeing y
VeSuviuS.
L 49,. By JAMES LEWIS.
Copyrighted. 1907, by Mary McKeon.



Robert CASTOR was a bachelor of
thirty-eight and was known to be fair
~ wealthy. He was clubman in q
conservative way. He was also a
patron of the theater, but not of
actresses. Now and then he made a
bet Oh Il horse race or an election, but
he did not ride to the hounds or par
ticipate in wild reyelry. He was q
bachelor Of good character, and why
he did not marry was something no
fellow could find out.
Nothing is mystery to one who
knows. Mr.. CASTOR knew that he was
simply waiting for the right woman
to come along and arouse the ro-
nance in his nature. That he had
romance he felt quite sure, but that
the right woman would come he had
begun to doubt. He had prevented
girl in financial distress from leaping
into the river, but she was older than
he and did not appeal to him. He had
stopped runaway cab horse and saw
ed the woman inside the vehicle. but
she turned out to be bachelor girl,
who cGldly thanked him and said that
she was about to vault on to the
horses back and stop him .herself.
At a theater panic one night he had
seized pretty girl In his arms and
hustled her ont. but she had told him
that she was already engaged and had
offered him a dollar In cash for his
exertions.
Between the ages Of twenty-five and
thirty-eight Mr.. CASTOR had had at
least fifteen narrow escapes from call
ing up that slumbering romance that
would lead Ia admiration and love, and
he had finally come 10 the conclusion
that 1t would have to he something
out Of the beaten track and might
never happen ut all.
How little do We know what q day
may bring forth: On certain Sun
day Mr. CASTOR sat In the smoking
room of his club and read the six vol
uaIe Sunday papers and was satisfied
and content. On Monday he decided
70 sail for Italy anl see the volcano Of
vesryius FL operation. No one had
ever suspected hia ~ Partially for
yOlcaupcs. lie had not rushed of TO
the .lUhnSt0wn fool or the Galveston
disaster or the Baltimore fire. He had
never been known to attend prize
fight or pay visit TO the morgue, and
he had once turned pale at sight Of a
bleeding finger on the hand of club
waiter. but now he wanted TO sail far
away aud see volcano belching de-
struction for twenty miles around.
Such II man.
Five days from the date Of making
his decision Mr.. CASTOR sailed for
Naples. Ills steamer was not over
crowded. He would find plenty Of
standing room ut the deck rail when
he reached port. This would be one Of
the occasions when the front seats
were not reserved for ladies. II was
two days before the old bachelor sud-
denly discovered that there was an
extremely good looking young woman
aboard In charge Of the captain. His
heart gave one jump. and then he
turned away. lie was of 70 see vol
canoes aud not 10 look after comedy
women. Besides. the captain whis-
percd 10 him that Miss Dawson did
not care to make acquaintances on the
voyage. BY way OF revenge Mr.. Gas
ton did not stare ut her at the table,
as did all the other passengers.
Four days had passed. and he had
met Miss DavIson face ca face n dozen
times. and neither had seemed TO see
the other. Then he passed her vacant
Steamer chair and found her purse ~.
Ing where site had carelcssly left Il.
Finding Il lady's purse. whether on
land or sea. calls for immediate action.
SIR. Gastoa was In search Of the cap
tain TO hand u over. with contents un'
touched. when lie met the young lady
face to face aud had the harlihoOd 10
address her. Size Gt once responded
sm!lHngiy. Yes. it was her purse. aud
she was under Il thousand obligations.
and So they introduced themselves TO
each other and sat down for chat.
She had told the captain that she
didn't care for iairoductions. but she
was willing to make an exception In
Mr.. GaSton'a case. Mr.. CASTOR was on
boardrfor the express purpose Of going
60 Naples to sec u volcano humping
itself aud hadn't expected TO speak TO
wonau en- route. but he was also
willing to make solitary exception.
There were many other chats. hut
IL was not until the last day out that
Miss Dawson solved a problem that
was puGzilng the bachelor. She was
going 20 Italy 70 claim a large estate
left by her grandmother. She had the
papers with her. She was an orphan
and had no relative 70 come with her.
and her New York lawyer aud her
maid had accidentally been left behind
when tire steamer sailed. She must go
90 q hotel IN Naples aud wait for them,
though she would be In consultation
with an italian lawyer meanwhile. and
some preliminary steps could be taken.
The romance that had been buried
deep In tue heart " the old bachelor
a a "a