The Washington herald., 1907-08-14
VESUVIUS.
BY JAMES LEWIS.

Robert CASTOR was a bachelor of thirty
eight, and was known to be fairly
wealthy. He was a clubman in a con-
servative way. He was also a patron of
the theater. but not of actresses. Now
and then he made a bet on a horse race
or an election. but he did not riae to the
hounds nor participate in wild revelry.
He was a bachelor Of good character.
and why he did not marry was something
no fellow could find out.
Nothing is a mystery to one who knows.
Mr.. CASTOR knew that he was simply
waiting for the right woman to come
along and arouse the romance in his
nature. That he had romance. he felt
quite sure. but that the right woman
would come he had begun 10 doubt He
had prevented a girl in financial dis
tress from leaping into the river, but she
was older than he. and did not appeal
to him. He had stopped a runaway cab
horse and saved the woman inside the
vehicle. but she turned out 10 be
bachelor girl. who coldly thanked him
and said that she was about to vault
onto the horses back and stop him her
self At a theater panic one night he
had seized a pretty girl in his arms and
hustled her out, but she had told him
that she was already engaged and had
offered him a dollar in cash for his ex-
ertions.
Between the ages OF twenty-five and
thirty-eight Mr. CASTOR had had at least
fifteen narrow escapes from calling up
that slumberlng romance that would lead
10 admiration and love. and he had finally
come 10 the conclusion that it would
have TO be something out Of the beaten
track. and might never happen at ALL
How little do we know what day may
bring forth? On a certain Sunday Mr..
CASTOR sat in the smoking-room of his
club and read the siX-volume Sunday pa
pers and was satisfied and content. On
Monday he decided 10 sail for Italy and
see the volcano of Vesuvius in operation.
No one had ever suspected him of a par
TALLY for volcanoes. He had not rushed
off to the Johnstown flood or the Gal
weston disaster, or the Baltimore fire.
He had never been known to attend a
prize fight or pay visit TO the morgue,
and he had once turned pale at sight OF
a bleeding finger on the hand of a club
waiter; but now he wanted TO sail far
away and see a volcano belching destruc-
ton for twenty miles around. Such
man!
Five days from the date of making his
decision Mr.. CASTOR sailed for Naples
His steamer was not overcrowded. He
would find plenty Of standing room at
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
suddenly discovered that there was an ex-
tremely good-looking young woman
aboard in charge Of the captain. His
heart gave one jump, and then he turned
away. He was of to see volcanoes, and
not to look after comely females Be
sides, the captain whispered to him that
Miss Dawson did not care 10 make ac-
quaintances on the voyage. BY way Of
revenge. Mr.. CASTOR did not stare at her
at the table as did all the other passen-
gers.
-Four DAYS had passed and he had met
Miss Dawson face TO face a dozen times,
and neither had seemed 10 see the other.
Then he passed her vacant steamer chair
and found her purse lying where she
had carelessly left it. Finding a lady's
purse, whether on land or sea, calls for
immediate action. Mr. CASTOR was In
search of the captain 10 hand il over
with contents untouched. when he met
the young lady face to face and had the
hardihood to address her She at once
responded smilingly. Yes. It was her
purse and she was under a thousand
obligations, and so they introduced them
selves 70 each other and sat down for a
chat
She had told the captain that she didn't
care for introductions, but she was will
ing TO make an exception in Mr.. Gaston's
case. Mr.. CASTOR was on board for the
express purpose of going to Naples TO
see a volcano humping itself. and hadn't
expected to speak TO a woman en- route,
but he was also willing TO make a soil
taTy exception.
There were many other chats, but I'll
was not until the last day out that Miss
Dawson solved a problem that was puz-
zling the bachelor She was going to
Italy to claim a large estate left by
her grandmother She had all the papers
with her. She was an orphan and Mad
no relative TO come with her, and her
New York lawyer and her maid had
accidentally been left behind when the
steamer sailed She must go to a
hotel in Naples and wal, 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 the heart Of the old bachelor began TO
thaw out, It thawed and bubbled and
rose 70 the surface. II begot admiration
Mr.. Castor wouldn't have made a wager
mat II wouldn't end IL begetting love.
Ihe thing that was needed had come TO
him at last. On arrival at Naples the
captain took Miss Dawson to a certain
MOTEL, and Mr.. CASTOR went TO another.
put' OF course, Mr.. CASTOR could call at
any proper hour. He did call.
There was old Vesuvius belching away
and scattering ashes and fireworks all
around, and hundreds feared that Ma
pies must be destroyed. but he was not
among them. He was falling in love with
Miss Dawson, and Naples must stand.
Together the two saw the old hill doing
her stunts, but their talk was mostly in
regard to that grandmother fortune II
amounted to millions OF dollars and Miss
Dawson was the only heir. II would be
a great responsibility for her. and she
almost dreaded getting the money. Alone
in the world ana immensely wealthy how
could she tell whether a man sought her
hand for love or the long green?
At this point Mr.. CASTOR reached out
and took her hand and said something IN
reply, but as there happened TO be an
eruption just then--a sound like ten thou