The Randall County news. (Canyon City, Tex.) 1908-1926, 1909-11-26
A VISIBLE PORTION
Of A ROMANCE
BY E. A. mitchell.

1t Is pretty sight TO see steamer
leave her anchorage in the bay of
Naples and speed westward to the
new continent The chameleon water
is the hue of the sky, whatever that
may be: perhaps azure, perhaps green,
perhaps silver. From the cutwater a
pair of white plumes shoot backward,
reminding one of those decorating a
lady's hat. Even the volume of smoke
pouring from her great funnel has its
tintS. An American standing on the
sea wall, perhaps Il bit homesick, looks
upon her as II connecting link with
loved ones on the far shore. Then,
too. if given TO dreaming. he remenl-
bers that within the distant ship are
being enacted romanceS
Here j. one | saw wifi my own
eyes
We left Naples at , in the after
noon. stood on the afterdeck look
Ing back nj the city and her gigantic
sentinel. NcsuviuS, IL trihc of smoke
emerging from the crater. as If he We're
ready To pour forth rcdhOt missiles in
its defense. Looking down on to Il
deck where III" Stecragc passengers
were lounging. | noticed young girl
gazing up at the deck where | stood
She was evidently Italian and above
the usual grade of Strcragc paSSen-
gers. Their" was something in those
black eyes Of hers that indicated that
she was powerfully moved within
When she saw that she had attracted
my attention she Withdrew TO IA place
where could no longer see her
The next morning was smoking
on the upper deck where an old salt,
whose business il was to provide i'm
plementS for games. was putting
chalk lines for Switchboard on the
planks. Two young men and two
young girls came and played One OF
the girls attracted my attention. A
small felt hat secured by II veil. a
sweater and Il skirt only reaching to
the tops of her boots made up her
visible attire.
She laughed most of the time. and
her laughter was delicious In short,
she was one of those fresh hearted
girls, at that attractive age when they
have just reached womanhood whom
mature men love to gaze upon and
boys either do not appreciate or are
ready to commit suicide for. saw her
at dinner in evening dress and was al
most ready TO commit suicide for her
myself. Above the table line was the
round bust. white shoulders sloping
into a lovely neck. lips parted in a per
petual smile. eyes laughing, too. and
u mass of black hair parted on the side
of the head. Beside her was the young
man who had played Switchboard as
her partner. and it was plain that he
was CENTRALIZED
Every day and every evening my
eyes were at some time or times on
the couple. Other passengers passed
the days reading stories in print Why
should | read stories when | had the
real thing before me; Is not a beau
tiful view superior to its picture And
is not love in flesh and blood more at
tractive than in cold print: At any
rate, | was interested. In the morning
the sunlight smiled upon them while
they rOmped In the afternoon she sat
in Il steamer chair, her eyes laughing
at him as he continually tucked her
rug about her ankles or folded it about
her shoulders. In the evening they sat
together in some coy corner of the
deck
At Gibralter saw the lovers side 10y
side in the little steamer used to take
visitors ashore. The girl. rs usual, was
laughing. At Madeira ! went ashore
with them in the same boat. In the
public garden there, redolent with
tropical plants and perfumes, heard
laugh and. turning Il curve, came face
to face with them. | verify believe
they did not even recognize me for one
of the ships passengers. SO engrOSsed
were they with each other. The same
evening as We steamed westward
along the island coast they stood to-
gether. viewing the vineyards on the
hillsideS through binoculars
Several times during the voyage
while on the afterdeck | saw the ltal-
ian steerage passenger and always
with her eyes turned upward and for
ward as though looking for some one.
She was always alone, and never saw
her speaking TO any one. There was
a mingled melancholy and savage look
on her face. as though she was brood
ing over some wrong. The day before
we reached the American coast | saw
her looking. as usual, up ut the deck
on which stood. Presently the lovers
came up. the sunshine lighting the
girls smile Suddenly | saw the ltal-
ian below tear knife from her waist
and throw it at them. The S"ung man
must have seen the act. fUr he put
himself between his companion and
the danger and received the knife in
his right breast | saw the red blood
moistening his white flannel coat and
thought for moment he was killed,
Drawing the girl along with him. he