The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1912-12-10
The COrrectOr of Destirlies
Being Tales of Randolph Mason Related by
His Private Secretary. Courtland Parks
A St. Valentines Adventure
By Melville DAVIDSON Post
Copyright by Edward ]. CloIe


fore the festival OF Tore del Greco.
when the old voluptuary OF Sorrento
Jared forth so swiftly with a guest he
had not invited. The now marquis
was scarcely warm In his bare house
and the old one cold In his before the
procession of boats, each with its com.
Portable priest, came to the stone stems
and bore away the Virgin OF the Noun
tain to her semi-annual worshiping.
An American tourist chose that
morning TO ascend Vesuvius. Passing
through Torro del Greco, lie was met
by the procession of the Virgin, and
Ills driver was ordered by the priests
TO pull up by the roadside until the
holy ceremony was ended. The tour
list. standing up on his carriage seat.
observed that the procession was not
likely 10 pass within any reasonable
time, and as the ceremony was in no
wise holy to him, fact which he
stated clearly enough I'm his own lam
guage, he ordered his driver to 20 on.
The driver declined, having, like the
old marquis, an eye to the welfare
OF his soul, wheroupon the tourist. not
caring whit for his soul. caught un
tho lines and drove into the process
sion.
crowd Of women with their hair
streaming down their backs were
passing at that moment. These prompt
~ seized the horses, cut the traces o.
the harness, pulled the linch-pins OUT
OF the aXles, and trundled the carriage
into the gutter. They then, in a Va
riety Of ways, explained to tho tourist
the esteem In which they held him.
He, likewise. gave his views no less
picturesQuely, finally declaring that
he would buy the COMPOUNDED Virgin
os soon en- he got down from Vesu-
vius, and hang her UP in a Carnegie
library-a threat at that moment lost
on the un-Englished peasants of Tore
del Greco, but otherwise an expression
fated, like an oracle. 1t was not lost,
however on the guide who sat beside
him. but accurately remembered and
accurately repeated in reply to innu-
morable queries.
One does not know what hand tho
long-baffled mountain took in the bust
ness. At any ratio, the following
morning the American called on the
new marquis and asked him to name
price for his picture. The young man
declined. Tho American offered a
thousand Ira, then ten, finally twenty.
The marquis still declined, and the
American IN disgust returned to Ma
pies. The young marquis locked up
his house and went to the inn at Sor-
routo for his dinner. This hostelry
is maintained by the pleasantest thief
In Italy. over his wine the marquis
had the incident Of the procession re-
lated with endless comment; so many
gesuculating witnesses came forward
TO be heard that the marquis was COM
PEELED to remain the night under the
roof OF this pleasantest thief. When
he returned at sunrise and opened the
door OF the villa with its iron key, he
found the Virgin of the Mountain van
ished; the canvas had been cut out
OF the frame.
The man, overwhelmed with this
tremendous disaster, sat down on a
bench in his hall, covered his face
with his hands and abandoned himself
10 despair, forgetful of the open door
and the sun now shining through it.
He was aroused by voice Offering
him the salutation Of the morning and
the benediction OF God. He looked up
to see the padre OF Sorrento standing
in the door. The old man had come
early, tramping down the mountain
through tho wet lemon groves, to
warn the young marquis against that
devils threat OF the American and to
bring peace to his house
The young marquis took one OF his
hands from over his face and pointed
TO the empty frame hanging Oh the
wall. The padre following his finger,
groaned like one struck with a mortal
agony and backed slowly out of the
door. Then, livld, quiverlng, his
teeth rafting like castanets, he cursed
tho new Marquis Mazaccra with hide.
Gus. eXcoriating curses.
Thou who hast sold, like Judas, not
Christ, but the Mother Of Christi"
The boy leaped up like one prodded
with hot spit.
mo- no, padrel" he cried. Il have
not sold It. It was stolen See, Il was
cut from the frame have not sold
I'll"
4 hH NAN nun pNlultu AOuBs bHdh-
Ing finger over tho threshold.
Thou art liar" he said, like thy
master, Vho is the father of liars"
Then he gathered his skirts closely
about his legs. shook the dust from
his feet and went swiftly down the
steps.
The boy instantly saw the hell
storm that would descend on him
when the padre got back to his people
with the news
1Io gathered quickly what he could
carry tied up in a cloth and fed TO
Naples. A steamer was just going out
Of the harbor for America lie went
abroad, took his place I'm the steerage
with the emigrants and came to New
York. Here he repaired directly to
those in authority over the phantom
kingdom Of Italy and laid the entire
matter before them. I'm this new king
dom, as IN the old ono he was the
Marquis Mazaccra and a person OF pc.
Culiar distinction Moreover, here his
story was believed
The new kingdom OF italy decided
for the marquis and went into secret
counsel on his case The young man
had q plan OF bis own. He knew the
face OF the American who had come