The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-07-19

'.'.'. .'.'' }. ': . $ ]. !. :. 5 ]
 70 kfA# through a hot street ol
 #se Naples in midsummer, onS
 3E$5E should suddenly behold 2
 s vista of real blocks of ice
 melting upon the curb
 stone, while indifferent N@ clerks gossiped over ztl1e
 soda fountains in the
 shops. Any American would
 know that this must be a mirage.
 thaf the first sight of the islands had upon Mir. Josiah B. Iandscam. He efutched the sides of his steamer-chair and leaned forward like man who was seeing things
 Look over there" he demanded. when at length he became aware of my pres ence- Do y0W see anything
 But perhaps it were wise to pause at this point and recall the fact that 1 had made his acquaintance, in more or less ore-sided manner, few hours after sailing from Boston on ship bound for the Mediterranean.
 You're an American eitizen7" he in Qrired, confronting me upon the pronen- ade-deck<, where he had been moving to and fro restlessfy. admitted that was, but silently determined not to sign any petitions thus early in the voyage.
 @So many foreigners on board, I'm beginning to lose confidence, he ex- plained. smiling blandiy. Met man a little while back, that thought sure was an American from his clothes, so l spoke to him No parlor,' says he in reply.
 etsTry the smolCing-room, said l.
 No parlor, says he again; and the steward came along and told me that he was a Dago and couldn't talk American. My names Landscam-Josiah B. Land scam. real estate; not for speculation, but for investment This is my first trip across the big pond"
 I could do no less than give my own name, and state that I was journalist going abroad partly on business and in part for pleasure; and the knowledge in mo way disconcerted him.
 @We1I get along" he remarked. I'm something of hustler myself My father made his, groceries; I've made mine in real estate. own something over seventy buildings. You can see real estate, and you don't know what you are getting when you buy stocks He money earns me from eighteen to turenty-four per cent" he said. That's better than any stocks l know.
 believed at the time that he was boasting, but I know now that he was telling me the truth His reliance was in real estate in a double sense, for soon after this preliminary conversation he disappeared from view and did not see him again for two days At the end of that period the sea had qt1ieted down a bit, and the empty chairs in the dining salon began to be occupied by pallid, un- certain passengers. MT. Landscam had changed so that hardly recognized him at first sight He appeared to have lost a certain amount of his rotundity, his round red face had become haggard and gray, and a nournful pair of eyes peered out from behind his go1d-rimn1ed spec tacles-
 Stomach no good" he explained, pa thcfica1ly. @Been suffering from indiges- ton. Seas no place for me, and ought to have stayed on land-
 I encouraged him with the assurance that he was now over the worst of his troubles, and he began to get his. sea legs from that day; but he did not cease talking of the land. Real estate appeared to have gained new and sacred value in his mind
 It was under these circumstances that he failed to return my nod upon deck one morning. and l observed that his eyes had the fixed stare of vacancy.
 Look over there" he demanded, when Et length he became aware of my pres ence- Do yoR see anything
 What do you nlean? asked in assumed surprise
 @Right over there" he indicated, with . motion of his finger. Cant you see R mountain rising out of the ocean right hp in the clouds? Can't you really, now1"
 W TO CNGI uCdIQ Ol 1l4Oul1Lo-AA nidocean?~ I replied, sceptica1ly.
 And that settled him. Hey, steward r he called, weakly "Send for the doctor. I'm sick I'm in bad condition.
 I was obliged to countermand the order and explain to him that we were approaching the Azore Islands, and that what he saw was a volcanic mountain npou one of them.
 s.You don't mean that there's land way put here?" he exclaimed, joyonsly. Well, ! am comforted.''
 After that he haunted the ships of Gcers for information, and when we began to run along the coast of Saint Michael q few hours later, and he learned that we were to anchor off the eity of Ponta Delgada for the night and land passengers there in the morning he Ras the happiest man aboard, not except slng even the returning Portuguese inn migrants on the lower deck.
 Eonta Delgada ss one of those island Efties that have a certain charm of their pEn because they relieve the monotony of the sea It is bit of old Portugal set down there hundreds of years ago. and all but forgotten; drowsy and con Tented in the mild intoxication of its own sweet odors. Coming to 1t from the deep, the senses are ravished with the delicious perfume of flower and fruit. while the city itself Is still an Irregular mass of white stone buildings and the eye is not disappointed, upon coming closer, to note that no great docks rise for the accommodation of steamships or merchantmen, and that he who elects to go ashore must do so with such humble conveniences as the port itself affords. Columbus dropped an