The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1913-09-05
A Tragedy Of
Naples
B. F. a. Mitchell.

back OF the city to get a more COM
%prehensive view, including Vesuvius
and the islands Of Capri and Ischia.
Coming to a suitable spot, I threw my
self on the grass to regale myself in
what to me is the most attractive view
in the world.
Presently l heard a voice behind me,
which l took for that Of a woman's
deep c%ontralto.
"Parley vous Francois, MONSIEUR
l turned, and there stood a young
man apparently about twenty years
old. He was evidently not Italian, for
his hair bespoke one Of the north. I
speak French indinerently and appris-
ed him Of the fact. He asked me to
what country l belonged, and I told
him America.
"You are the very man I wish to
see" he said. II I'M thinking Of going
to America. and you can tell me how
to get there"
1.-The shortest way Is to sail from
this port for New York or Boston"
do steamers 60 from here direct
without stopping at any European
port?"
II think not. Some Of them 60 to
Genoa before turning westward, and1
think nearly all stop at Gibraltar.
Then there are the Azores and Ma
deira, out in the Atlantic"
He seemed disappointed at this-at
least he looked SO, though he did not
express his disappointment in words.
when does the next steamer sail?'
he asked.
II don't know. One sails a week
from today. I 60 in her myself"
"a week from today" he said, evil
IDENTIFY thinking Of something else be-
sides the starting. "At what hour?"
I told him that I had not yet learned
the sailing hour; he could find out by
applying at the Offices Of the line. He
asked what stops the steamer made.
and l told him only M on the Euro
pean mainland-Gibraltar. When l
inquired II he would be a passenger
with me he said he couldn't tell; he
didn't know If he would be ready.
After some information I gave him
about America, to which he did not
seem to be listening, he made an abrupt
adieu. with thanks, and went on his
way down the declivity.
The houses climb the steep hills back
Of Naples. Sometimes the front door
on the street is in the second or third
story. 1t made me dizzy to look down
into the back yard Of my pension.
Beneath me was a hotel with a yard
in the rear of the fourth story. A
gentleman evidently Of high rank,
judging from his attendants-used to
walk every afternoon about 3 O'Clock
in this yard. He appeared to be an in
valid and chose that hour because he
got the sunshine, for the shade in Italy
is very chilly. l noticed that he was
quite regular in taking his outing, and
I used to watch him and the attention
he received from his servants.
The afternoon of the day I sailed I
was sitting at my window enjoying
the view of the bay when I heard a re-
port as Of a gun or pistol. Leaning
forward and glancing down into the
yard of the hotel, I saw the invalid ~
ing on the ground. Then half-a dozen
persons ran out Of the hotel to where
he lay. Presently two servants took
him up and carried him into the hotel.
His fall. coming SO Don after the ne
port, caused me to think that he had
been shot, as could easily have been
done from any Of the back windows
Of houses on the street above the one
on which the hotel faced.
I sailed the same evening without
getting an explanation Of what I had
seen. I was inclined to think that the
gentleman had tainted. I could read
Italian sufficiently well to extract the
gist Of an item and took a newspaper
aboard the ship with me. Before get
ting into my berth ! looked It over.
One Of the first articles I read stated
that a Russian nobleman who had been
the governor Of Finland had been shot
that day while taking exercise in the
yard Of his hotel. The assassin was
supposed to be a Russian. The de-
ceased had been prescribed by the rev.
o%lutionists. Considering the position
from which the shot was fired, escape
for the assassin wa easy. He had not
been arrested.
/ had seen a Russian political assas-
sination without even suspecting It
Somehow the matter got on my nerves.
After passing the Azores. where we
made our last stop, I noticed sitting in
q steamer chair On deck a girl whose
face was familiar to me. Where had
IL hef?. I was sure had seen