5 IN THE HANDS OF THE MAFIA.

People will tell r°u that the day* of romance are gone, never to Totnrh 1 but my itrange experience In Venice, In the winter season of 1894, chanced my opinion on the subject once and

for all.

I had at that time a bu*tne»* commission In the larger towns of. Italy, and from Verona I was coin* on to Venice. In my compartment was a young Italian—a rather nasty looking fellow, clad In a curious green traveling cloak. We did not speak to one another, and as It was very cold. I curled myself up In my corner and . went to sleep, wishing Inwardly that I had had the forethought to bring a nice warm overcoat with me like that of my companion. When I.awoke we were apparently nearing Venice, and I was the only occupant of the carriage. Where the Italian had got out I did not know, but, curiously enough, he had left his cloak behind him. It was a new garment, warmly lined, and I slipped It over my shoulders. Intending to hand It over to the officials at Venice. Ten minutes later the train steamed Into the station, and I tumbled oat to look after my luggage. The

good many people In the train, and in my eagerness I quite forgot that I was 'frearing a cloak which did not belong

to the lost property office.

i.tb«

persuasive gond and the whole

t. and which I ought to hand over

•operty office.

Outside the station there were the

to me. ani forthwith

black water, had a weirdly picturesque effect. Presently a gondolier came toward me, gave me a searching glance which took me in from head to foot, and then Inquired, with a courtly bow. if he might have the honor of taking the signor to his hotel. I signified my assent, and in

I away.

my gondolier drew clear of the crowd at the station, and we were presently + gliding, down the broad bosom of the'

w Grand Canal.

The night was cold, and there was a kind of damp frostiness In the biting wind which sighed across the lagoon. Instinctively I drew my cloak closely round me. and then reallbxed with a Jerk that 1 had quite forgotten to deliver It to the railway officials. “How forgetful of -toe." I thought. “But never mind! I will send a mesx frofin the hotel with it to-

senger

The ancient pal&zzo. now turned In to a plebeian bojel. at which I had engaged rooms, was dtuaied on a side canal some little distance from the Grand Canal, and we were ‘presently threading a maze of narrow waterways, lit only by twinkling lamps which threw straggling lines of light across the Inky water. Everything was absolutely, quiet for Venice Is indeed e silent city when night, falls on-the scene. Occasionally, but very rarely, a gondola would cross our path,.and every now and then there came the monotonous chant of my gondolier, as we neaTed a point where the canal branched, off. “Sa sta!" he would chant as we turned to the right; “aa preml!" as we Jived Into some devious waterway to the left; while If we were keeping' straight on, “lungo eh!” rolled across the water from his Ups. It seemed to me that we were taking rather a long time to reach the hotel, but as I not been In Venice before. I did not like to say anything. Presently, however, the gondola ran alongside a spit of decayed'stone quay, above which towered a closely shuttered house, evidently of con-

was led from the room by a wlerdlooking figure In a mask and hood. »ae bore an uncomfortable resemblance to a member of the Spanish

Inquisition.

We emerged into a brlMantly lighted room, filled to overflowing with men. all clad In the same somber garb of mask and hood. As my

la a kind of muffled

roar went up from the assembly, and

gaoler drew me 1

thoee nearest to me shook their fists in my face. Suddenly a taU man at the far end of the room moved toward me. the other* aaklBi 1«y for him respectfully. -XFor a moment he gased earnestly Into my face. Then he turned angrily to my gaoler. “What, in the name of heaven, does this mean?“ he hissed. “You have brought the wrong man!" Instantly consternation reigned in the room, and everybody crowded round to examine me. while the gaoler tried to explain things. Up to this moment I had been more or less in e dream—the rapidity with which events succeeded one another had confused -me—but now I found my “fdo not know what Is the meaning of the outrage to which I have been subjected." I said; “but If you have any doubts as tc my identity I may tell you at once that I am an Englishman, Charles Raymond by name, and I have come from Verona today. I have papers In my pockets to prove

tt."

The leader heard me out, then ho oeckoned to me to. follow him. MechanicaUy I obeyed, and he led me Into a email ante-room. Then he turned to me. “Sir," he said, in most excellctat English, “we owe you a profound apology, and also an explanation. But, first of alt, will you tell me how u Is that you are wearing that green cloak?" In a few words I explained how I came to be possessed of the coat. The eyes behind the mask smiled. “Yes." he said. “I see now how the whole thing has happened. We were on the lookout for a member of

CHANCES IN THE DAY'S LENCTHi

Prof. R. B. Woodward of Columbia university, has Just completed an Investigation into certain catises of changes In tye length of the day. Astronomers have long held that the time of the earth's rotation Is not invariable. Us Ion of beat by radla-

ually t e of th

the members of our Inner circle, but our humble Instruments were told to look out for a man In a green cloak and to bring him hither. I much regret that you should have been the victim of so unfortunate a mistake. It Is pity. too. that the traitor has temporarily escaped us; he must have received a warning. At what point did you say he left the train?" I told him as nearly as possible, and he nodded gravely. “It is .of little moment,” he said; “the scoundrel will

not get far."

.“And now,” continued my mysterious Interlocutor, “I can see you are eaten up with curiosity as to who and what we are. Ja It not so? I thought so! But, unfortunately, I am not at liberty to tell you anything. I want

now to give me your solemn

promise, on your honor as an Englishman. to say nothing to any person In Venice .of your adventure of tonight- I know you English; and I know that if you pass your word you will keep it Having given me this promise, you shall be conveyed to

ir hotel without delay, and ’

sppy to recomp

inconvenience we have cansed you/’ The politeness of the man—he was evidentljr a gentleman to his flnger-

the earth's diameter, and on the other hand the deposit of meteoric matter on the earth's surface most tend to lengthen the day. Prof. Woodward finds that from the first cause the day's length has not changed by as much as half a second In 10,000,000 yesrs. nor will it change by that amount in an equal period. He also says that these two causes of change alone considered, the effect from: cooling will be felt before that from meteoric dost will begin to be appreciable. Prof. George H. Darwin, however, has demonstrated that the factor which is certain ultimately to lengthen the day Is the t!d«l friction caused by the moon. Without giving the steps by which Prof. Darwin reaches this result, his conclusion may be stated as being that both the day and tha month are lengthening—the month here being the lunar month, or time of the revolution of the moon about the earth—hut that the rate of Increase of the day Is much more rapid than that of the month. 11118 will go on until both day and month are equal to 65 of our present days, when moon and earth will go round as though locked together, the moon always face to face with the same part of the earth’s surface, and the two bodies moving as though they were united by a bar. In this seemingly remarkable state, says Prof. Darwin, this planet and Its satellite will remain. How long It will be before these conditions come about cannot be stated, but certainly ages on age* must first elapse. In like manner Prof. Darwin goes back to a time when there were 29 rotations of the earth in a lunar month. Instead of 27 and one-third as This was the maximum number and comparatively speaking a recent event. Going back still further he finds the earth, revolving on Its axis faster and faster, and the moon revolving around the planet In shorter and shorter periods, and closer and closer to It. until wc reach s time when the two were In actual contact and revolved as one body In from three lo five hours. This was the initial but unstable condition ol our little system. When both revolve In the same time, but In 66 days instead of a few hours, It will bo the final and stable condition. We have, as Prof. Darwlp finds it. Just passed the mlddF

1 our history.

y DUNCES A BABY CAINS A WEEK.

siderable antiquity.

“Surely tl

' I cried, in

this is not the Hotel -—:?"

1 ciieu.

like a dungeon. ■The gondolier bowed low. “it is net, signor,” he said; “ the hotel 1* down the ^passage on the left, and'I trill do myself the pleasure of conducting your excellency thither.** He stepped off the gondola, tossed a loop of rope aver a stone projection. and led me tqward a narrow passage. which I bad not noticed. At the far. end of this alley I saw a

Italian mer^iant at Verona who had recommended“mrto. such a miserable Place. - Suddenly, without the slightest warning, I felt something slipped over my head. I heard a few muttered .commands, and then I felt myself' - being carried by strong arms. I could not see. I could hardly breathe; but I realised at once that I was the victim of an .outrage, the memory of all the crimes a

i with terror,

presently I wa* laid down, none too gently, on a bench. Then come the shutting of a door, and I I tried to rise to my feet, but during the brief period I had been carried -along my captors had contrived to hind me. so that I now found it impossible to move My thoughts at this time were none too pleasant. I. realised that If I never left ay

be he

wc sh i for t

with a few words of apology;.he placed the covering over my head again and led me out through the main rbom to the ancient quay on which I had first landed, and so. Into the gondola. •"Farewell. Signor Raymond,” said; “I rely on you.” Then. In a whisper: Tt Is not every one who enters the Judgment hall of the Mafia

and leaves It «Uve!"

Ten minutes later my gondolier oved the cloak from my head i took the strap off my wrists. Three'

f my aide pocket, and,

on picking It up, I found en.cloi Italian bank notes to the. value

minutes afterward he dumped me and my baggage down on the broad steps of the hotel, and, with a couple of sweeping, strokes, vanished Into the night. The landlord of the hotel

1 state of wonderment had been, but, mindful

of my promise. I told him nothing, ttd. tumbled off to bed as soon as possible. AS 1 was undressing an velope fell, out of my aide po<

picking it up. I found Ian bank notes to 260 lire—roughly £10.

nomlng else In the envelope, and could only surmise that the mono had been slipped Into my pocket way of compensation for i

adventure.

One thing mow. Two days later I was chatting with s merchant in his office close to the Rialto when my eye caught a paragraph In an Italian paper da bis desk. It was very brief. It simply recounted how a man. unknown. who had been arrested for vagrancy, had been found stabbed. to. the heart in the JaU at Verona. The dagger with which he bad been killed bore an inscription which

(very home

the ceremony of. weighing the child Is regarded with something akin

— ' ' hosj

where a baby

I

awe. But In the Babies’ hospital High street, corner of Bank, it Is one of the essential things In the treatment of the little ones who are taken there from all - quarters of the city to be made well, and until the scales show that the infant la gaining In weight he must stay In his crib and

be “treated.”

On Saturday morning they have at the hospital a somewhat unique and pathetic ceremony. If such it may be called. It Is the weighing time, and between 7 and 8 o’clock all the babies In the institution must be put on the scales. Each tot Is stripped of 1U tipy nlgbtrqbe and placed tenderly In 'a small basket. This Is laid on top of the scales, which are table-like In

form.

Every!tAtag is as. bright and clean as careful hands can make It A nurse stands at the scales and weighs the child, marking on a 'chart Its exact .number of pounds and the fractions thereof, if the little one has lost Instead of gaining during the week It means that It is not Improving, sn*" frequently a change In food Is madi Immediately. BomeUmes the gain Is a few ounces, and that indicates that the Infant Is doing well. When the Increase reaches eight ounces s week,

tion will gain.—Newark NewV.

LKWI8 T. 8TKVEN0.

M. A. SCULL.

DOin Bum RISK; IE INSURED IN ONE OP THE BE3T mi egMgniij BY STEVENS & SCULL, 5o6 Washington St., Cape May, AGENTS FOB The PHILADELPHIA UNDERWRITERS’ FIRE INSURANCE POLICY WHICH IS UNDERWRITTEN BY The Insurance Company of North America and The Fire Association of Philadelphia The Philadelphia Under writers makes a Specialty of Insurance upon Dwellings and Household Furniture, Stores, and Stocks of Merchandise, ChurchesrSchool Houses, Public Buildings and Contents. Also, insures Loss of Rents caused by Fire. Total Assets of the Two Companies, $15,890,542.29

grotissional Kuril.

J-^R. WALTER S. LEAMINO, DENTIST, Office Hours;— 9 to ll a. m. 8 to 6 p. m.

(2d floor.;

Cara Mar, N. J.

JAMES MECRAY, M. D. Con. Persy and Washington Sts. (Opposite Congress Hall.) Cafjc May City, N. J. Office Hours:—

6 to 9 a. n 8 to 4 p. i 7 to 8 p. n

J^EWIS T. STEVENS, ATTORNEY-AT-LAW, 500 Washington St., Caps May, N. J. Muter end Solicitor In Chanoery.

Notary Public.

Commlstiunnr for Pennsrlvaola. Surety Bond* secured for contractors, officials and fidelity purpoeee.

THE HISTORY

Cape May County The AborlgTnal Times.

cnapicr. wA/nimuo:

I.—The Indiana and the Dutch Explorer*.

*.—Pioneer* and WhaKng.

i.—The Settlers and Their New Homes. 4.—Life Early in the Eighteenth Century.

HOT'EaEa CrOKIDON (FORMERLY PIER AVENUE INN.) UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT. RENOVATED THROUGHOUT.

OPEN ALL THE YEAR.

BOAHMDINO BY THE DAY OR WEEK.

BOARpIN' CATUR iTREt

ft*

136 DECATUR iTRCET,

~ CORDON.

:ape may city, n. j.

CI .INTON SOUDER, DEALER IN {^Furniture, Carpels, Oilcloths, Mattresses, Matting, Window Shades and Awnings. '811-318 MANSION STREET.

1 s|ry

Town "Villa,

228 Pelry Street CAPE MAY, N.J.

UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT.

! Large Airy Rooms; Renovated Throughout; Excellent Table; I . Open all the Year. 1 1 Mrs. E W. HAND, Prop. 6.—Maritime Tendencies and Cattle Own- | ______ At The Sign of The Red Rockers

IMPORTED & DOMESTIC

CIGARS, CIGARETTES. SMOKING

AND CHEWING TOBACCOS Banff, Etc. Fine French Briar and Meeraohmnm

o—. , PI1JE STATIONERY. Pha*.

J.—The Religions C 9.—West Jersey Society Right*, la—Jacob Spicer and His Sayings.

10. —Jacob Spicer ana 1

11. —Aaron Learning a; ia.—John Hatton, the Tory,

it—Preparation* for War.

14.—The Revolution Begin*.

and Hia Times.

15.—Cape May-Patriot

10.—The Ending and Independence.

17. —The County in 180a 18. —TheWar cl 1812-

War.

pcrmtio-

the Rebellion.

of business education, and the man who possesses the knowledge and ability to hrrfte a graceful, courteous, atralght-to-the-polnt letter Is of considerable value to any large business bouse. The writing of letters, it may be observed, requires a distinct talent

to be in another sphere oLtCttion, and the words that flow easily under different circumstances fall to come at hia bidding.

alive ao 0

work of the dreaded The and shuddered. “Fancy being killed ...» 1, . wu™ *. mU- No -vr.-zsx.'Z-,

B 414 »Ot

me. the cover over ny bn* tfla tor* aetea yearly.

«r.—The Decade Before the Re M —Opening of the aril War. it.—First New Jersey Cavalry. *4.—The Enlistment* of 186*.

*5.—The Campaign* of 1864 and 1865.

£—Life Following Ihe Rebellion. *7.—Fifteen Year* of Prosperity. SB.—Distinguished VUltora

*9—Cape Island. •

g—Cpe.Marqty •

Tppe^x^^^^WUUtnre.

delpbla and New York Morning, Evening and Sunday Papers, delivered promptly

on arrival of tralaa. \

GOLF G00DSSSSSS=5.2 & a Mrs. JACOB BECK* yor. Ocean and Hughes Sts., CAPE MAY, N. |

B—Municipal Officer*. F—Table ofPopnlatioq.

S'"^£ , ifE a it3?'irSS' «£

Jr .50. Postage 30 oenta extra.

THOM. STEWART. E. H. BARTON. ^^ STEWART & BARTON f?ouse$ Sign Bainuers