Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-07-12
THE SILVER CROSS.
A CAMPAIGNING SKETCH,
MUNICIPALITIES.

In the village If Garcia, upon the noun
tains near the Arga, which flows from the
Pyrenees to Pampeluna, the wind whistled
and the snow drifted upon a stormy Janua-
ry evening of the year 1886. 1t was about
seven o'clock; Jose, sturdy peasant, sat by
the kitchen fire, on which withered vine
branches blazed and cracked, and dried his
hernpen sandals. Beside him knelt a hag-
gard old woman, handsome in the ugliness
Of one of those strongly-marked, melancholy,
yellow countenances, in which legend Of
the Alhambra seems to lurk. Dressed in
rusty black, she crouched like an animal by
the hearth, poking and blowing at the fire,
which sometimes broadly illuminated the
remotest part of the room and rafters of the
roof, at others was barely sufficiently vivid
to light up her mysterious old physiog nomy.
Suddenly gust of wind burst open the
wooden shutter, and howled into the apart
ment.
ssDiosl what weather." croaked the old
woman.
An affirmative carajo was her husband s
reply, as he knocked the dry mud from his
leathern gamashes against the edge of the
raised hearthstone
4sGod help the poor troops in the noun
tains!" continued the old woman. "Daugh-
ter, shut the window"
"A young girl, who sat, spindle in hand
upon wooden bench in the gloom of the
chimney corner, obeyed the order. Hel
coarse wollen dress could not wholly disguise
the graces of her folm, as she tripped across
the kitchen through tina ftful freight, which
shone upon her gipsy features and clea
brown skin, and upon the two long plaitee
tails of Jet black hair that fell down he
back nearly to her heels. Before closing
the window she listened, with the true in
stinct of a yedette, to the sounds without Il
lull of the blast, her ear caught the nois
of distant drums, beaten not in irregula
guerilla fashion, but by well-trained drum
mers, in steady; quick time.
Father" cried Manuela, stroops are a
hand"
e@Nonsense, child: IT'S the garrison tatto
below at Larasuena.
@No, father, it draws nearer. lis tn
French. Mother, hide the beds"
Beds were hidden, sack Of white bean
was carefully concealed, the family jackas
was tetnefe0 IN the udTktSC colucI VI lnC ool
lar-like stable. Preceded by rattle Of drums
two wet and weary battalions of the Frencl
Legion marched into Garcia, and after fev
minutes halt the shiyering alcade was hur
rying from house to house, alloting quarter
10 the tired strangers. -
An hour later sat beside Jose's hearth
smoking a, friendly cigarillo with the surly
old peasant. Upon the earthern floor,
various distances from the fire, at which sun
dry pair of white CATERS newly washed
hung to dry, lay those soldiers of my squIa'
G was then corporaD who had not falle'
in that days fight by Larasuena. At
short loop-hole in the wall, looking out int
the street, sentry stood. For a lons
while Jose sat with folded hands, gazing a
the fire. l did all / could to make him talk
told him about German customs and Ger
man men; then spoke of Spain, Of the Con
stitution and so forth; less, however, it trutl
*This sketch is derived partly from the note
book, and partly from the conversation, lof
young German, now living upon o small estat
near bareges in the Upper Pyrennees.