The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-07-17

from the heart Of the Highlands Of Scotland.
IN one important particular, however, did
Donald's outfit en- this occasion, differ from
that sdopted on ordinary occasions On the
present, he equipped himself in the full cos
tune Of bis Countrywide, plaid, bonnet and
feather, sword, dirk, and pistols and thus
arrayed, Lis appearance was altogether very
striking, as he was both a stout and exceed.
ipgly handsome man.
Before starting on bis extraordinary ex-
petition, Donald had learned which was the
fittest seaport whereat 20 embark on his pro
gress to Spain and it was nearly all he had
learned, or indeed cared TO inquire about, as
to the place Of bis destination For this
port, then, be finally set out but over bis
proceedings for somewhere about three
weeks after this, there is veil, which our
want Of knowledge Of facts and circumstan-
ces will not enable US to withdraw. OF all
subsequent to this, however We are amply
informed and shall now proceed t. give the
reader the full benefits of that Information.
Heaven knows how Donald had fought his
way to siadrid, or what particular route be
had taken to attain this consummation but
certain il is, that about the end Of the three
weeks mentioned, the identical Donald
CORN OK WHOM we speak, killed aud hosed
A. he left Eidernahulish, with a huge stick
over his shoulder bearing a bundle suspend
ed on its iarthest extremity, was seen, early
IN the afternoon, approaching the gate of
Alcals, one of the principal and most splen-
did entrances into the Spanish capital.
Donald was staring about him, and at every
thing be saw, with look of the greatest
wonder and amazement and strange were
the impressions that the peculiar dresses OF
those he met, and the odd appsAl snce e the
buildings within his view, made upon bis
sophisticated mind and bewildered censo-
rum.
he, 10 truth, felt very much as il be had
by some accident got into the moon, or some
other planet than that Of which he was a
born inhsbitsnt, and as if the beings around
him were human only in form and feature.
The perplexity and confusion of his ideas
were. indeed, great-so great that he found
1t impossible 10 reduce them TO such order
as TO give them one single distinct impress
sion. There were, however, two points ii
Dcnald's character. which remained wholly
unaffected BY the novelty or his position
These were his courage aud bold bearing
Not all Spain nor all that vas III Spain, !,
could have deprived Donald OF these for a
moment. He was amazed, but not 10 the
lesst swed. He was, in truth, looking ra-
tber feroer than usual, at this particular
juncture, ia consequence Of a certain feeling
Of irritation, caused BY what he deemed the
impertinent curiosity Of the passers- By, who.
no less struck with bis strange appearance
than he with theirs, were gazing aud litter
ing at him from all sides-treatmen this, at
which Donald saw fiji to take mortal offence
IL r
Alcaa, Donald thought it full time 10 make
some inquiries as to where bis relative re-
sided. Feeling impressed with the propriety
Of this step, he made up t. a group of idle,
equivoca-lookng fellows. who, wrapped up
in long but rather dilapilatod cloaks, wers
lounglng about the gate and, plunging
boldly into the middle oi them be delivered
himself thus, in bis best E1giish
say, freens, did you'Il know, any Of
you, where my broder stops :"
Tue men, as might be expected, first stared
at the speaker and then burst out a laughing
ia bis face. They, Of course, could rot
comprehend a word Of what he said cir
cumstance on the possibility Of which It had
never struck Donald TO calculate, and 10
which he did not now advert Great, there
fore, was his wrath, at this, apparently con-
temptuous treatment by the Spauiards. HIS
highland blood mounted 10 his face. and
WITH the same -apidity rose bis highland
choler. Donald, in truth, already c0ntem
plated doing battle 10 defence Of his insultei
consequence, and at once hung out his Gag
Of defiance.
I" H0u tam scarecr0wsloOaing rascsls NJ
be sputtered out, 10 great fury, at the same
time shaking bis huge clenched fist IN the
faces Of the Whole group, their numbers not
ln the least checking mis- impetuo Sity-" y ou
cowsrdly, starvstlon-like toys I've a goot
mind to make smashed potatoes o the whole
boilin' O. ye. Tam your Spanish noses aud
whiskers !"
The fierce and determined air Of Donald
had the effect Of instantly restoring the gra-
witty Of the Spsniards, who, Totally at loss
to comprehend what class Of the human
species he represented, looked at hun with
q mingled expression Of aStonishment and
respect. At length, one Of their number
discharged q vol!ey Of his native language at
Donald but it was, apparently, Of civil and
good -natured import, for 1t was delivered 10
mud tone, and accompanied by a concllia-
tory smile Ga Donald the language was,
Of course, utterly lOst-he did not compre-
hend word OF it but not 50 the indica-
tlons of friendly disposition to which We
have alluded these he al once reciprocated,
and they mad the effect Of allaYng bis wrath
little, and inducing him 70 make another
attempt at little civil colloquy.
Well" said Donald, now somewhat
more calmly, was shust ask you a eeevi
question, and you laugh in my face, which
IS not ceevIl. In my cOuutr. we don't do
that to anybody, far less a stranger. Moo,
may pee, you'll not know my broder, aud
there's no harm 10 thst-none at all but
you should shust have have say 50 at once,
an there would be no more about it. Can
none of you speak Gaelic ~
To this inquiry, which was understood to
be suck, there was a general shaking Of
heads among the Spaniards
| Och, oich, il must be a tam strange
country where there's no Gaelic. Bat never
mind-you cannot help your msfortunes
| say, lads, will you teuk dram. Hooch,
hurra prof, prof. Let's get dram -
And Donald flung up one Of his legs hilari-
ouslY, while be gave utierance TO hese IN
couth expletives, which he did Ia short,
| joyous shouts : Where will we 90, lads z
I Did you'll know any decen' public house,
where we'A can depend on gcot tram ~
| 10 this invitation, aud the string Of queries
| by which it was accompanied, Donald got in
reply only repetition Of that shake Of the
head which intimated non comprehension.
But Il was an instance Of the latter that sur
| prised him more than all the others
Well, to be surely" he said, % if man
/ III no understand the offer of a tram, Lc'l
understand nothing, and it's no use saying
more. Put maybe you'll understand the
sign, if not the word" And saying this, he
raised bis closed hand to bis lips ana threw
back bis head, as il taking caulker" Of
his own mountain dew pointing at the
same time 70 house ich seemed to him
to have the appearance Of one Of public en-
tertain:n snt. To Donald's great satisfaction,
he found that he lad now made himself per-
fectly ineligible fact which he recognised
in the smiles and mods Of the auditory, and
still more uneqP'vocally, in the general
] m 2 mont hfah fh.,x ~