Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-10-29
STANLEY In spain.

Edward King, in Scribner's.I
/ was aroused by the sound Of a fresh
voice eagerly pronounciDg my name.
Well we'll here is another government
spy, | thought, and turned confusedly.
A short, smart, energetic young man,
plainly dressed, and with his hat in his
hand, was rapidly questioning the hotel
clerk, whose office overlooked the din
ing room. Finally with an impatient
gesture, he turned away and came to-
wards me. He accosted me in Cassilian,
whereupon / shook my head. Then he
burst into gratified laugh, aud seizing
my hands, said: -,
Its all right. Yen are -, aren't
you. They said at the legation that you
were going to Valentia, and / go too.
Stanley -; John Hay mentioned me,
didn't he? It's all right. Train leaves
in an hour. I'll jump into the carriage,
get clean shirt, and be back in fifteen
minutes. Are your papers readyf Yes;
We must be off tonight or the thing will
be over before we get there.
All this in breath; and he was gone,
not even waiting to hear my rapturoous
assent to his proposition, or rather his
command.
/ was at the hotel door in ten minutes,
and shortly after he came hurting over
the movements in little coach, crying
loudly TO the coachman to whip up, ana
threatening him with the direst ven
geance if he missed the train. We ar
rived at the station two minutes before
the long line of express carriages,
crowded with cloaked and heavily armed
officers, started; and it was not until we
were rafting aleng the rails at twenty
miles an hour (that is express speed IN
SPAIN, that / had an opportunity TO
study my companions face. is9.
The head was small, but well fashioned,
and poised upon shapely neck; the
movements we're quick as those Of bird,
and graceful withal; the eyes seemed al.
Wavs looking away, at something beyond
to be reached and won; the facile lips
were never at loss for some def ex-
preston, which came pat home to the
thought and the brow fairly shone
sometimes, when the whole features we're
aglow with the enthusiasm which seemed
to permeate every fiber Of this man
being. The quaintness, oddity, pictur-
esuueness of the face when the bps were
telling some dashing adventures OF
travel; the cosmopolitan breadth and
uutamed vigor Of thought which after
wards learned so heartily to love; the
sublimated vagabondsge which now and
then Illuminated the countenance, or
crept almost imperceptibly into the con-
versation, were all exhibited in an hour.
had made up my mind, ere we had
smoked our second cigar, that my COM
panion was honest, original and wise.
He had no unpleasant self-conscious'
ness; his mind was as healthy as his
body; as guitless Of vanity as was his
frame of infrmity he plunged at
once into sparkling account of his
Abyssinian adventures, for which | had
asked hin; and although he naturally
was the hero of his own tale, still he
seemed to fancy the Stanley of whom he
spoke as some person in whom be was
not Immediately interested, and did not
hesitate to mention his faults and dis
courarements freely The evening
wore rapidly away; and as was listen
ing to the story of the footing" after
the taking of Magdala, the train came
to a stop at Albacete, and Stanley,
springing to the window, began eagerly
demanding news Of the loiterers about
the station.