The New York herald., 1873-10-20

kept by him for the behoof OF the sick,
and that perhaps in my exhausted state might
require bottle. I assented TO this suggestion
with so much readiness that the Cure smiled
again. and then remarked that 1t was just possible
| his sister might have few new laid eggs and some
fresh butter 1t was easy to perceive from tho
tenor OF his discourse that he was willing to OBJ
tain token OF my esteem In the way OF news In
return for his goodness, and, having told HIM all
knew OF the pilgrims on the road, sat down TO an
omelette which made myself, and to capital
bottle OF Bordeaux which the Cures sister brought
me with the same tranquil smile upon her widowed
lips, which rather put me out OF countenance.
Before going to bed had asked the Cure how and
when had better ascend
THE HOLY MOUNTAIN
The Cure, after mature consideration, and with
gentle twinkle in his eyes, had responded that
had better go there upon mule at about halEpast
seven O'Clock, as he should do At five, however,
there was loud knocking at my chamber door and
was grufly enjoined to get up Ireplied that
should do so in two hours and a half; but every
| ten minutes afterwards the knocking was re-
sumed, and the grur voice ordered me to rise, In
| peremptoyy tones. / was just getting accustomed
| to the row, and beginning to consider 1t as
sort of
CHORUS TO DoZE,
when there came genter tap OF great decision.
anu dry, auJnOrlL8llVe WulSpeT Mduc itSci hO0iu
through the keyhole. 1t was that voice at which
| married man trensbles-a determined woman's--
| and rose at once in some trepidation.
| 'Monsieur,n said the voice, which had rightly
| guessed proceeded from the Cures sister, sunless
| you start at once cannot answer for your mules"
| She folded her hands beneath her breast and
| looked at me once more with the quiet smile which
had disconnected me on the previous evening.
"Why nots" said I, trying to put bold face on
| my submission which now felt would be inev-
| table.
| .The honest mueteer," she replied, primly "has
received offer from another pilgrim, who starts
early and he wishes his beast to make two ascents
OF the mountain before high mass instead OF one.
You must therefore pay him double the fare he
agreed to take last night or 60 upon your pilgrim
age briskly' (ptuemenp.
! "Madame will have the exceeding goodness to
| make me q cup Of coffee, and ! will start imme-
| diately can get my boots cleanednI answered, in
| crestfallen way.
| "Conee boots ?" whispered the cures sister,
almost inaudibly, and again there hovered that
provoking smile about the corners Of her mo nth.
| Presently my boots were brought to me, un-
| touched, by the chambermaid, who remarked Incl
| dentally that there was no coree to be had so
marched down stairs with dusty feet and an empty
| stomach. The Cures sister curtsied as passed
| and presented me to her son, who presented me
| with ladder three feet high to mount on mule
! back.
"Les danaes" said the Cures sister, in an absent
| way, yet with remarkable kindness, zen ont ton-
| jours oesoin.
BON JOUR, MoNsIEURl"
J. had some reason to believe by this time that
the Cures sister knocked herself OF me-" "Fiei
you pilgrim Of dainty ways, with your bottle and
your frying pan, who will not eat wholesome
| deal BOARD stewed in sooty water. Come, let me
make merry with you'll" That was what her down.
| cast eyes and absent language seemed to say.
| On rushed the stream OF pilgrims, down gorge
| and ravine, In the early morning, and ambled
| pacidly away my mule ahead Of them. The
| brute was sure-footed, though he had no mouth,
and was leg-weary. The Cures sister had ostenta-
tiously taken care to see that he was tightly
grthed, Tor when saddle slips round on narrow
path there is mischief, and had not paid my BILL
| The road up the Holy Mountain was not SO bad as
| the mountain roads in Spain and Africa, being
nearly three feet wide in Its narrowest part but
| tumble might have proved fatal for all that.
Many sick people were being carried up the
mountain side on hand chairs; and once saw
CHILp's CRADLE BY THE ROADSIDE
with the tired parents sitting in patient hope
upon rock till their strength returned and
| they could bear 1t on again. But most
OF the pilgrims were on foot or mounted
|
the differing types Of pilgrims. There was the great
| lady OF the FaubOurg St. German, with her two
maids, and her husband, with his valet behind her.
making an imposing cavalcade. There was the
distraught old woman, who had dropped her shawl
and was about to pass the day in looking for 1t.
There were some pretty girls, walking behind
mule laden six feet high with bandboxes and mil
linery. The Holy Mountain seemed goodish hus
band-huntng ground-and why not9 In what
better place could man wish to meet the COM
panion OF his life than at the shrine OF the vrgins
Then there were streams Of pious ssterhoods, with
their wondrously clear compilations and large,
| quiet eyes. Economic walking women, umbrella
in hand; stout cures shouderng their bags and
covering the ground with sturdy stride : monk and
friar, with the pilgrims STAFF in hand glided
solemnly along many with fine grave faces, who
might have made figure in the world had they
| been so minded Bishops and deans took their
pilgrimage easily keeping or the sun with their
broad hats. and listening drowsily to the tinkling
of the bells on the necks of their mules Here and
there parties OF the neighboring clergy, with
their pious friends, all dressed in decent black
and passing rich with so little money and so much
esteem. Farther on were aanaunting woman and
her toades from Uriage, the nearest watering
| place, and on their way to Switzerland thinking
the Almighty rather beneath their notice. They
had fifteen mules and twenty trunks, with livery
servant dressed in blue and silver, save his waist
coat, which was yellow. The mountaineers took
| him for general oficer or beade, and capped
him reverently as he passed. instead OF wondering
as they might have done, whether little money
should give one human being the power to make
another appear SO ridiculous
Three persons especially interested me. One was
clustering elderly man. evidently OF Importance
in his own parish. He had red face, o loud voice
and rank smell Of money about him. But with
him was deformed boy, who was his only son,
and the presence OF this boy seemed to halow him.
Very touching 1t was to see the rude bullying old
fellow pretending not to believe IN miracles, yet
clutching at the hope that they might be true, and
that one might be wrought to make his child as
strong and money-lovlng as he. He wrapped the