The Van Buren press., 1873-10-14
MISCELLANY.
An Adventure In Spain.

| Hcee NcTe lue NOTus, uttcTeu HAIL III
Jest and half In earnest, which broke from
my friend and fellow traveller, Charlie Al
ston, as wayworn and weary we reined up
our horses, in the rich glow Of an au
tumn sunset, at the door Of low hostel,
which in Spain does duty for posada,
or ian We had left Malaga, en- route for
Granada, at eleven O'Clock on the previ.
ons night, and after forest ride by
moonlight, the memory of whose en-
chanting loneliness no after dreams ot
beauty can blot out, we had taken what
refreshment, in the way of grapes and
light wine, the peasants could supply and
started afresh on what proved to be the
hardest days ride that ever |, aecustom-
ed to the saddle from my nursery, even
remember to have taken.
All day we rode under tho scorching
sun Of Spain, sometimes over highways
white with dust, sometimes through leafy
dells, where the fierce sunlight was brok-
en- by the shade of lofty trees, sometimes
winding along the base Of the lovely 81
ezra Nevada and at every turn gazing
upon some new landscape more surpass
! inSiy beautiful than the last
During the latter half Of the day, how
ever, we had both been far too weary to
make enjoyment possible, and my friend
Charlie, who was at all times ionder Of
animated nature, especially when mani
tested in the female form divine, than Of
t loveliest landscape that ever enchant-
ed my less material sight, was becoming
very impatient at what he called the dull
ness of our journey, and especially ex-
asperated that none Of the far famed
beauties of Andalusia had thus far cross
ed our path
We had been riding for more than an
hour, with not n sound to break the still
ness Of the air save the occasional tink-
ling of a goatherd's bell, when Charles
exclamation reused me from the state of
stupor into which / had fallen, and |
glanced out from under the shadow of
my somhrero in the direction indicated
by his eve. Before us stood the 'posada
"a long wooden building, the roof ris
lug somewhat in the middle and sloping
gradually of to either side. Atthe door
lomgrd a group Of Nilla'nous looking
1casants, with our greasy, swaythy host
at the head and escaping by what seem
ed to be a back entrance, and passing
"a, idly down sidewalk, was as splendid
specimen Of womanhood as my eyes
had ever lighted upon She was tall and
sli9ht, and her form less fully developed
.han is common among Spanish girls at
her age but it had the litheness, and her
step the elastic spring, Of the young an
telope. She wore the picturesque cos
tune ef the Andalusian peasant and as
we rode up she turned her head to look
at us, thus enabling me to see the delicate
oval of the face, the large dark eyes, the
scarlet dimpled mouth, and, rarest of all
combinations in southern cline, the
wealth Of golden hair which foated like
q halo Of glory round her small wcli'set
head. Altogether, it was as Charlie said,
almost like heavenly vision bursting
upon our sight, and for moment shar-
ed his apprehcnsions that she mightvan
ish as suddenly and mysteriously y as she
had appeared Being however, an old
traveller, and Of an eminenty practica!
,arn of mind, | checked my own curiosi'
ty ald Charles burst of enthusiasm, and
REQUESTED him in few sharp words to
keep his eyes and ears wide open to
what was passing around us, and to think
OF something besides woman if he
could "
BY this time We had dismounted and
entered the inn, where, in our rough
travelling garb, with pistols and dagSers
in our holts, we might easily have been
mistaken for the robbers that We were
armed against The building bore the
usual appearance Of . Spanish posada,
consisting of a long, dark apartment, one
end of which served as kitchen and
,n.iny-ro for family and guests, and
h, other bci..s partitioned into ruaeiy
made stall, COR cattle, so that we had III
eraly entertainment for Ian anu oeas'
undcr the same roof II VS. o'-'"'''y
rough aad comfortess looking place, ah''
smellcd so vilIainously Of a mlnglei com
pound of garlic, stable, and un~ashea hu
marty that my friend Charlie started and
turned back as we entered the door
"No help for it, old fellow, ! said, in
sympathetic tones; sleeping outside
would be dangerous at this season, and
beside. our horses must be cared for
Yeu'll get used to the perfume IN a little
while
Perhaps so, " replied Charlie, with
shruv Of his handsome shoulders, "but
il ever travel through Spain again III
have my olfactoriss paIalyzed before l
start :,
"And have your head made bullet
proof at the same time, reJolned,
(which is rather the more important oi
tho two. Keep wide awake, Charlie, and
listen to every word you hear spoken
without appearing to understand. lhave
been in Spain before, and ! don't at all
like the look of this place OF its occu-
pants. y
AsIspoke we seated ourselves close
tn tho fire, which was throwing out any
quantity OF smoke and gas, but, as far as
could see, was capable Of warming moth
ing hut itself
The night was, however, closing IN
damn and chilly, as is common in those
attitudes, and both Charlie and myself
were glad of the protection that the mum
roof afforded.
To add to our complaceacy, The beau
tirul vision that had delighted our eyes IN
ths open air passed in and out several
times, laying the cloth for supper anu
onsaoed IN a variety of sufficiently mum