The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-08-30
Aopular 1ales.
THE GYPSY OF MALAGA.

]
By Joye what beautiful girl Look
quick, Sidney, before she vanishes, like
beati6c vision from our mortal gaze"
These were the words, uttered half in
jest and half in earnest, which broke from
my friend and fellow -tnveler, Charlie AL
ston, as, wayworn and weary, we refined
up our horses, in the rich glow of an au-
tumn sunset, at the door of low hotel,
which in Spain does duty for posado, or
inn We had left Malaga, EN- route for
Granada at eleven O'Clock on the previous
night, and after forestride by moonlight,
the memory of whose enchanting loveliness
no after dreams of 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
even |, accustomed as + have been to the
saddle from my nursery ever remember to
have taken.
All day We rode under the searching sun
of Spain, sometimes over highways white
with dust, sometimes through leafy dells,
where the fierce sunlight was broken by
the shade of lofty trees, sometimes winding
along the base of the lovely Sierra Nevada,
and at every turn gazing upon some new
landscape more surprisingly 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 al times fonder of
animated nature, especially when manifest
ed in the female form divine, than of the
lOvcliest landscape that ever enchanted my
less material sight, was becoming very
inpatient at what he called the ''dullness'
of our journey, and especially exasperated
that none of the far-famed beauties of
Andalusia had thus far crossed our path.
We had been riding for more than an
hour, with not sound to break the still
ness of the air save the occasional tinkling
of goatherd's bell, when Charles excla-
nation reused me from the state of stupor
into which | had fallen, and glanced out
from under the shadow of my sombrels in
the direction indicated by his eye. Be
fore us stood the ''posada "a long wooden
building, the roof rising somewhat in the
middle and shopping gradually off to either
side. At the door lounged group
Of Misunderstanding peasants, with our
greasy, swarthy host at the head and es-
Gaping by what seemed to be a back en-
trance, and passing rapidly down a side,
walk, was as splendid specimen of
womanhood as my eyes had ever lighted
upon. She was tall and slight, and her
form less fully developed than is common
among Spanish girls at her age, but it had
the litheness, and her step the elastic
spring, of the young antelope. She wore
the picturesque costume of the Andalusian
peasant, and as we rode up she turned her
head to look ut u.s. 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 a Southern
cline, the wealth of golden hair which
Aoated like halo of glory round her small,
well set head. Altogether, it was, as
Charlie said, almost like heavenly vision
bursting upon our sight, and for moment
shared his apprehensions that she might
vanish as suddenly and mysteriously as
she had appeared Being, however, an
old traveller, and of an eminently practical
turn of mind, checked my own curiosity
and Charles burst of enthusiasm, and re-
quested him in few sharp words to ''keep
his eyes and ears wide open to what was
passing around us; and to think of some
thing besides woman If he could"
BY this time we had dismounted and
entered the inn, where, in our rough trav-
cling garb with pistols and daggers in our
belts, we might easily have been mistaken
for the robbers that we were armed against.
The building bore the usual appearance of
Spanish posado, consisting of long,
dark apartment, one end of which served
as kitchen and dining for family
and guests, and the other being partitioned
into rudely made stalls for cattle, so that
we had literally entertainment for man and
beast under the same roof 1t was dis
mally rough and comfortless-lookingp Mace
and smeled so villainously of mingled
compound OF garlic, stable and unwashed
humanity that my friend Charlie started
ana turned back as we entered the door.
No help for 1t, old fellow" | said, in
sympathetic tones; sleeping outside would
be dangerous at this season, and, besides,
our horses must be cared for You'll get
used to the perfume in little while.
Perhaps SO, replied Charley, with
shrug OF his handsome shoulders; "but if
ever | travel through Spain again I'll have
my olfactories panlyzed before | start.
% nd have vnur hand moda hulIat ,,roof