New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-05-09
TEN DAYS IN SPAIN.
CROSSING THE FRONTIER.

ARFrURSFD OFFICER-THE B1lNkEk IN HIS Ohi"lNAI
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OMNIBUS AND ls
pAssFNGFRs-DUsT AND DEs0LATION-PAhPE-
LUNA-NIGHT IN A PosADA-sMUG0LthS-
CARLIsrs AGAIN-RUNAwAY CoNsCRIPrs.
few miles west of Saragossa we chanseu oui
tram. the Bin1ker appearing with his carpet-oag
intanselv disgusted that all the beggars were sun
asleep-a criminal ofense. which obiiged I'M ~
his own porter Again / was the sole occupant u
q dirty commitment that cOnsOcd me Tor not ueins
pecnniarly interested IN Spanish railroads Again
gazed upon sun-burnt desolatlon, anu Wheh VIC
stopped at a station. situated IN the mlddie VI
notbine. there was a tumutuOus appearance OF no
body that made me tremble for dividends. however
Ibid see an officer get out at an impossible place
and be received by the entire population consisting
of four women six men, and Doy' ne hau
evidently returned from the war. and was embraced
with such disregard of spectators as gave me an
appetite for the breakfast was not to eat his WIe
threw her arms about his neck, laughing with all
the ioy of her impulsve heart the httle boy chung
10 his fathers legs and screamed IN Spanish, the
fathers father felt of his son to see whether ne
really had come back all in one piece, While three
women and five men slapped the hero on MS PACK
and shouted hearty welcome. l may be mistaken
about the relations existing between these happy
people but if they were not as imagine they ought
to have been.
at 10 o'clock stopped at a station where soldiers
stood at ease and crowds of men were loungIng.
The break in the railroad was not far of. How 70
secure a conveyance after arriving at Iatalla, no
one in Madrid had been able to tell me- 80 as the
Blinker c0ndescended TO askiwhether wanted any
thing. | desired him 10 inquire abOut dlhgences
and telegraphs to Tafalla for places. Perfectly
useless" replied he who had lived % years IN
Spain; no can give any information here, ana
who knows whether telegram will be sentT In
the language of sheridan KnOwless Julia tragic
ally exclaimed, " Do it, nor leave the task to me-
The Blinker suddenly vanished, and there ap-
peared an exceedingly polite official who, in good
French offered TO assist me stranger, by securing
seats in the diligence from Iafalla TO Pampellna.
The agency Is here" he added and yOu will have
no chance unless you apply Immediately" Well,
that Blinker returned soon after, nodded smillngly
exhibited tickets for the diligence and looked as
though be had gained a victory over me by success
fully doing what had pronounced impossible. In
months he would have ruined the temper OF
GFiselda.
We were in the Province Of Navarro and as we
crossed the bridge thrown over the River Aragon,
guarded both banks by Republican soldiers,
began 10 scent the not distant Carlsts They dared
not go beyond the Aragon for fear OF ambuscades,
and the bridge protected lest the enemy should
attempt 20 blow it up. On arriving at Iafala. a
town of 5000 inhabitants. called Ia for de
kardrTe' tine flower of Navarro. and long the
residence OF It's kings, the railroad came to au end
Beyond lay wreck and bullets. Planting my feet
terra incognita sent the Blinller in advance that
his bury form might cut passage through soldiers,
civilians, boys. and officials packed like herrings,
and no more disposed to make way for woman
than if Id been Don Carlos Once on the other side
OF the station / looked IN vain for the diligence.
What does this mean - | asked the Biinker.
"There is no diligence. We must 20 to Pampeluna
IN an omnibus
Before me stood the omnibus. Il was dirty,
rickety, narrow, intended for eight inside and
body knows how many outside. / secured a seat by
the door, and 90 amazement the Biinker took the
one opposite instead of mounting beside the driver
could no more have ordered him outside than l
could have asked Jeremy Diddler for the loan OF
money ingemously distracted from my own person. /
There are forms of mpudence that paTayze the
tongue and render limp the muscles. To face !
Blukcr opposite for six weary hours seemed |
more than flesh and spirit could endure. Still
had heard Of people retiring within themselves.
and / was about 10 attempt this feat when
the remaining passengers for Pampeluna appeared.
There was "A smiling woman with Gagged
parrot the wOman's husband carrying deeply |
tragic baby, very Int woman with fat boy and a
fatter baadboX. dark young man much given to
Spanish peasant without stockings. and with no
BILE disregard of shirt bosom thar proved him supe-
nor to the etiquette of dress There were rings in
his ears and he grasped in his right hand a huge
stalf. with which he could have laid us low-Omn-
bus and Jll-in less time than confirmed Sufferers
require To pronounce the historic name Of Jack Rob
inS0u
Entering the Omnibus on the double-quick the
Brigand-f,r such he would have been on the stage
Handed i'm the Bnker's lap. much 60 the Binkers
disgust. Madam said my protector extricating
himself as best he could, L shall 20 outside You
Will then have more space l blessed that Brig
and who granted intense satisfaction at the de-
csion and planted MS staff on the toes of the
staring young man. The latter jumped up suddenly
and vented his agony in a suppressed howl. Seeing
that matters were taking lively turn, the parrot
began 10 talk and. ! grieve TO say. swore roundly
IN Spanish. The tragic baby scOwled at the proflne
bird. the boy put his fingers through the cage and
got well bitten. at which he cried bitterly, and was
shaken by his mother, whose bandb0Z he had kicked
disrcspcctfullv. The entire performance so amused
the Brgaud that be laughed prod giously and
addressed me in a patOs as incOmprehensible
az Koptic. When / shook my head at him the
Brigand laughed louder than ever and deep scar
running the entire length OF his forehead grew fear
fully red IL was au animal that saw before me, a
creature of impulse and passion. good natureG until
angerod and then a fiend. With all his diabolic
pos-ibiliues preferred his company 10 the Bukcrs
There dust and dust and Spain is the mother of
all dust. Il is the whitest highest heaviest
stickiest dust on earth. II enveloped us in clouds
rhew al rs though possessed of wings. 4 bro.l-
ing poured upon my back; the dust poured into
my ears. mp my nose and down my throat. In
desperation We closed the windows and gasped for
breath Without there was nothing but dust o.,