The Grange advance., 1874-09-09
the IRkBuC0 IN ARAeon.
.A.rEp,..aee Life i'm sarakossa,..

TIE 1RABUCU IN AkA6Uh.
(AnrEpisode sf Life i'm Saragossa,
/ Last winter went for the first time
to the annual subscription ball, giver
lat the city theatre. Very naturally
looked forward to the fete with some
Interest, for nowhere can you study the
,peculiarities Of the Spanish character
SO we'll as at these public reunions.
arrived at 'clock, and found the
large hall already we'll filled. The
Spaniard, lazy and Indifferent as he
naturally is, likes to be punctual at
places of amusement.
By the way, you should 60 to the
next subscription ball. You will have
no other opportunity so good to see
our best people, especially the ladies.
The Saragossa women, for a time, are
remarkably handsome, but their charms
soon fade. When they are 30 they are
already passee; yes, at 80 they are
| usually old women in the naost disa-
greeable Specification of the word. It
does not seem possible that the 1.-the,
graceful sylphs, who, in the bright
light Of the chandeliers, glide over the
floor of the parquette with such ease
and rapidity, in. a~few years will be SAL
low, wrinkled duenn2s, whose sharp.
:nnsympathetic voices at the outset in
%pire us with a certain antipathy.
There are no more beautiful dancers in
the world than the young girls of Sara
:gossa but he who marries one of them
is like the inexperienced East Indian
who bought of q Britisher a beautiful
piece of ice, and undertook to carry it
in the hot sun.
Among the ladies, on the evening in
question, who graced the ball with their
presence, the two daughters of promi-
nent official were conspicuous, as we'll
on account of their social position as of
their personal attractions. When l
entered the hall they were just about
to make its circuit, leaning on the arms
of their mother.
One Of them, pale, slim girl, with an
interesting as well as beautiful face, and
a wealth Of dark. wavy hair, seemed to
be in an exceedingly melancholy mood.
The mother, from time to time, appear
ed to try to cheer her up; now she
would whisper an encouraging word in
her ear, and ow by look seem to en-
treat her to bear herself with little
more dignity.
Everybody seemed to take an interest
in the young lady, and Of course to OBJ
serve her. Behind me stoed two elder
ly gentlemen in conversation. I could
distinctly hear what they said.
s:There is Senorita Inez,'' observed
the one.
"Yes," replied the other. s.The
journey did not last as long as was an
ticipated. What will Lieut.. Don Pablo
do now?'
"Ah, you don't seem to know that
they have come to an understanding.
Indeed! That's news to me.''
''Yes, The affair is off, by mutual
consent; at least so I was told yester.
day at the club
'sAh -
'Senorita 1nez is already betrothed
to another. The mother thought it
advisable to marry her to some one else
as soon as posi- ble.'
''Poor child! -
II don't know that she is 50 much
to be pitied."
''How so %
''Well, Don Pablo is one Of the most
jealous men in the world. He would
have worried her to death.''
'sAh! but love readily excuses such
triAes.''
wv ho knows Besides, her future
husband is an exceedingly estimable
man, v no will be sure to make her
happy
"Buthow is that possible, when she
loves another!'' T. -" ~
well, at Sall events, the matter is
settled. Her parents were so decidedly
opposed to Pablo, that reconciliation
was impossible. You have no idea how
determined they were toseparate them!
At first they went to the commandant
and asked him to transfer Pablo to an
other garrison, but the commandant re-
piled that he could not comply With
their request, as Lieut.. Pablo had al.
was discharged his duties to the entire
satisfaction Of his superiors; and, be-
sides, that his family connections justi-
fed him in becoming a suitor for the
hand of any lady in the province. The
parents, however, were immovable, and
sent their daughter to Burgos."'
"And .hew long was she away!'
'tThree months" ."
"The parents could not have thought
their daughter susceptible of very
lasting attachment. Three months -
''Long enough to forget a caprice. ''
':And arc you so sure that the affair
is rcally J ended?" IT,: " -
''Oh, there is no doubt of it. Senor-
ita Inez has written to the Lieutenant,
informing him that she releases him
from his promise"
<W elt- and-'' ~ e., ~ =