The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-08-07
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SPANIARDS


was indebted to my SpanisL 'sacher,
once Spanish nobleman, for ~ first
clear knowledge of the Clrlist -uggle.
The old Salique law, which prevented
| any woman from ascending the spanish
throne, having been abrogated BY Fer
dinand, the last king, who EFT the
crown to his daughter Isabella. under
the regency of her mother, Mara Chris
tina, whose partisans were called Chris
tinos, Don, Carlos, the kings brother,
and the direct male heir, resisted the
change.
The constitutional government es-
tablished by the Chr1stinos, bringing
all under one general law, does away
with the ancient ftIeTOs, or privileges of
the provinces.
This was especially resented by the
Biscay provinces, whose inhabitants had
been left to enjoy great freedom among,
and most probably on account of their
mountains.
They therefore presented the singular
spectacle of a free people, ready at any
time to take up arms for absolute kings,
because this absolutism had never both
cred them.
The career of my informant was a
good illustration of the recent history
of Spain,
He had begun life as an Andalusian
noble, and naturally espoused the cause
of Don Carlos. Becoming one of ''the
kings" staff officers, his position was
excellent for observing everything, and
his account of a Carlist camp at that
time was exceedingly interesting
The old men and women with the
smaller boys and girls, remained at
home to work the farms, and procure
provisions for them all. The larger
boys conveyed supplies to the camp,
which contained all the able-bOdied
men.
The young women were there also to
cook and keep things tidy until a fight
came, when they also brought IN the
wounded from the battle field, and
tended them until they recovered, or
until they passed away.
The usual loose license of a camp had
no exis ence there. Every young w0m-
an was Just as safe from harm or in
suit among her relatives and fri nds in
camp as she would have BEN in her own
home.
One day as my informant, with the
rest of the staff, was riding with SO the
king" along a narrow road among tue
mountains, they met an old woman,
bowed down with age and grief, walk
ing in front of a rough hand barrow,
borne by four young women, on which
lay a fine-looking young man who
seemed badly wounded.
The clatter of the horses hOofa
reused the aged mourner, who rsised
her head as the horsemen reined aside
to make room in the narrow road.
"Ihe king" raising his hat, sail
Mother, is this your son?'
The old woman TUNED toward him
her fine, though wrinkled face, and,
answered:
Yes, your majesty"
" He seems badly wounded,
Eyes; he is dying, and he is the
second son that I have thus loFt, my
enly consolation being that 1 hava one
more still left for the service OF YOUR
majesty"
Bending down her head again. she
moved on as before with her sad train,
while all the horsemen remained uncov-
cred till they passed.
OF course. with such devotion as this,
OOH CdTIOS uau bu0u anu bu6lTS always
at his command. When he chose to
raise his standard, he never backed for
hardy soldiers. Their mountains of
fered a secure base for operations, in.
sUring them a safe retreat, while their
extended seaboard put them in coumu-
nication with all the world, and gave
them an amount of supplies limited
onlv by their power to purchase.
My informant, while in command
of a body of troops, was Obliged, in
order to avoid capture, to cross the
Portuguese frontier. He and hi men
we're disarmed and imprisoned.
For two years he tried in vain to free
his men. Then, feeling he had done
his whole duty toward them, he secured
his own escape and went to England.
Thence be gained the continent and
finally settled in Paris.