The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-11-18
Correspondence.
BILBAO, Oct. 20, 1876.

Wy ulnt AotteT uuuTe5h JOu lTOm VI
land SO diametrioally opposed to 20,
own. Iu America you do everythir
quickly, you work at high pressure, 20,
Inventions are mostly to save time, 20
are a gc.ahead people and the coul
try of progress. Spain next to Turke
is perhaps the most backward of EuroE
can nations, Here everything become
a matter of time, things crawl along, il
ventions Of practical utility are nil, th
people are ignorant and vain, and as
mass hate innovations OF all kinds. AS
contrast. short description Of this Ian
Of resolutions and pronunciamentos. G
fans and black eyes, of guitars, dancn
and stabbing, may not be displeasing t
matter Of fact and pusiness-like Amer
cans. Though l now intend giving 20
sketch of the country where my wan
derings have for tho moment brought me
this will not prevent my also treating
European topics in general, and puttinI
you en- courant of all the conflicting ru
mors in existence concerning the presen
crisis, for really the oriental question
may now be said to have assumed th
shape of crisis.
AS triaiDg incident Of my srriva
here, l will just mention the fact Of my
passport being lost by the authorities o
the town or captain or steamer. The
said document being returned to me By
post, one mouth afterwards from Anvor.
in Belgium. where the captain had mad
vertently carried ii in his pocket On
the principle, that apartments in this part
of the world. are more comfortable than
hotels, after SOHO trouble succeeded
in securing box bedroom opening into q
sittiDg.room of moderate dimensions.
There are here no such things as bed.
rooms a decent sized room has o slice
out off it by means Of thin partition,
which leaves behind 1t just space enough
for the bedstead and wash-stand the
front part where the windows are is fitted
as sitting.room, and in the daytime the
partition door being closed. hides from
view the fittings of the stuffy dormitory.
The walls are all whitewashed for insect.
eide not sanitary reasons, and black
coat is not the most appropriate thing to
brush them down with. Whether the
heat or bad workmanship is the cause,
will not undertake to say, but all doors,
windows or drawers neither open or close
well; you have desperate struggle to
open them, and require an angels pa.
tience united with the strength of a
giant to ever get them closed again, My
apartment possesses two doors, and more
as matter Of habit than anything else.
The FIRST night I locked one Of them. In
tho morning friend came to inquire for
me my landlady with freedom pecuia,
to this county, made a most determined
attempt to walk straight into my room to
bring me the information of his visit, but
'he bolt was obstinate. and che was pull.
ID up short to the sad detriment Of her
,ose, which I believed was rather fatten.
ID in the embrace. This riled her ex.
'eedingly, and she gave me to understand
hat it was not customary for respectable
people to lock their doors in such an hon.
,st house as hers. l had to resign myself
md pacify her with the assurance that for
he future | would behave myself AID
not make use of the lock which was no
loubt only intended for show. And now
What | am going to relate seems so in.
that must preface il with the
assurance that it is strictly the truth. AT
ialf pas. seven on the following Sunday
whilst was yet in the arms Of
mean plunged in profound
'leep, | was abruptly awakened by the
sudden opening Of my door, and the nasal
accents Of female voice inquiring in
Spanish "Where art thou ?" l reused
myself, rubbed my eyes and perceived at
he foot Of the bed, an antique looking
creature, with hooked nose. yellow skin
and a black mantilla on her head. who on
ny iuquiring what she required, sudden.
y walked out and shut the door behind
ler. l was wondering what this appar.
tion could mean, when l heard my land.
ady's shrill voice calling from her own
room, "this way, come this way" My
ate visitor this time found tho right
room, and her 6rst question which over.
heard through the thinness Of the walls
was: WHO is he expected that nv
patrona would have made some excuse
for this untimely visit, but she did not
mention word about it, only when /
asked her for an explanation, simply said
"that as my room used to be hers, her
friend had walked 10 by mistake" My
next little adventure was slight varia.
tion of this first one. One morning short.
ly after six, my door was opened, and
three men, apparently we'll to do farmers
quietly walked 10, chatting in most 70.
luble manners and after calmly surveying
me as | lay in state in my bed, proceeded
to scat themselves in my sitting room and
balcony. Wishful to see how far their
would carry them, took up
book from the table at my side, and
whilst pretending to read, Kept my eye
on the group. They spoke 10 the Basque
language, which whatever charms it may
possess for the philologist, is anything
but grateful to an upscientifc ear. AT.
ter good Eve minutes conversation. each
one began to roll cigarette, and 1 cav
the dreadful moment approaching when
l was to be smoked out. like fox from
his hole. At this juncture, as they were
on the point of firing their weeds, my
landlady appeared on the scene, and with
q few vigorous words 10 their tongue, de.
livered me from the invaders. Some few
morniOgs later and about the same hour
| was again favored with an unexpected
visit, young man walking in and throw.
ing open the window proceeded to enjoy
his cigarette and the fresh morning air
My patience is deeply rooted, but 1t il
not proof against such behavior as this
aud startled the fellow with my request
that he would leave the room. thought
it now time to put stop to these eccen
tricities, as l gave my patrona to under
stand thaf thaaa thinna ~raro NOT nlao es IN