Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-10-14
NO.. 243.
THE SlCK-ROOM IN SPAIN,

The following are my experiences of
"illness in Spain," and let me say that
they are fully borne out by all that | have
seen and known during residence of four
years in Spain-in Andalusia. in Catalina,
in the CASTLES, in Murca, in Valencia. In
Murcia, during the tropic and very fearful
heats of 1875, when in August the tired
tield-laborers refused to work, and those
| who essayed to do so died, was wander.
ing, knapsack on back, among the lonely
| villages OF Murcia and Valencia. Sun
| stroke seized me, in a lonesome bsleblo del
campo; had in my breast-pocket about
EGO in gold, the gift of the Times, whose
correspondent then was. Lying down
| on few sacks, in the loft OF melon sell
er's hut, gave my whole earthly possess
ions into the hands of brown-faced,
black-eyed, untidy-looking Murcian hoy
den who belonged to the house. Two
days afterward, when essayed to start, at
early morning, found jug of milk, and
my purse of money intact. laid at my pill
ow-head. l offered portion of it. with
my grateful thanks. mo" said the girl,
her great black eyes growing lustrous with
tears of pity and of anger; mo, you could
not take care of yourself; you were iii, 20
| and my father and mother took care of
you" could but press her brown feshy
| hands with my lips in token of exceeding
gratitude, and resolve ever more to love
the people who could thus nobly treat the
poor stranger, with his foreign tongue.
and his knapsack on bis shoulder; who,
i'll and fainting. sought their humble hos
pitaljty, nor sought it in vain. A
mother. wan and pale with the effects Of
a recent confinement, lay, with her tiny
| nd f..at faI ola 70 hn,
breast, in little room hardly separated
from my own. The doctor came now and
again, slouching into the room, cigar in
mouth. to see what medicine could do.
| The frantic cries of the tender-h -hea arted wo-
man rang through the house when, he
said. with the honesty of his class, who
in Spain never keep on" a case when II
is hopeless: The child must die why
should | 60 on, woman, drawing my
reals" Ga sum equal to 5 pence Of English
money! "Of you, when I can do moth
ing P" "Aue Maria purisinaa Santisima
Virgin de los Dolores Jesu Crtst0, de mi
alma Try, dear doctor, try, and we will
offer whole weeks wages as votive
offering to the Lady of our parish church. !"
The kindly doctor ''tried :" the little gypsy
babe went on dying beside me the moth
er's eyes were streaming with tears-night
and day she refused te be comforted. Ev-
cry night, as that fierce Murcian sun sank
down to rest. that mother was left alone !;
but at the hour of sunset each night.
when the tired mother slept. .
pair Of naked feet crept softly to the bed
side, pulled the night-shirt off the moth
er's breast, and scanned her bosom with
scrutinizng glance. What could it mean
| asked the question, and the Murcian
girl said: "Don't you know the trite say
ing. Such and such person sa6e mas que
la cule6ra p" &. e., knows more than
the serpent.") replied in the affirmative.
"Well." said she, ''eS poSitiro. 1t is be-
yond doubt that the babe is dying, be-
cause a snake every evening sucks the
mothers breasts dry while she is asleep.
The snake sucks the teats with its mouth.
keeping its Shiny tail in the infants mouth
to keep it from crying out the mother
wakes, and all her milk is gone. the SER
pent has crept away and hidden ITSELF"
| said, This can hardly be true" "Es
positirO; we have seen it hundred
times" answered the woman. This waa
my first experience of illness in a Muir.
clan pueblo del campo or country village.
I-Iemple Bar.