The Newtown bee., 1880-11-17
Bon Voyage, and a Music-Box.

The huge whitey-gray, prison-like building of the Escorial looked down forbiddingly from the windy spur of the mountain range from which 1t had kept watch over Madrid for three centuries, as Bettine Campbell and her mother took their first full view of it from the railway station.
 eft makes mo shiver," said bettine, 'it reminds me of great pitiless sphinx, staring with stony eyes over the desert, while the wind buries it's feet in sand and shrieks of the cruelty shut up in its cold heart"
 Nonsense, Bettine," "replied the other lady, cit looks for all the world like a penitentiary or an insane asylum on 8 very extensive scale. Do you think we had better ride up, or shall we walkP And hope you haven't forgotten my reticule."
 P q think we will walk; it does not seem very far and there is such mis- cellaneous assortment of Spaniards pill ing into the omnibus. But, mother, your music-boX has started again; why did you insist on bringing the wretched thing with usP"
 "Why, you know, Bettine, I was afraid we might be detained over night, and never can sleep unless it is under my pillow. Ihad no idea it would take on so. I'm sure. Just open the reticule and touch the spring"
 As they paused under the trees to adjust the refractory mechanism a young Eng glishman passed them. He paused, involuntarily attracted by fairy tinkling notes falling drup-like, and shaping themselves az they fell into the familiar air of "Annie Laurie" The pretty, embarrassed face bent over the music box attracted him still more, and he surprised himself by a longer glance than he felt was quite polite. The young girl looked up with an annoyed expres- sion, and halftouching his hat he walked quickly on.
 "The Spaniards are the most insolent men I ever saw" Miss Campbell re- marked below her breath "Did you notice how that one stared at us and"
 "Bettine Campbell" interrupted her mother, with severity, ''just you re- member it takes four eyes to make a stare; besides. he isn't Spaniard-he's a Frenchman."
 "What makes you think SOP"
 "Didn t you noticeP He had Bong Voyage worked on his handbag. ] suppose he has brought his lunch out just as we have; one is never sure o! getting anything decent at these country posaters."
 Arrived at the building, the two ladies repaired directly to the library Bettine was desirous of copying some Moorish illuminations. She found $ beautiful Koran, and holding her boa of water-colors against the edge of tht lectern she was soon deeply interested in transcribing to her sketch book some of the intricate designs.
 Meantime the young Englishmar wandered with 8 number of other ex piorers disconsolately through th' series of cloisters, corridors, halls, court | yards, cells and labyrinthine passage connecting the pantheon, palace, refec tory, sacristy, church, library and st | forth, which make up this great mon astery, museum, palace, mausoleum ant ] caravansary. He was not over interested 1 in what he saw, and his wearied eye and limbs pronounced the whole | stupendous bore. As he entered tn l library, in the wake of the party wh, were following the cicerone, he noticed Bettine standing by the lectern, her eye shining with enthusiasm as she pursuet her work. Her mother had fal en asleel | in her chair, but Bettine bent to her tasl unconscious of fatigue. The curiou visitors crowded about her as thougl 1 she were one of the objects upon exhi bition, and one disagreeable man evel iostled her rudely. As they left the room Mrs. Campbell woke up and demah ded
 s.Where's my reticulep Bettine, han me my reticule."
 Bettine paused in herwork and looke at the floor on either side of her. an upon the lectern. " It was here nc | ment ago." she said, 'sfor took a litt] liquid gold from it for that arabesque. The young Englishman, who had lir gered behind the rest, stepped forwar and 10 ned in the search.
 lit is gone," he said; "that susp cious-iooking individual who jostled yo just now must have taken it. had m
 eye on him anc-simpleton that I am-
 while 1 had my eye on him some or took my sachel too."
 He dashed out of the door and dow
 the stairs after the retreating party, bl
 though he overlook it in the cloisters tI
 thief was not with them, having di
 appeared with both bags. H
 hurried to the depot and announce
 the theft to the guard loiterir
 there, and telegraphe6 description 1,
 the missing property to the police
 Madrid, tor the loss in his case was
 heavy one, and then returned worried
 mind to the Escorial. He found u
 ladies awaiting him at the princip
 entrance, and reported his proceeding
 "You ought to have had list ; the things in my reticule,n said MT } Campbell, ESQ that the police cou : identify it. How are they goir
 to tell it from any one else 7 reticulep There was my music-box ar l Bettine's paints and the lunch. De } me, Bettine, if you had only consent.
 to eating the lunch before you begs your work. It's providence that ' , didn't start without our breakfasts--a : little package of green tea; I alwa : carry my own tea with me and ma the hotel walters give me some boilil } water to pour on it; can't drink Il slops they give us in this country-th, ! there was-n
 , ' Never mind, mother" interrupt Bettine; the gentleman is very kind [ interest himself so much in our beha but really the bag was not worth tl
 trouble. There was nothing in it tn could not be readily replaced exec
 your music-boxn
 } :" As if my tea could be readily I !. placedi I don't expect to find tea ii that again till I reach New York, al [ my music-box is worth advertising |. alone. It was made to order in Genev l and plays old fashioned English tune s It is only little thing, but it cc
 enough, and I'm willing to risk fl