Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-11-17
CARMEN:
TEE
POWER OF LOVE.
CHAPTER /.

1 y
modern Monda, some leagues nortf
of Marbella. From my own con
lectures upon the text of the anony-
nous author of Bellatna HispDnieltse
and from some researches made IL
the excellent library of the Duke oI
Ossuna, thought it would be nee
essary to look in the regions about
Montiha for the memorable place
where, for the last time, Caesar
played for double or quits against
the champions of the republic.
Finding myself in Andalusia in the
earlier part of Autumn of the year
1880, / made very long and thor
orOugh research with the aim OF
clearing away any doubts that re-
mained with me upon that subject.
A treatise that / intend to publish
shortly will, hope, leave no more
lover of archaeology, of good faith.
In the meanwhile, before publish
ing my dissertation that is to solve
the geographical problem which
now holds all the intelligence of
Europe in suspense, / wish to relate
little story. 1t will not prejudice
in the least the absorbing question
as 70 the location of Munda.
/ had hired at Cordova a guide
and two horses, and had started for
the country with the commentaries
of Caesar, and some shirts for my
only baggage. One day while wan
dering in the elevated part of the
plain of Cachena, worn out with
fatigue, dying of thirst, scorching
under a leaden sun, was wishing
to the devil with all my heart, both
Caesar and the sons of POmpey,
when / perceived at some distance
from the path | was following, a
little green meadow scattered with
reeds and rushes. That indicated
the proximity of a spring. In fact,
upon approaching, saw that the
supposed meadow was marsh in
which a little brook lost itself, issu-
ing, as it seemed, from narrow
gorge between two steep hills of the
Sierra de Cabra. / concluded that
in ascending would find the water
cooler, fewer leeches and frogs, and
perhaps a little shade among the
rocks. At the entrance of the gorge
my horse neighed, and another
horse, out of sight, Immediately
responded. l had hardly taken a
hundred steps before the gorge,
suddenly widening, showed me a
sort of natural circus, perfectly sha-
ded by the high precipices that
surrounded it. 1t would have been
impossible to find place which
promised to the weary traveller a
more agreeable camping place. At
the foot of the perpendicular rocks
the spring bubbled forth and fell
fOaming into little basin carpeted
with sand as white as snow. Five
or six green, leafy oaks, always
sheltered from the wind and re-
freshed by the spring, raised them
selves from its margin, and covered
it with their thick shade. Finally
around the basin fine, thick, tufted
grass offered better bed than one
would have found in any tavern
within a circle of ten leagues.
| saw the honor of having discOv-
cred so beautiful a place did not
belong to me. A man was already
reposing there, and beyond doubt
was sleeping when entered. Ava
kened by the neighing, he had rails
ed and approached his horse, which
had profited by his masters sleep
in making a good dinner upon the
surrounding grass. 1t was a young
fellow, of middle height, but robust
in appearance, with a look Somber
and defiant. His complexion, which
might have been fair, had become
by the action of the sun darker than
his hair. With one hand he held
the bride of his horse, and the other
d copper blunderbuss. will confess
that at first the blunderbuss and the
fierce air of its owner surprised me
bers, because l had so often heard
them spoken of aud never had met
any. Besides, L had seen too many
honest peasants arm themselves to
the teeth to go to market, for the
sight of a fire-arm to justify me in
doubling the peaceable intentions of
the stranger; "and then, I thought
to myself, "What would he do with
my shirts and my Cesar 2" So /
greeted the man and his blunder-
buss with a familiar nod of the
head, and smilingly asked if l had
disturbed his sleep. Without re-
spending, he measured me from
head to foot, then, as if satisfied |
with the result of his examination,
he considered with the same atten- |
tion my guide, who was advancing. !
l saw the guide turn pale, and hesi-
tate, at the same time exhibiting |
great degree of terror. ''An un-
lucky meeting, / said to myself, |
but prudence at once advised me 10 |
show no uneasiness. Idismounted,
ordered the guide to unbridle the |
horses, and kneeling beside the
spring, plunged my head and hands
in its cool waters; then drank great
and threw myself full |
length On the grass. / kept Observ-
ing all the time both my guide and |
the stranger. The first approached |
slowly, and evidently against his |
will the other seemed to have no |
evil. designs against us, for he had |
released his horse, and his gun, that |
had been at first aimed at US, was |
now directed toward the earth.
Not thinking II advisable to take |
offenSe at the little respect with |
which he treated my person, ] |
stretched myself, and with an easy |
air asked the man if he had not
flint about him. At the same time |
took out my cigar-case. The
still silent, felt in his |
pocket, drew out a flint, and hasten
ed to strike fire. Evidently he was
gentle, for he sat down
me, though without quit
ting his arm. My cigar being light
ed, / chose the best of those that |
and asked him if he
smoked.
'Si, Senor,' he replied. They were
the first words he had uttered, and |
| noticed that he did not pronounce
the with the Andalusian accent, |
from which concluded that he was
a traveller like myself, only less of
an arch9ologist.
"You will find this very good"
said L, presenting him genuine !
regdiiG de Ha6a11d.
He made slight inclination of |
the head, lighted his cigar at mine,
thanked me with another nod, and |
then began smoking with an ap- |
pearance of great satisfaction.
"Ah!" finally exclaimed he, let
ting the smoke escape through his |
mouth and nostrils. ut has been |
a long time since last smoked"
In Spain, cigar given and re-
ceived establishes the relations of
as in the Orient the
sh IN rir~ Of broad and colt Nv