Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-03-06

| grew so pale, trembled SO in every limo,
that my COMPANIONS were thoroughly alarm
ed. We had brandy with us, which was
duly administered to me. A ter awhile
recovered, AMI although the fear was still
with me- sat with the stoicism of an Indian
at the stake, awaiting what might happen
at the frontier. l had done all could. Ii, at
the last moment, disaster overlook u.s. I had
at least striven by every means within my
power to avert it.
We have passed Biarritz, the merry bright
watering place. We have passed Hendaye,
the French frontier station. We leave the
towering Pvrenees on our left. We are at
Irun. where all baggage must be jealousy
scrutinzed. We are in Spain Nobody has
troubled us. No suspicious-looking stranger
has watched us. The stoppage has been
long, for the custom house officials are an
noyingly particular in the discharge of their
duty; but our noble-looking courier has
saved us all personal trouble He had done
us yeomans service. At last we are in an.
other train, train which runs on a line OF
another GAUGE. The very time of day has
changed. We have lost or gainei-I forget
Wholesome twenty minutes. We now
count by Madrid time. We are fairly on
Spanish ground, and I have saved my love.
Saved her from others-now to save her
from hers If Naver, never shall she know
the secret of that dark ight. We will speed
awav to the south-to the sun. the color,
the brightness, the flowers. All shall be
for rotten. The dark remembrance shall be
swept from my mind. | will call it dream.
| will win Philippa's love-tbe love that |
dare to believe is already almost mine. We
will live forever in BRIGHT, sunny, glowing
lends. Who cares for dull, dark, dismal
l.
oh, blessed word! love? Before my love and
me lie years and years of sweetness and jov.
Shake off black gloom and be merry, Basil
North. You have conquered fate!
We have passed st. Sebastian The slug
gish train is YEARLY winding up the valley
of tho Urumea. We are in wild and glori-
Gus scenery. The railway is carried at
great elevation, from which we get now AMI
again peeps of 'ar-away valleys Yes, |
could now find time t admire the wonder
full scenery which lasted until We passed
Miriam la.
My mood changed with the country. l
Laughed; jested. Each of the many sta
tinns at which we stopped furnished mate
rails for my newborn merrimant. l laughed
at the solemn looking Spanish railway
officials and drew pictures o. the doleful ate
of imaginary noble born hidalgos whom
poverty forced to desc nd to such employ
mant. l grumbled not at the slowness of
the train, although an ordinary traveller
might well, when on Spanish line, sigh
for the comparatively lightning speed of the
much maligned French trains. Time was
nothing to me now Was there not life
time stretching before me-and Philippa?
Ny gayety was contagious. My mother
laughed until the tears came, and Philippa
I I. 81
picked up under such sad circumstances
that long droppe1 thread Of friendship
Those who have travelled in Spain will
scarcely cr>dit mo when I say we had the
compartment to ourselves. We were trou-
blnd by no cloakad spaniard who. las is the
won't of his kind, insisted upon smoking like
furnace and keeping both windows shut.
Our noble courier had been given his in
structions. His arguments were venal. and
had ,rgoubled about money should have
found "hem costly. But they carried the
point and no one ntruded on our privacy.
The hours went by My mother slept, or
pretended to sleep. I seated myself near
Phiinpa, and whispered words of thinly
yelled love. She answered them not-l ex-
pected no answer-but her eyes were down
cast and her cheek was bushng. She sighed.
A sad smile PLAYED around her sweet mouth;
smile that spoke of a world of regret TIL
sigh, that smile, told M that she understood
me-, but toll me also that, ali! it could mover
be. The past never forgives! But all the
sama she let her hand rest in mine; and al
though, considering what had happened, l
scarcely dare to say so. for once, for many,
many months, l was all but happy.
For ME that journey ended only too soon
At night we reached Burgos, the capital of
the old Castilian kingdom, and l lail my
head on my pillow AMI enjoyed sleep such
as l had not known since the night before
that one when Philippe, with the snowflakes
falling around her, stood outside the window
of my cottage AMI gave me something to
live for-sCmething to hope for!