The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-11-24
The Mysterious Grotto.


story to me:
/ Was sitting by the seashore be-
yond where the lighthouse stands.
4 storm wind was blowing. The
strong sea breezes, made tepid by the
Sun, came to me impregnsted with
sharp saline odors. Before me the
ocean unrolled it's waves upon the
fine sahd, like green serpent pro.
longing the shining coils in the sun
Behind me was the cliff, with It's gray
assures, whence jetted out here and
there the trunks of sickly trees,
brawny growths. and meager furze
plants. Sloping inward almost at
the head of the cliff yawned a mys'
terious cavern, spacious grotto-
dark andcold.;
l was seized with that unaccount.
able emotion with which nature in.
spires those alone with her. when q
hand slapped my shoulder.
"How do you find yourself this
morning."
It was the old college friend I had
Unexpectedly met the evening before
Gabriel E., native lieutenant.
"You must have found your way
here by instinct" he continued. Per.
haps you never suspected that a
tragedy once occurred In this very
place where we now are?"
"a tragedy-here?"
ayes, in that very grotto. 1t has
become famous. The country folks
call it The Love Chamber Iknew
of the romance at the very time when
it's characters performed their parts.
Light a cigarette, and let me tell it
to you"
81 listen"
At the time am telling yoti about
there was very pretty girl at Bar
ritz, named Pascaline-a Basque
about s1S years of age, tall and slight
with that peculiar grace SO char
acteristic Of those little mountain
women. Her black hair cleaned TN
der the yellow silk kerchief which she
always wore fastened about her head
in the most coquettish style imagin-
able. Her rudy lips, slightly sen.
suous, showed at every smile rows of
delicate white teeth. Pascaline was
O great dressmaker, and supported
her father, q great big man, hall
paralyzed, who lived In perpet-
ual retery, and rarely spoke except
to reply with some peculiarly vague
Spanish proverb to any question put
to him. Pascaline adored the old
man, and took care of him like a
child, So folks used always to say,
"Pascaline will certainly do well on
account OF the way she takes care Of
her father Anyhow, she had q
chance either way-to do well or bad
ly; for she had two admirers. One
was Noise Dunez, rich, old and ugly,
who offered her a fine social position.
The other was Maxine Sarrabeyrous,
poor, young and handsome, who Of
Tered her his heart. Maxine was
said to be a professional guide in the
Pyrenees. He was really a smuggler.
And, as was only right, Pascaline
loved Maxime-for love always calls
for love.
Such was the state of affairs for
several months. Noise Dunez would
often stop at the store and scl atch
his nose, and gravely observe:
81 can give you fine social posi-
tion, Pascaline-a fine social posi-
tom"
And she would always reply:
"You are very kind and good, NJ.
Noise, but I love Maxine"
And old Noise would gooff grum-
bling to himself:
"She'l change her mind after
awhile; she'll change her mind"
But things at last came to such a
point that some decision had to be
made. The two young lovers often
took long walks along the cliff and
people gossiped about them a great
deal. Unfortunately they were very
poor. A dressmaker cannot save
very much, especially if she has a ia
ther to support, and smugglers have
their dull seasons. But it is very
fine profession for all that. Poor as
they were, however, they loved each
other so much that they went to old
Father Pascal one morning hand in
hand and said: "We love each other
and we want to get married"
The old man shook his head a lit
tie and slowly responded:
every well, very WE'LL"
The lovers knelt down before him,
and he blessed them. The betrothal
was accomplished. Pascaline ac-
companied the youth to the usual
scene of their promenade; and that
evening they remained out on the
cliffs very, very late. AS the young
Basque girl was returning home full
of happiness, with the joy of love
in her heart, she met Noise
Dunez, who observed very gravely,
scratching his nose as usual:
81 offer you q fine social position,
Pascaline, a fine social position.
She answered:
'sYou are very good and kind, NJ.
Noise; but Maxine ,Sarrabeyrous
and / have arranged everything for
the best this evening"
And old Noise went of, muttering
as he always did: "She'Il change her
mind after awhile; she'll change her
mind"
A few days later Maxine was offer
ed splendid chance to make a snug
little sum. A whole cargo OF goods
was to be struggled into Guipuzcoa.
The young contrabandista was full
Of confidence, but the weather was
bad. All day and all night q mighty
wind was blowing from The sea, and
the sailors muttered in fear: at is
Our Lady of Guadalupe passing byp
Our Lady of Guadalupe, the pale
Madonna with the green eyes, who
when she passeth by, taketh with her
n her ghostly fight oil who are be-
lated upon the vast gray sea.
81 will return in eight days." said
Va VIVA G., ~,c to~x~<,,o &c IL l,s~.~I