The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-08-17
THE MYSTERIOUS GR0TT0.

UiNA wac hi'NAis iiAN nhA'AiS Hth
brce1es. made tepid by The sun, came to
mo impregnated with sharp saline odors.
Before me the ocean unrolled its waves
upon the fine sand, like green serpent
prolongng the shining coils in the sun.
Behind me was the cliff, with its gray ifs
surcs. whence ietted out here and there
thetmnks Of sickly trees, brawny growths.
aud meagcr furzc plants. SlOping inward
almost AT the head Of the cliff yawned a
mysterious cavern, a spacious grotto-
dark and cold
Twas seized with that unaccountable
emotion with which nature inspires those
alone with her, wnen a hand slapped my
shoulder
How do you find yourself this morn
inr.
II was the old college friend had un.
eypectcdly met the evening before-Ga
brief l.. native lieutenant
"Iou must have found your way here
by instinct he continued Perhaps
YOU never suspected that tragedy once
occurred in this very place where we now
arey'
"A tragedy here
Eyes, in that very grotto. 1t has be
come famous. The country folks call it
The Love Chamber. knew of the TO
nance 40 the very time when It's charac
tcrs performed their parts. Light Gig
arctic. and let ne tell il TO YOU
Il listen
At the time | am telling you about
there was very pretty girl al Biaritz,
named Pascaline-a Basque about lSyears
Of age tail and slght-with that pecu-
liar grace so characteristic of those little
mountain women Her black hair cleaned
under the yellow silk korchief which she
always wore fastened about her head in
the most cOqucttish style imaginable
Her rudy lips slightly sensuous, showed
at every smile rows of delicate white
teeth. Pascaline was a great drcssmaker,
ana supported her father, a great big
man, half paralyzed, who lived in perpct
ual rcyery, and rarely spoke except to
reply with some peculiarly vague Spanish
pr0vcrb TO any question put TO him
Pascaline adorcd the old man. and took
care OF him like 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
a chance either way-tO do well or
badly; for she had two admirers One was
Noise Dmez, rich old and ugly, who of
iorcd her a lnc social position The other /
was Maxine Sarrabeyrous, poor, young !
and handsome who offered her his heart
Maxine was said 10 be a professional /
guide in the Pyronees He was really !
smugglor 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 scratch his nose and +
gravcly observe:
Il can give You fine social position,
Pascaline-a fine social position
And She would always reply:
You are very kind and good, NJ. Noise,
but love Maxine"
And old Noise would 60 off grumbling
TO himself:
She'll change her mind after awhile;
she'll change her mind.
But things at last came 10 such point
that some decision had TO be made The
two young lovers often took long walks
along the clin and people gossiped about
them a great deal. Unfortunately they
were very poor A drcssmaker cannot
save very much, especially if she has a
father TO support, and smugglers have
their dull seasons. But it is very fine
profession for all that Poor rs they were.
however they loved each other so much
that they went 10 old Father Pascal one
morning hand in hand and said: we
love each other and we want to get mar
ried "
The old man shook his head little and
slowly responded:
VERY we'll. very well. "
The lovers knelt down before him, and
he blessed them The betrothal was ac-
complshed Pascaline accompanied the
youth 10 tho usual scene of their promeD
ade; 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
swelling in her heart, she met Noise
Dunez, who observed very gravely,
scratching his nose as usual.
Il offer you fine social position, Pas
caline, a fine social position
She answered.
you are very good and kind, NJ Noise:
but Maxine Sarrabeyrous and | have ;
arranged everything for the best this
evening
And old Noise went off, muttering as
he always did: She'll change her mind {
after awhile she'll change her mind" 5
few days later Maxine was offered a
splendid chance TO make snug little sum.
a whole cargo of goods was to be SNUG
gled into Guipuzcoa. The young contra. S
bandista was full of confidence but the /
weather was bad All day and all night a t
mighty wind was blowing from the sea, v
and the sailors muttered in fear: 1T is
Dur Lady Of Guadalupe passing BY" Our a
Lady of Guadalupe. tho pale Madonna Il
with the green eyes who when she pas q
seth by, taketh with her in her ghostly e
iight all who are belated upon the vast a
gray sea S
ii will return in eight days, said Max. b
me Sarrabeyrous, as he kissed the red p
Ups Of his sweetheart. a
But the eight days passed, and then p
months--three months v
vent by without any news Of the hand. ii