The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1889-03-23

earnestly on it. John took this to mean
that he greatly admired Wagner, as in
deed he did, but still more deeply did
he adore certain Fraulein who sang
Elsa, and this was what he meant, and
when he rushed forward to embrace the
sappling, and then fell back suddenly
and in great detection, he meant to ex-
press the ard-heartedness of the prima
donna 1t was astonishing how many
condolences they gave one to the other In
song, and that neither understood made
no difference, because it is always sweet
to tell, even if we are not comprehended.
1t was, however, to very pretty
Spanish woman that John sang Schu-
bert's "Wanderer," and so explained
why they were on the road. She lived
in little house up high among the
rocks, where the goats seemed more at
home than human beings; but when
John had sung to her, and the sailor had
by the drinking song from Lucretia Bor-
gia asked her for wine she went into her
house and brought out her guitar and
sang to them.
This pleased them greatly, because her
voice was as pretty as her face, and she
had store of ballads they had never
heard. One of them she taught John,
who had used guitar in the days when
he was a chorister and had soprano
voice. 1t would be hard to tell which
of the three was best pleased, and they
were as courteous to each other as gran
dees of Spain could lie.
When the sun set they separated.
John took the road down the hill to
village where he meant to spend the
night. and the sailor struck out for
the high road where coach passed each
evening Just before dark. When they
parted the two men embraced each
other, and the German kissed John on
both cheeks, and John kissed him on
the lips as he would his little brother.
To the woman John gave his silver
match-safe, and the German followed it
by a silk handkerchief. And then, ex-
changing walking sticks, they parted.
They made, each in his own tongue,
many promises to meet again, and this
each well understood and thoroughly
meant. And they never forgot each
other. John never went near port or
on vessel without looking for his Ger
man friend in Spanish service, but he
never found him.
His chances, however, would have
been better had he gone in search of
German baron who had followed an
opera singer to Spain, and who, having
failed to win the lady by his love and
his rank, had schemed to try love and
romance. And it would have greatly
pleased John, who wished his road
good fortune, had he known that the
story of this adventure. told with en-
thusiasm and eagerness, had made the
singer pardon the intrusion OF re-
jected sutton, and that the baron, losing
no advantage, had at last bent the sap
ling and won wife. And it would
also have amused John had he known
that wherever American mil,ionaireS,
who are known to be as eccentric
as they are rich, were congregated.
there did the baron look for his
friend But, after all, it probably
was the Spanish woman who had the
best In the end, because when she went
to Granada with her husband. who was
a matador, how many operas and how
much music did she not hear while she
and her friends were looking for the two
foreign singers who had stopped at her
house, and rested while they practiced
their partsl-Harper's Basar.