Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-03-08
A DAYS ADVENTURE,

n LA L - ALI LIN / Ill,
When John Elliot was threc-and-
twenty, an uncle died and left him five
hundred dollars. In itself five hundred
dollars is not to be despiscd, but it is
always too much or too little for n work
ing basis. For year John reflected on
the question what he should do with it.
and then he decided to go to Europe.
Inc matter seemed simple enough to
MN. AS n captial for business the legacy
was meaSre, and it was too much to
1rlttcr away in fractions. If he kent il
for rainy day, how was he to know
That he should not have the luck the Old
woman who saved her supper for her
breakfast and died before mornings
But If man is To live in the world
surely he should see it, and what is easier
10 do when one is four and twenty, I'M
'tramme!cd, and full Of good health and
SPIRITS, and with purse in the pocket
60 John took a years holiday from his
law studies and sailed to Havrc. and he
stayed away Tor twelve months and six
tceil days, and inthat time lie saw much
: ana had many adventures But rs his
fortune was small and Europe is large.
nc had TO make his own legs carry him
= over great deal of ground.
One day in the fall OF the year. when
the chestnuts we c ripcning. John was
walking along narrow dcfile in the
mountains OF the Sierra Nevada. Far
above him rose the ROCKS, bare and stony.
but his own path was shaded bv tree,
and he wplked over grassy ways. Quite
o. early i'll the day he sat down by n bronx
which ran down a stony and precipitous
ned, ana let the peace and rest of the
. silence bring him dreams. If he had but
known 1t, upon this very some there
once had snG II Moorish knight. wounded
IN the hit in the detile. Here his squire
had unbnckled his visor, and watched
the death shadow-which is always gray
steal over his face. But of this John
Knew nothing, and he contentcdly
whist!ed as he sat there and if he
Thought Of Christian and Saracen it was
only in reference to Granada, to which
he was going. lie thought of robbers.
but he was as ignorant OF them as of
Moors, ana feared them rs little; and in
e deed IN all his walking he never met
bandit. Alter time lie arose, and to the
tune OF "Annic Laurie took up his
march again; and if there is better
test iorn whistler than is this tune | do
not know it.
sudc eniy he heard shout from the
= rocks ABOVE, and looking up he saw n
Spanish sailor waving his hand.
John had gone To Europe knowing no
language but his own, but he had picked
up few phrases in Spanish. and so he
called back and said he thanked the ocn-
tleman very much. 1t was NOT, pcrhaDs.
a very apt reply, bat John had not nm.
derstood what the snilor had said. and
the phrase sounded well, and had the
advantage OF being in the language of
the countr The sailor was, However.
not satisfied, and again he called, and
. TINS time John assured h m that all he.
John. owned was at the distinguished
5 gentcmans service. But even this did
not please the stranger, who then thought
1t wise to run down and join John, and
thus try the eject of nearer inter
course. He was a handsome Young man.
little der than John, and his clothes
were so beautiful in color and 20 we'll
suited to show oil lis vigorous figure
and fnc face that John wished himself
an artist, so that he might max n study of
so clean and pictures lue sub Get.
Yet it would have been more to the
purpose had he been lneuist, be-
cause then he could have answered
! the sailor, who seemed to be in doubt
about the road. 1t would, however.
ehavc been of no use to have understood
Spanish, the sailors command of that
language being even more limited than
Johns was. But the sailor stammcrcd
along until John bciook himself TO his
own language, and said he was an
American. and spoke only English At
this the sailor smiled. seeming we'll
pleased, but he replied in German. Then
they looked at each other and laughed,
and began to walk Oh side by side. Oi
course they talked, and were very polite
10 each other, and seemed amused and
pleased to be together, so 1t mattcrcd
little tn they did no. understand each
other. But this will happen when talk
crs speak the same language, and even
if we use the best English there are
times when our nearest friends do not
comprehend us, and their Interpretation
Of what We say is Astonishing and not to
be believed.
But these two young fellows had no
fear Of beng misunderstood, fancvinp
that neither was understood at all. i hey
told each other stories, and laughed TO-
gc'her, and pointed out what they
liked, and grumbled over what they did
not. They gathered chestnuts and
acorns rs two childIen might, and about
noon they lunched together under the
shadow of n rock on which n pine tree
grew. When they opened their KNAPP.
sacks and ore b ought ont Olives to eat
with their bread and cheese. each nodded
approval, and like good fellows made
free OF each Others provision, being sure
Of welcome. Then the sailor took m
some salt and aid it In the palm of his
hand, and ohn taking pinch from it.
the two of them ate silt together, and
the crman embraced the American and
ihey both again laughed. But really the
air was so exhilarating, and they were