Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-01
DOING SPAIN AF0OT.
Wakeman's Experience Curing La
Grippe in BeggarIy FiniSterre.
GRATITUDE OF THE SPANIARDS.
Something About the Old Sovereignty Of
GaIicia and Its History.
WHERE THEY REAP WITH THE SICKLE
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE D1sPArcH.1

CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DIsPATcH.1
SANTIAGO, SPAIN, January 13.-[COpy-
right1-The comforts of the inner man
which we carried to the empty storehouse
of the alcalde of beggarly Finisterre, served
to give that extraordinary functionary Of
the Spanish Government more benign
temper. He even consented to permit
Pierre F1oquet and myself to put some
necessary clothing upon mis- attenuated
form. He never forgot for one moment,
however, his official relations to me. He
was alcalde. was the alcalde's prisoner.
Every glance from his eyes Of authority
seemed an urgent order that should re-
double my vigilance as guard upon myself
The situation was both interesting and ludi-
crous, but it soon became irksome, and to-
ward night myself as Spanish sentinels IN
charge of the American prisoner myself, be-
gan giving the latter a few unofficial hber-
ties. One was to permit myself to penetrate
my slight baggage and produce an old pass
port OF Mr.. Bayard's making, worn to the
consistency of cheese cloth. and signed,
countersigned and Vised by so many officials
in so many different countries, that of late
no creature of the efete monarehies had
been brave enough to deeipher or gainsay
its authority. Bringing my prisoner to the
alealde boldly Haunted this before him
and demanded my own release. He gave 1t
one glance, then, pausing in the act OF TAX
ing snuff from Pierre Floquet's box, uttered
the simple, profound and significant word
"BahP'
He made what he meant so clear to me for
Spaniard, that L at once withdrew with nv
| sentinela, and began line of diplomatic ae-
ton. The poor souls of Finisterre were
| really and truly i'll and utterly helpless.
! Several had died and lay in the rags OF their
| hunks without burial. The living ones had
| no knowledge OF their own ailment. Word
had been sent to Santiago de Campostela OF
their distress, but the physicians Of that city
were busy with their own sick. The igno-
| rant beings had lost all heart, and had laid
down in their houses as pluckless and mur-
rained sheep.
PITY THAT TOOK ROOT.
1 truly pitied them, and began in an
humble way endeavoring to effect their re-
lief. In little time had CHEEKY Eres in
most of the huts around which the shiver-
ing wretehes hoYered pitifully. Then after
| cleaning a huge eauldron kettle used by
! the pescadores in extracting the oil Of
| fish, boiled such mess of potatoes from
| Pierre Floquet's store as they had never
before set eyes upon. This with two
or three huge Breton loaves of bread, plenty
of salt and floods of black coffee, enabled
me to serve them all with food. Ill as they
were the helpless wretches ate like half-fam-
| ished beasts; and 1 found easily enough that
I had won their gratitude and friendship.
I Even the old alealde parLook of the repast,
and being then, as with all men not afflicted
with the dyspepsia, much more approach
able and humane, proceeded to bargain
with him for my release. believed knew
what troubled his people. and that had
the means to give them relief Therefore
asked:
"Excellantissimo, if 1 shall be able to re-
lieye the people of Finisterre of their suffer-
ing, will you allow me to depart unhin-
dered?'
mot only will grant you release if you
will relieve them, replied the alcalde, but
will do that and guarantee your safe pas
sage to Santiago, if you will put but half,
or fourth part upon their miserable feet.
Aye, more; if you will but cure myself
alone. 1 will serve you as mozo (man-serV-
anti to the Montanas de LeonP'
As this was farther than any soul of
| Finisterre had ever ventured within his own
land, it measured his boundless well-wish-
ing and friendship, in case of my success;
and I at once began the unlicensed practice
of medicine, which is more than crime,
and all of witeheraft, in musty old Spain.
AS GOOD AS CURE-ALLs.
1 took from my knapsaek two papers Of
| smoking tobacco. and huge piece Of gum
camphor-two excellent belongings when
| wandering among the peasantry of Europe,
as the first proves a priceless warmer Of
lowlY hearts, while the second is a wonder
| ful deterrent of disease and an equally mar
yelous repelIent of various and Vagarous in
sects inimical to sweet and perfect sleep.
then had recourse to my linen correspondence
paper. Shaving the camphor into delicate
flakes, powdered it nicely, mixed it thor
! ouphly with the tobacco, and, with the aid
of bit of stick glue, before ended my
task had rolled nearly 100 long, fine cigar
cites, having gained some dexterity in this
| accomplishment among the Spanish senori-
| tos of Cuba. All this time what few could
gather about me looked on in superstitious
! wonder, and piled me with all manner OF
serious questions, to which I answered no
| word. When had finished went to every
man, woman and child In all the novels Of
Finisterre, gave each lighted cigarette,
| and enforced its smoking with the injunc-
| ton, "If you do not smoke this, all of it,
you will dielike your brethren. Smoke 1t,
| and you will be seining the sardinhas to.
| morrowP'
The effect was marvellous. These poor,
| ignorant folk believed in me because had
| already fed them. The camphor did the
| rest For two hours such coughing, sneeZ-
ing and retching never were elsewhere heard.
But my prescription, gained from Pasteur's
| published advice few weeks before, anni-
| hilated la grippe in the Glands end" Of
Spain; and on this night, the second Of my
detention in this desolate village, there were
something like life and hope among the peo-
pie. Good Pierre Floquet was wild with
delight and pride; the weszened slcalde was
| stupefed by what some of his people be-
| lieyed to be q miracle; and If Finisterre
could have compassed that much, my march
through Spain would have resulted in end
less ovation.
KILLING THE CALF.
But did not stop at camphor. Pierre
| Floquet had brought In his schooner from
Concarneau four Breton calves, for the little
| TERRA arrendada or farm he hoped to pur-
chase at Miera. bought one Of these.
Together we killed il, cut it mp into small
portions, and, having recourse again to the
old fsh-oil cauldron, boiled the meat, COW
cred, and gave the broth, of the consistency
of honest beef tea, to every one in the ham,
let. Such feast never had been known
among them. It seemed to operate ike an
infusion of blood. The starved Wretehea
were truly intoxicated with the, to them,
elixir of one Hfe-giving meal. They sang
and almost danced under its influence. An,
but how ones heart aches to realize in the
preseuce Of lust one such scene, the hmitlesa
inanficiency. the wretched want and the
avfuI disparity with such as these, when tha
bappier conditions of you and 1, and even
those who are merely spared cold and huns
ger. are considered in honest comparisonl