Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-04-12
THE NECTAR OF OUR ANCESTORS.
a STORY THAT HAS MUCH HISTORY.


oRDUSIoN
PART I.
On an evening in August, in the year of
the Lord 1911, and two hours before sun
set, the inhabitants OF the imperial and
crown city of Madrid-whjch at that time
was the court of the reigning Majesty, the
pious Don Philip OF Asturias, and the third
of his name-sbandoning the couches they
had occupied during their forced siesta,
came from their residences seeking fresh
air to breathe. Danes and gentlemen,
friars of all the orders, holy persons,
squires, priests, duennas and petty noble
men were passing through the streets.
Along with these some large coach rolled
by in which magnate, accompanied by
his relations in all their pomp and pride,
was shown to the pedestrians all were en-
deavoring to gain in any way their object
which was to respire in the fresh breezss of
the Prado and gardens of San Jeronimo,
and the aristocratic body are Drawing the
heat the same as the ruffian or street min
strel.
In this same hour there came from a
the street of the Prado, between the mo-
mastery of Santa Catalina and Santa Ana
an old gentleman who yet had the appear
ance OF strength and i mixture of a gentle
man and a soldier if we were to Judge by
the dress that covered his tall ana elegant
person, the red sash that crossed his breast,
the long sword and his shoulder belt TO
which 1t was suspended. his high boots,
his broad brimmed hat and snowy feathers,
L.. =. tt.
that was ostentatiously placed on the left
side of his doublet A page or servant had
followed him to the door, and after max
ing a profound reverence to him, as the
gentleman departed, returned inside and
shut the door. Our Captain moved on-lor
such he was-with slow strides, and twirl-
ing his white mustacte and long imperial,
to the street below, until he arrived in the
vicinity of the Lion; he stopped in the first
square, arranged the feathers Of his hat,
much discomposed without doubt by the
ambient light of the declining sun, which
he perceived, aud beginning his march
again as the last chance, until he stopped
before the narrow and closed door of
house. more humble than ostentatious.
God give you q good evening, Senor
Captain Juan de Urbina," broke forth in
this a subject that, dressed in plain clothes,
appeared at an old shop, leaning on the
SIde-p0St OF the entrance.
The same l say to you Senor Apothe-
cary Gomez"
"You come to see my virtuous neighbor
and namesake," continued the first. 1T
is doing great wrong that the friends and
relatives of his Senor may distract the
Imagination, enough worked, who will
suffer so much more than he deserved.
They have given to the senior hidalgo
with his long years. more work than is
Just, and it is well to concede to the time
and circumstances what they merit"
You speak sensiblv," added the Cap
tain, giving at the same time a knock on
the wicket of the modest lodging house, as
if the conversation of the apo;hecary might
be somewhat annoying and troublesome as
he saw the curious looks of the neighbors
in the houses near as they appeared at the
balconies and the many people that had
no other business but to stop in groups
and look that way.
But soon the noise of the blow given on
the door caused it to be opened by q cord
from above, being tied to the lstch-key,
opening TO the sight q narrow and high
flight of stairs that the noble gentleman
was disposed to mount, but not before he
had taken leave of the Senior Miguel Gomez
with God keep you" to which the hon
est apothecary most respectfully re-
sponded.
The gentleman was tired, and paused
when he arrived at the top OF the stsirs
which was even with the entrance of
room, where, without pausing more time
than was necessary to pay TO an aged
woman in a religious habit the Christian
salutation that was very formal, went on
by an obscure and tortuous little unventi-
lated passage. as one who was well versed
in the ground plan of that story, arriving
at another door, in q recess that was
covered with curtain of very light cloth,
and in this place our Captain stopped a
moment.
Before proceeding further, ask the fair
lady that reads this story, or the reader
bearded or without beard, to allow me to
explgin at least the aspect of the rooms or
habitation before whose entrance remained
the Senior Juan de Urbina, whom we al
ready know.
Small, but nevertheless of high ceiling
and divided by number of beams that
sustained it; the walls were plastered, and
the floor of broken or ruptured tiles. Con-
spicuous, without doubt, in the room 10
which we refer was something sublime,
colossal, holy or religious. bookcase,
that ought to contain volumes, since
any one might see through the thick wire
net and the rents in the green cloth that
covered them. A number of sheepskin
chairs, ornamented with brass tacks, two
or three prints, among these one of Our
Lady of Mercy each guarded by a ma
hogany frame, that was ostentatiousiy orna-
mented with Roman nails cruci6x, with
its basin of blessed water there were hang
ing two capes of the Trinitarian order
Such was the living-room with the excep-
ton OF a writing desk, which merits special
mention.
Sitting before this, and BY the weak light
that entered by the greenish glass or dark
ened open window, protected by strong
CRATE, appeared man of more than
seventy years; squiline countenance, brown
hair, with touches of silver in many places,
a clear and smooth forehead; the eyes glad
and expressive, that appeared kind and
generous when they were directed toward
any person; nose well. proportioned and in
clined to curve; the beard not very thick,
and should be auburn, showed more silver
than of the original color, more white than
brown on this handsome manly face, over
whose small mouth was very large mus
taehe. His back was somewhat bent, that
ought not TO be so much, although his
present position, inclined over the writing
table, might hide all such defects.
He wore short airy doublet or jacket of
fine cloth, adjusted perfectly to his body
round his neck white plated ruffie, in
the fashion of the epoch. On the table,
covered with spread well-used, and on
which the gentleman wrote, appeared here
and there papers, books, manuscripts,
loose and sewed; but all these open with
out order or concert, as if the genius that
presided had not the power, or did not
wish to descend to such series of such vul-
ger minutia. The right hand stopped
writing and carried the quill pen for sup
ply of ink from wide inkstand OF earthen
ware, over the paper he had before him,
while what remained of his left, whose
crippled fngers-some of them gone en-
tirely showed its absolute inutility-negli-
gently assisted in resting on the cloth where
his ideas were noted, the thoughts copious
and brilliant as the exact reflex of that
abundant and pure fountain that conceived