Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-01-09

a hundred years ago. We asked for
food and shelter in every language
we knew but the only reply we got
was a grunt and gesture towards
the inner door. We tried the 1oor,
but some one was leaning against it
on the other side. By this time l was
quite out of patience, and lifting the
latch of the door gave it a terrible
push inward. Some glass thing fell
and broke in a thousand pieces on the
stone floor, and as the door swung
open we saw white old priest stag
ger backward in the little oratory Of
the chapel, and on the paving were
the fragments of long black bottle
that had contained some black liquid.
The old fellow looked very much
frightened and deprecating, and hast
ened to explain that at his age he
found drop now and then necessary.
We made his feelings all right on the
point by offering to drink some more
with him if he had any. 1t appeared
that there were a number of bottles
in the cellar The old priest, and even
his wife, the old woman who seemed
unable to speak, proved very hospita-
BILE in the end, and we went on our
way early the next morning.
cat last the mountains were pass
ed, and before us stretched broad,
level grassy plain, and twenty miles
away, though the distance seemed
much less, lay city half the size of
Boston, but whose site was on no map
in existence, and whose name proba-
bly, not ten educated men in this
country had ever heard. But this
was forty years ago. Of course things
have changed since then.
"Here my guides say they must
go, and though I entreated their COM
pany to the city, they utterly refused.
I therefore set out alone.
'tYou can imagine my desolation at
being left, even by the desperate
black hued men who had been my
companions SO far. Even they had
some sympathy for my loneliness,
though it was q moody, silent, sym
pathy. But now I was alone in
strange, curious city which did not
know was before me, the Andes be-
hind me. If was ever homesick in
my life I was that morning. If ever
wished I was home with wife and
children about me, that was the time.
AS I tramped on [ dreamed Of these
things. I carefully recalled all the
ladies OF my acquaintance, to see if
any of them would do for wife. Some
were more or less attractive, but there
were many difficulties in the way Of
really marrying one Of them. After
time I turned from a consideration
of the money question. That seemed
less doubtful, for had begun to know
my own powers and to trust them. [
then and there resolved that [ would
work no longer for another master,
but go into business for myself when
I returned to San Francisco. I had a
little capital laid by, and of course
there were many schemes for using it
profitably already formed in my mind.
7 may be pardoned for saying that my
resolve was carried out, though per-
haps not as / had hoped.
cit was evening when reached the
city, with it's narrow streets, and
low, leaf matched houses, rudely and
weakly built, but having some show
Of neatness on the inside. All the
buildings seemed alike, and there
were no stores or big signs Of hotels
Or restaurants. The dusky, half-sav-
age people stared coldly at me and
made me feel more alone than ever.
I wandered along, hoping to see ia
miliar sign Of some sort, at least show
of decent nights lodging and good
square meal. The tough looking
guides Of the other side Of the noun
tains had robbed me Of most of my
money, but had a little left. Yet it
was growing dusk and I did not speak
the ordinary patois of the people to
make any inquiries.
CAT last, however, my happy eyes
saw the Spanish word Restaurant
printed on slip Of white paper with
a lead pencil and stuck in a glass
window. Without ceremony enter
ed. There was a large room Of rough,
plain boards, and in the middle of it
one long table covered with a white
cloth. At first thought there was no
one present. But as grew used to the
faint light [ made out the form Of
girl sitting at the further end of the
table, with her head buried in her
arms. gave a loud grunt to attract
her attention, and she quickly raised
her head. AS we'll as I could see
thought that she was good looking