The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1893-08-05
WON A BRIDE IN SPAIN.
A Bicycle Tourist Who Eloped With an
Andalusian Beauty. -t,%

A Bicycle Tourist Who E1oped With an !
Andalusian Beauty. -t,%
Some people are born to have ro-
mantle experiences, while others live
and die with nothing above the COM
monplace occurring to disturb the
trend of existence. Leon Hartley, of
Lower California, belongs to the first
class. He passed through Pittsburg
the other day, and a Dispatch man
learned his story. Hartley is a young
man, and the son of a wealthy vanilla
bean raiser, whose extensive lands
lie near the Gulf of Lower California.
Half Spaniard and half American,
Hartley had longing to visit Spain,
and finally he decided to take in the
country on a bicycle. Landing at
Lisbon he started across Portugal
and steered straight for Madrid. He
spent considerable time viewing the
wrecks of ancient Moorish castles
and admiring the dark eyes and hair
Of the Spanish maidens. Hartley, as
was to be expected, soon met his fate,
and his subsequent elopement and
marriage veri6es the belief of fatal
lists who claim that somewhere IN the
world there is maiden picked out
for every man, and sooner or later
they are sure to meet.
Hartley was fond of bull fighting
and so was Maria de Ybarrola, the
beautiful daughter OF a Spanish vine
yard owner, whose place was about
twenty miles from Madrid. She fre-
quently went to the capital to watch
the thrilling work Of the toreadors
in the ring. By chance young Hart
ley happened to see her at fight,
and his susceptible nature was smit-
ten. He managed to meet the young
lady and she returned his friendly
feeling which soon manifested loving
symptoms. The young Californian
was invited to her nome, but the old
man was not attracted by the Ameri-
can. He did not like men who rode
on wheels, aud besides he had other
plans for Maria. A Spanish noble
man had been courting the daughter,
! ! but she was not particu ularly taken
| with him, and after meeting Hartley
she decided to drop her countryman.
But here the stern parent stepped IN
and forbade Leon visiting his house.
He returned to Madrid much CREST
fallen and disheartened. Then. it
! was that Maria demonstrated shat
a woman's wit can outdo a
watchful father. A few days after
ward she managed to write to Hart
ley and unfold her plans. Until she
could make all her arrangements she
would toy with her Spanish lover
ald pretend that she had forgotten
the Californian. The father was
thrown off his guard, and, several
months having elapsed without the
hateful American returning, he final
ly consented to send Maria to her
| uncle for visit It will be a long
time before the uncle will see her,
for she met Hartley at Madrid, where
| they were married and started
promptly for the United States. They
arrived in New York last week and
spent several days in Washington.
They are on their way to Cleveland
/ to visit a cousin of Leon,
and from there they will go to the
fair and then home to Lower Cali
fornia. Maria seems to be very
happy with her lot and does not re-
gret the step she has taken. It is
certain that her father, after the
first explosion when he discovers his
daughter has gone, will rslent and
forgive his Yankee son-in-law.