Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1895-11-21
CHAPTER TX.

such a time in such land, but still had
so much confidence in my good fortune
that l felt would be on time for the
steamer ON Monday.
1t was now 3 O'Clock Friday. We
were all aboard for Madrid and just
pulling out of the station. We would be
due there the next morning. From Mad
rid TO Cadiz there is only one through
train in "a hours, and that leaves seven
mornings a week; but, as 1t runs only
Is miles an hour and is seldom on time
at that, one must figure on taking an
entire "a hours for the journey. Still as
we would be due Saturday morning |
had big margin for delay.
At last we were off. On the train and
in every group we passed there were
signs of subdued excitement. Between
Royalists and Republicans sharp lines
were evidently drawn which soon were
to culminate in bloody conflict.
Soon after 10 O'Clock we arrived in
the walled town of Avila, about so
miles from the famous Escurial built
by the second Philip, and about $50
miles from Madrid. Here we got an ex
cellent dinner and good coffee. But din
ner was spoiled for me by the disastrous
intelligence that martial law had been
proclaimed and that the government
had seized the roads running north from
Madrid to transport troops.
Here was pretty pickle! l was en-
ragged. I saw the chief of the railway at
Avila, but he was fool, and under the
unwonted state of affairs had lost what
little head he ever had.
So once more our baggage was all
piled out of the train, and once more
we had to go into camp on the floor OF
the station, with terrific din around
us.
arose early, and looking up the tele-
graph clerk and railway chief l made
them both rich by the present to each
of escudos.
Then 1 telegraphed CASTELAR, and the
minister Of war that was an English
man; that had my family with me,
and having important business in Mad
rid l must not be detained in Ayila. l
demanded that he should at once direct
the military officials TO send me ON to
Madrid by special train. also sent "a
telegram to Hernandez, president of the
road in Paris, offering 5000 francs for
q special train. Another urgent message
was sent to the superintendent III Mad
rid repeating the offer for special train,
the same sum to himself if he expedited
the train. l also authorized him to
spend a similar amount if necessary in
bribing the military authorities
At II O'Clock had long telegram
from him saying a train would be made
up at Avila But an hour having passed
away 1 sent him a message to order up
an engine and one car from Madrid
Another message arrived at ~ O'Clock,
and down came an engine and car.
The local railway chief was more
than anxious to see us off, as / had add
ed another So to the So already given.
Just then the telegraph operator flew
out with an order for our train to wait
the arrival of the train from Madrid.
1 stormed. kept the wire hot with
messages of protest to officials. Two
delay was but temporary. So there |
sat in that musty compartment with my
wife by my side and heart full of bit
terness, for saw the precious hours slip
ping away and with them my chance
of taking the Sunday morning train so
as to catch the Cadiz steamer. To miss
1t meant ruin.
Hour after hour passed by, and there
we sat. My secret cause of unrest had
to be kept locked in my breast, while
my young wife, all unsuspecting, was
merry and happy, chanting little snatch
es of song and telling me 100 times she
was the happiest of women. She did
not care for revolutions nor for delays.
Was she not with me? The sun began
to go down the sky, and the shadows
fell Still we sat on, expecting every
moment an order to proceed. The sus-
pense was terrible.
The time Wore on, when suddenly,
toward midnight, the operator rushed
out of his Office, and, shouting to the en-
gineer, few up TO our compartment,
said goodby, and in minute we were
off. After that long and terrible day it
was happiness to be moving.
had given the engineer a tip; he
put on steam, and as we flew over the
road hope returned 1 felt we were safe
At the rate we were going l should
have two or three hours to spare. We
soon were at the Escurial. AS fate
would have it, we found here an order
to run US ON a side line and to keep the
track clear for a train going Qorth. For
two miserable hours we wHted, and no
train. Then I set the wires in motion
again, and just as the eastern skies grew
gray we started.
Madrid is situated on high sandy
plain, storm swept in winter worse than
any plain in northern Europe. We had
a wheezy engine. -Four miles out it
broke down, and then / gave up the
struggle.
At o'clock Sunday afternoon, nine
hours too late for the Cadiz train, we
arrived at Madrid. Too late to reach
Cadiz by special train Not too late
could the train have been started off as
soon as ordered, but in Spain special
train is an unheard of thing.
telegraphed to Lopez & Co. at Cad
iz inquiring if they would hold the Ell
Rey Felipe for "a hours. They replied
they were under contract with the gov
ernment and had to sail on time. SO I
said goodby to that plan.
On consulting my memorandum saw
| there was French steamer sailing from
ST. Nazaire, on the west coast of France,
for Vera Cruz, Mexico, which would
touch at Santander ON Saturday for
mails and passengers, and / resolved to
go by her; this, Of course, meant retrac-
ing our way through the hated Avila to
Burgos, and changing there for San
tander.
On Monday we visited the picture
galleries and museums, and on Tuesday
we got our baggage down to the depot
once more, and purchasing our tickets
we were off for Santander. l was too
anxious to enjoy the scenery. We were
a day and a night on the journey, and
arriving on Wednesday l still had be-
fore me day of anxiety.
Early the next morning my servant
awoke me, asking me to look out Of the
| window. ran TO it, and, looking out,
there in the bay, just in front Of the
hotel, lay steamer of the largest size
and magnificent in her beauty. twas a
happy sight for me.
Mum hired boat for our luggage
and second for me, and then, after q
| hurried breakfast, we boarded the
steamer, Num- following with the bag
gage. At last we were afoat, and now
| I was all eaperness To hear the steam