Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-10-18
FROM WALL STREET TO NEWGATE.
VIA THE PRIMROSE WAY.
BY AUSTIN BIDWELL.

ernment and had to sail on time. So l
said goodby to that plan.
On consulting my memorandum saw
there was French steamer sailing from
St. Nazaire, OH the west coast Of France,
for Vera Cruz, Mexico, which would
touch at Santander on Saturday for
mails and passengers, and resolved to
20 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. was too
anxious to enjoy the scenery. We were
day and a night on the journey, and
arriving OH Wednesday I still had be-
fore me day of anxiety.
Early the next morning my servant
awoke me, asking me to look out of the
window. I ran to it, and, locking out,
there in the bay, just in front of the
hotel, lay steamer Of the largest size
and magnificent in her beauty. Itwas a
happy sight for me.
Num- hired boat for our luggage
and O second for me, and then, after a
hurried breakfast, we boarded the
steamer, Num- following with the bag
gage. At last we were afloat, and now
was all eagerness to hear the steam
monkey start to bring the anchor apeak
1t is simply amazing how bad con-
science "moldeth goblins swift as fren-
zy's thought" " Even as stood there l
was not at rest, but was impatient and
suspicious Of every movement from the
shore.
Just then with a mighty throb the
screw gave a turn, and it was music to
my ears
But as I stood on the deck that night
and watched the mountains sink into
the sea I felt this all dimly and tried
to shake off the feeling. I stood fasci-
mated, with many conflicting emotions
sweeping through my mind, sadly
watching tho receding shores Of Spain,
and just as the highest mountains were
sinking in the sea my servant, appear
ing at my side, informed me dinner was
ready and my wife waiting. Sending him
away and turning my face to the land
I strained my eyes through the gather
ing gloom to discern the distant shore.
Then with bitter feeling in my heart
I set out for the saloon, but stopped, and
quoting this line
The day Of my destiny is o'er,
And the star Of my fate hath declined
! went below.
Soon, under the warming influence Of
wine, forgetting all my forebodings and
looking into my wife's face beaming
with love and content, could not
help saying to myself: I am fool to
doubt that happiness is mine. Am l not
fortunes favorite? With love, youth,
enthusiasm, health and wealth on my
side, what else save happy days and
nights and long years filed with content
can be mine?
So, shaking off my foebodings, the 1s
days of our voyage over green Nep-
tunes back were ideal, and we became
objects Of envy to all the passengers.
After 18 days we cast anchor in st.
Thomas harbor, and pleasant as orr
voyage had been we were glad to see
land We were to stop day for coal
ing.
Taking the two sisters we went ashore
in one Of the many boats surrounding
the ship, all manned by scantily robed
black fellows. The town, with it's hordes
of gaudily dressed and noisy blacks,
was most interesting.
First I took the sisters to the cathe-
dral. Both were grateful and knelt at
the altar fo, a full half hour while we
waited. Then. after visiting several
stores to make some small purchases,
we went to a circus showing there that
week. / bought ten tickets for my
party. Everything they saw in the town
was marvellous and strange to them.
When we entered the circus tent, the
sisters were perplexed and thought it
must be a new sort of church. But
words would fail to express their amaze
ment when they saw the clown and be-
spangled horsemen enter the ring and the
performance begin. They were in new
and hitherto undreamed of world and
eazed in childlike wonderment on the
scene, and, like children, only saw the
glitter of the spangles and thought both
men and women performers were angels
of beauty. Even after the thing was
over the magic and witchery Of it all
rested on them. To please them we sat
until the audience had dispersed, and
when going out one Of them, speaking
of the performers, told my wife they
must be very near to God.
The next morning I found we were
sailing along the Cuban coast, quite
near the land, which looked so inviting
that I made up my mind to 60 ashore
and stay month in Havana, so 1 had
my baggage got on deck. Soon after
dinner the engines were stopped for
some hours for repacking, the captain
informing me that it was doubtful
whether we should arrive in Havana in
time to 60 ashore that night. At 6
o'clock the sunset gun is fired, the Gus
tom house closes, and no more debarka-
tions are allowed that day. If went
ashore the next day, I must be up and
off at an early hour, as the ship sailed