Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-08-30

tho snow and storm was very happy,
however, for l knew my wife and party
were safely sheltered, and tho excite
ment Of action kept me from being
gloomy.
In duo time we found our stray,
hitchod TO and started, but II was hard
pulling, ana the exhausted oxen had to
come to frequent halts. At last, Just AZ
was beginning to feel tired, we came
TO the fonda.
The snow had slackened, but the wind
was beginning to blow, so Num- and 1
carried all the luggage and traps into
corner Of tho stable below, and tumbling
down into the hay we were soon in the
land CT dreams. In my dreams / was on
n shoreless sea in bark that silently
and swiftly circled around, Dark clouds
closed in, the horizon drawing in on all
sides, while my boat sailed in an ever
narrowing circle, the clouds still closing
in, until a giant hand grew out from q
ragged edge Of the cloud wall which,
Selling the PROV Of my boat, pulled ID
into the gloom and darkness felt the
clouds brushing my check. hoiud the
ronr Of falling water and felt TINT my
doom was sealed. thought Of my wife,
and, trying to call her name, was dumb.
/ looked behind. Far off and far up
there was glow of rosy light, and
within tho aureolo was her face, full Of
sorrow, looking at mo with pity in ev-
cry feature AS looked her face was
slowly eclipsed by u cloud. Then with
ono cry l plunged into the sea and
awoke.
That dream would easily have joined
the long procession Of forgotten dreams,
but it was recalled many time during
many years And, try as l might, felt
1t to DO portent and prophecy.
When awoke in tho morning was
dumfounded TO find blizzard blowing
that the cattle would not face and with
every appearance Of continuance. In re-
ply to my inquiries learned they some
times blew in those ATTITUDES for week.
This was pleasant news for me, and tho
prospect made me nervous. 1t was now
Thursday, the fourth day since our de-
parture from Paris. And what might
not have happened in London in that
timo Here was as completely isolat-
ed from the outside world and from all
news about my companions in England
as il on desert isle For all l knew
discovery might have been made and
full details OF the fraud might be blaz-
ing in the press of Europe. began to
fear l had run into u trap. To make
matters worse, the steamer FL Rey Fe-
lipe was advertised to sail Monday from
Cadig, and TO miss her seemed danger
Gus indeed.
was prisoner in wretched inn in
deflle Of the Pyrenees, with civil
war raging and no telling what might
arise to detain us. Our objective point
was only some 30 miles away, but with
roads deep in snow, with wretohed cat
Ito and more wretohed Spaniards for
drivers, there was poor prospect of max
ing Roadway. / felt it would never do
for me to suffer longer detention.
/ determined to leave my wife and
baggage in charge Of Num-, to put the
Sl20, 900 had in bag and start back
to tho French frontier, cross into France
and catch the Saturday steamer from
Havrc to New York, explaining TO my
wife that important business demanded
my presence in America; that she could
| follow On the next steamer aud that |
would meet her ON arrival.
In the meantime my unlucl;y l8 were
happy. For were they not sheltered,
with plenty Of food and high wages, all
Out Of the pocket Of tho great lord the
| Virgin herself must have sent to them?
In fact, they We're winning from me
| whit TO thom was fortune Twas pay
ing each man 81 day and 81 for each
team and cart.
All day long the blizzard blew. It
was novel situation, and how should
have enjoyed it had | only possessed
that greatest Of all blessings--a good
conscience AS il was, was in misery
and could find no peace, not even in my
wifo's smiles and evident content to be
anywhere with me
AT . O'Clock / had all hands up and
breakfast under way. l ordered the
drivers and hangers ON to have tho
teams hitched up and ready ut day
break. They all ate breakfast heartily
enough, but were not jealous about
starting out, They made all sorts of
prctexts and excuses to avoid leaving
thor comfortable quarters. Certainly
tho road was not an inviting prospect,
there being quito lS inches Of snow, but
was determined to start one way or
the other, either south with the party
or north alone After long argument
they, thinking they had me at thor
mercy, refused to hitch mp the cattle to
mako the attempt. delivered speoch
TO my luoky.unlucly l8, telling them
in tho best way could that was 60
ing in order TO deliver them all over to
tho vengeance Of the military chief Of
tho district; that l should accuse them
rs robbers and thieves and that they
might look for anguish that would
wiring their hearts and souls.
They were greatly moved, and, pull.
ing out my watch, informed them by
pantomime and bad Spanish that il they
got tho teams IN harness and tho lug
gage all packed ON tho carts in 90 min
utos would take them into my favor
and resume our journey southwark
spaniards are proyorbially slow. But
these Spaniards We're not slow this time,
and n very fow minutes saw us all once
more mounted ON our cart, with the two
baggage carts following, and on our
ss,s.lr.s s,.a,. a.,,tt,,s.,.l