Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1895-11-14
1 40 - mistv notions as to our D.

come to an end in civilization and
railway. But did not know Spaniards,
their country, the Pyrenees, or what
billiards can blow in sunny Spain.
Myself and my servant Num- trudged
on alongside the cart with the women.
1t took an hour TO get out of sight of the
fonda, and then we struck a fine, wide
military road that wound in and around
the mountains, but always MP and deep
in snow. Three, four O'Clock came, and
still no sign of the summit, but with the
road winding in and out for miles
ahead. The sky began to darken, and
without warning down came the snow.
Then frequent halts of the caravan We're
taken to rest the cattle.
Deeper grew the snow, and as the
darkness began TO settle down realized
the responsibility 1 had unwittingly
taken on my shoulders. l had four deli
cate women and very sick man under
my charge, and we stuck fast i'll the
midst of a suowsrorm. l recognized one
blessing, however, and was profoundly
grateful-the air was calm-and though
the snow fell thick and fast it was NOT
driven by a storm.
Num- proved to be thoroughly reha-
BILE, helpful and full of cheer. Between
Us we kept up the spirits of the party.
But all hands began to grow hungry
Fortunately had in my baggage large
pate de foie gras-that is, a fat goose
liver pie-and it was fat, happily so, as
it went further Then 1 got rugs and
wraps out Of my trunks for the women
Z .,,.,1
administered liberal doses all round. /
soon had them happy and full of cour-
age It was certainly better to have them
full of Dutch courage in u FOOLS para
disc than to have them awake to their
position, for l quite expected it would
end in a night camp out in the snow and
sending an empty cart for supplies.
Two hours after dark we came TO dead
halt, and my guides-they We're beauties
said they could go no farther; the
oxen could not pull the carts. There
was fonda, they said, two miles away,
but did not show any disposition to help
to get there, and for that matter did not
seem to care whether we did or not. |
ordered them to leave the middle cart
behind and divide the teams, one team
to be added to the front cart and one to
be hitched in front Of the mules. Our
interpreter was one Of the Portuguese
women, but we did not get on very
well, the Spaniards objecting TO any
thing being done, all Of them apparent
" waiting for the Virgin or some of the
saints to come to our aid.
Num- and / were exasperated and
finally took the matter in our own
hands. By my orders, despite the ener
getic protests of the driver, he unhitched
the oxen from the middle team, and be-
tween us we got them to the mule cart,
hitched them in front of the mules and
pulled out and past the other carts.
Here the Spaniards halted US, and after
an angry alteration in the dark, and it
was dark, they agreed to go on. So,
taking a yoke of oxen from our cart,
they were put in front of the four of the
first cart, and off we started
Num- volunteered to stand by and
guard the stranded cart, so giving him
two blankets and a little brandy we
drove off in the darkness, but not until
in sight of all 1 had given him re-
volver and each of the unlucky 13 a
good nip of brandy. My anxiety about
serious results was over as soon as we
started, and in / p hours we halted in
front of wretched inn, patronized by
muleteers, with the first story for a
stable, but lone of Us was disposed to
be particular. A supper of Spanish
beans was soon ready, and then a bed
was made up on the floor, and the wom
en- were soon asleep. After seeing that
| the mules and oxen We're fed l took half
an hours nap. Then, with two drivers,
we started back, taking three yoke of
oxen. What a tramp had back through
| the snow and storm l was very happy,
| however, for / knew my wife and party
were safely sheltered, and the excite
ment of action kept me from being
| gloomy.
In due time we found our stray,
hitched to and started, but it was hard
| pulling, and the exhausted oxen had to
come to frequent halts. At last just as
/ was beginning to feel tired, we came
| to the fonda.
The snow had slackened, but the wind
was beginning to blow, so Num- and l
carried all the luggage and traps into a
corner of the stable below, and tumblmg
| down into the hay we were soon III the
| land of dreams. In my dreams l was on
| a shoreless sea in a bark tGat silently
/ and swiftly circled arOun, Dark clouds
| closed in, the horizon drawing i'll ON all
sides, while my boat sailed III an ever
| narrowing circle, the clouds still closing
| in, until giant hand grew out from a
ragged edge of the cloud wall which,
seizing the PROV of my boat, pulled 1t
| into the gloom and darkness. felt the
| clouds brushing my cheek. | heard the
| roar of falling water and felt that 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 a glow of rosy light, and
| within the aureole was her face, full of
sorrow, looking at me with pity III ev-
cry feature. As looked her face was
slowly eclipsed by cloud. Then with
one 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 a time during
| many years. And, try as l might, felt
it to be portent and prophecy.
When awoke in the 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 latitudes for week.
This was pleasant news for me, and the
| prospect made me nervous. 1t was now
Thursday, the fourth day since our de-
parture from Paris. And what might
not have happened III London in that
| time Here was / as completely lsolat-
ed from the outside world and from all
news about my companions in England
as if on desert isle. For all knew
discovery might have been made and
full details of the fraud might be blaZ-
ing in the press of Europe l began to
fear / had run into trap. To make
matters worse, the steamer Ell Rey Fe-
lipe was advertised to sail Monday from
| Cadiz, and to miss her seemed danger
GUS indeed.
was a prisoner in wretched Inn III
detile of the Pyrenees, with civil
war raging and no telling what might
arise to detain US. Our objective point
was only some 35 miles away, but with
roads deep in snow, with wretched cat