The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1896-02-06

ssnu - UOu mluuU0S 00r regular DT0dGQ-
ing told me she was in the land of
Dreams
Inc Pyrenees, in dividing France
and Spain, stand between two distinct
peoples, and as the centuries go by the
streams of national life meet, but only
to repel each other, never to mingle. In
1879 and 1878 the CarIists held the
mountain, and more or less fusillading
was going on. The possibility Of my
way being blocked by the Carlists never
entered into my calculations
Our train crossed the bridge over the
Bidassoa, and we were on Spanish soil.
Soon we entered the gorges Of the Pyr-
enees, and while specializing whether
I should awaken my wife to see the
magnificent scenery all necessity for
awakening any one on that train was
over. Three Or four musket shots rang
out; our train was off the rail and after
a crash or two came to a sudden stop,
and then a babel arose, while the train
was surrounded by armed men. It was
laughable. It seemed like opera bouffe,
the real thing, this motley array Of
brigands all trying to maintain under
difficulties the grave Spanish exterior.
One monkey Of is Or 10 years, armed,
came to our compartment, and pointing
to my chain said he wanted it and my
watch. None of us understood Spanish,
but we all comprehended his meaning
readily. I refused to make him a gift
and oct rid of bi,,, ooci1v
We were all ordered to alight, and
our captors seemed inclined to be ugly.
Myself and party were about the only
we'll dressed people on the train, and
seeing priest close by went up to
him, and ascertaining he could speak
French I began in very bad French in
deed to threaten with very dire conse-
quences Don Carlos and every band Of
Carlists who dared to annoy an English
duke and duchess and demanded in
slant shelter and guard for my wife,
the duchess. We could hardly keep from
laughing, it was so very like melo-
drama. My wife thoroughly enjoyed
the situation, and I should have done so,
too, had I not had such strong reasons
for quick passage through Spain to blue
water on the south, for I desired to put
some leagues Of Neptune's domain be-
tween myself and the old world.
The priest. although sallow, somber
fellow, was very good one and seemed
to realize the gravity of the situation,
for calling the chief to him he warned
him to be careful That gentleman
came up, and drawing himself up said
very proudly, "Sir, we are soldiers, not
robbers I said I was very glad to
know it and demanded to be informed
if was a prisoner or not and was told
I was not, but with the same breath he
said he would be obliged to detain us
for few d~ys There was a fonda, OF
inn, close oy, and leaving my wife
there finally managed by liberal use
of money to secure an OK cart, and by
| virtue of great generalship on the part
Of myself and servant got all our bag
gage out Of the wrecked train and safe
] ~ up to the inn.
Spaniards are provokingly slow, bu
|
succeeded in seeing the local command
er of the Carlist forces, and he promised
to send me the next day pass through
the lines going either south Or north.
got him also to include in the pass N.
fellow passengers. I did this becaus
there was Portuguese family who ha'
tickets for South America. They wer
then on their way to embark at Lisbon
and the old gentleman, the head of TIL
family, was very weak and i'll.
My safe plan would have been to re
turn to France, make my way to Bres
and embark from there to New York
and that would have been my cours
had any conception Of the slowness Q
the Spanish officials and Of the ferc
storms and SHOWS that dominate tn
passes of the Pyrenees in winter.
We were informed by many officials
railway guards, custom house officers
Carlists, ETC., that by crossing 80 mile
south we would pass the lines and &c
to little town on the railway wher
trains left frequently for Madrid. Th
Spaniards about the place would neve
have let US start out on that perilou
trip had it not been for the money ther
was in it, had secured at round pric
three century old bullock carts, and i
the afternoon Of the second day we &C
off. had all the women and the sic
Portuguese in one cart, with the two ott
er carts ahead heaped with luggage
Thus there were eight bullocks, fou
mules and (unlucky number) Is me
engaged.
had very misty notions as to our de-
tination, but took it for granted til
bakers dozen of natives had with m
knew what they were about. Snow wa
everywhere, and we were mounting vi
up, up, on wheels, but supposed th
highest altitude was only four or fiv
miles away, and that the down grad
would be easy until we reached som
snug inn where we would find shelte
for man and beast Then an early stal
by daylight and our novel jaunt woul
come to an end in civilization and