Norwich bulletin., 1918-06-27

even willing to abet mild errancies. It was from the host of the Hotel Europe that this was learned. Llivia's existence had just become known.
 If it is difficult to go to Llivia, you understand said he It is Spanish village, true. but it is inside French territory. and the French do not like strangers to go there. It is true that one goes there by a neutral road.
 The situation seemed difficult, but Catalan kindness conquered it. If the host of the Hotel Europe seems singled out, 1t is only because he is typical of all other Catalans with whom I came in contact. l was travelling without other visible luggage than a camera , Ny pockets bulged disreputably with
 'arieus necessities of life. I entered his hosteiry filmed with dust after eight hours in mule cart, and yet he went to infinite pains to aid me. With that fatuity that sometimes comes upon one, I tried to tip him. This is a public apology. It was he who solved the problem of getting to Llivia.
 I shall see the chief of police said he. These worthies contriyed d plot against the laws of two countries. The chief wrote out a paper which. upon translation, seemed to be an assefyation in Catalan that I had long been favorably known to him as a resident of Puigcerda The host of 1 the Hotel Europe enlisted the carrier 1 ln the stratagem and drilled him in the story he was to tell. I was to say no word, for my pitiful incapacity 1T, all tongues known in the Pyrennes would have betrayed me at once. tTha Nria .a-. essary if the soldiers stop YOU said l the hotel keeper. At the worst. you will only be inconvenienced for a few days
 The chances of arrest seemed ex- eellent. but they also seemed worth taking; for there is but one Lllyia. Away back in the seventeenth cen tury Spain paid for an unwise war with France by ceding 33 villages and 1 the territory surrounding them to the stronger power. But after the Treaty l of the Pyrenees was signed. Spain rueo pack on part of the bargain
 She yielded the 33 villages, as agreed on, put exempted Llivia on the plea
 that II was a town and not village ] So for 256 years LNvia has re-
 mained a Spanis town inside the
 French frontier It is Spanish ir
 verything but location The Spanish
 mails go there, and Spanish taxes
 are occasionally collected there an6 l spanish money is taken, and there i, a post of the Guarda Civile upon tht public square. As one iolts down tht
 neutral road toward Llivia in tht
 carriers cart. one could toss his ha on either side into France. The wate, | that runs in the irrigating ditches a
 the .l,, sides runs in French territory. l The principal trade of Llivia ac
 cording to the guide-books, 'is in ar ticles of contraband.'
 At Llivla the stranger suffers iron the unjust suspicion that he Is al
 oniyer of the law. Elsewhere in Cat
 alonia the people are friendly and o
 an American self-respect. The 10
 who brought the morning coffee a
 Sec dUrgel shook hands affections tel,
 when We parted. The carter of P!u
 geerda Cheerfully periured hinsel
 when the French soldier abandone
 his midday drowse beneath @ tree an
 came to look at us. The carter sal
 we were friends, and later took tn franc with which this divaSation wa rewarded rather under protest. H was understood to say that any on would do as much for a con1radt Everywhere one encounters the mos open-hearted and open handed kind
 ness. But at Mivia one is watche l suHenly. Too often, perhaps, snug Il gling condolences have been betrayed.