El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-08-29

great country 5eat 1or hunting and
fishing.
But when he arose in the morning
his servant, his Two mules, his port
manteau and Dona Mencia's pretended
relatives had vanished. The ruby
ring was a cheat.
Fortunately he fell in with a boy
hood friend. FabriciO. at Valladolid
and by his advice became a servant
to clergyman. the canon Sedillo. At
whose house he led an easy life The
canon soon died, leaving him his
worthless library. and the good for
tune Of becoming assistant TO his
physician, the famous DIT. SangrsAdO.
Under him Gil Bias became partic-
ularly proficient in his method of
practice. which consisted Of nothing
but blood-letting and t'drenchings OF
water He declared that he made as
many widows and orphans as the
siege Of Troy. one Of his victims was
the betrothed Of a giant Biscayau,
who threatened him with dire ven
Seance, and he fed TO Madrid. where
he became valet 10 a mysterious and
wealthy Don Bernardo. his only duty
and 10 tend door. But he happened
70 fall in with Roiando. captain of
the brlgaDdss and Don Bernado see
ing MIN in such suspicious company,
dismissed him with six ducats.
Prom one reason or another he kept
changing employers; he served now a
dissipated hidalgo, then an intriguing
actress, then an aged libertine whose
daughter, IN gratitude for aiding her
to win back her recreant lover, Don
Luis Pacheco. gave him a hundred
pistoles. and. on her fathers death.
got him a place with still another
aged roue, Don Gonzales, whose
dressing operations, when he arose at
noon, reminded him OF the resurrec-
ton Of Lazarus
Here again he acted as interme-
diary in a love affair. but when ne
told his infatuated employer that he
was being duped, he was turned off
though given a recommendation 20
the Marquesa de Chaves, reputed the
cleverest woman in Madrid, because
she was as solemn as an owl and
rarely spoke Her salon, called the
Fashionable Institution for Litera-
ttre, Taste and Science" was the re-
sort for the wits and notables OF
Madrid
Here again he had easy work, but
getting into trouble about a girl. was
compelled TO leave the city. On his
way 20 Toledo he rescued a young
nobleman. named Don Alfonso. FROM
arrest They became friends and at
ter Don Alfonso reached his home, he
and his father became Gil Bias pa
irons, placing MIN asN secretary 10
their relative, the archbishop OF
Granada. who was Unfortunately vain
and as broad as he was long.
Gil Bias praised his sermons and
was regarded as 4 young man Of ex-
cellent Judgment until after the pre-
late'S mind was affected by apOplexy
and his homilies became discordaut
rawlings Gil Bias Obeyed the arch
j Haama
1eu short in his preaching and was
ignominiously packed off. Reduced To
extremites once more. he posed as
the brother to a disreputable actress
and thus secured the position Of sec
retaHy 10 a Portuguese grandee. Nthe
Marques de AIarialva- The trick was
discovered. He returned TO Madrid III
and after many amusing and not al
ways creditable adventures. was ap-
pointed under secretary 70 the duke
OF Lerma, prime minister to the king
His duties may be gagged by his com
nenL one makes merit Of any dirty
work in the service Of the great"
His experiences with the upper and
the lower world. with actors. poets.
libertines. physicians. bandits. adven-
lures. and hidalEos and their servants.
had sharpened his wits. and mis- ma
tive ability and smattering of educa-
ton gave him growing influence. He
was courted. flattered and bribed. his
eonceit and avarice became colossal.
He declared that "a court had all
the soporific virtues Of Eethe i'm the
Ease. Of poor relations" and confessed ;
hat every trace Of his former gay
and generous temper had disap- I
Deared"
Pride came before o fall Having
been employed to procure a question I
able mistress for the Heir-apparent. I
he was arrested by the kings orders !
md thrown into the dungeon Of Sego- I
via The prince interviewed. but he 4
vas exiled from the two CASTLES. All 4
his property was seized and his mer- I
;enary engagement TO q wealthy Jew I
iler's daughter was broken.
Then>his friend Don Alfonso, whom /
le had got appointed as governor Of I
Talencia. presented him with a small Z
state near that city
On his way thither he stopped at 4
lis birthplace and found his uncle I
mental wreck and his mother worn 7
ut in caring Of his dying father. He 4
gave his father a pompous funeral. I
md settled an annuity on his mother 4
Ut the tOWnspeOple were so indig- 4
lant with him for his neglect Of his I
'amily that they threatened 10 mob .
lin.
Glad to escape with his life. he I
cached Valencia where he was res
.eived at his new home by seven or I
light servants provided by Don Al I
onso. He got rid of most Of them
nd lived frugally. marrying Antonio,
laughter Of his farmer. Don Basilio
But his idyllic happiness ended with
1. deaf 7 OF his wife in Childbirth