d-world corner-Desecrated church-Gothic cloisters-Ghosts of the past-Visions of to-day-Soldiers interested-"Happy as kings"-Lingerings-Colonel seeks explanation-No lover of ant

This morning on opening our window clouds hung low and threatening; yet the grey tone over al

hough she had taken to heart all the proverbs of Solomon. A short, dark woman of the true Spanish type, bright, active, and not above all manne

husband appeared upon the scene; evidently a lord of creation who looked upon women, and especially wives, as born to labour. I

to bring them almost within half-a-dozen yards of us. "I have been up these two hours, whilst you were serene

t that without your aid life would go hardly with me. But to you wo

TSIDE THE WAL

ly out of the shop. The prettiest of small feet tripped on to the pavement. She look

sel, we get terribly imposed upon by our masters. Now I go to church to pray for a blessing upon my work and reformation to m

a court-curtsey, flourished a farewell to her caro sposo, and passed swiftly and gracefully down the

to come. Remembering the proverb we took umbrellas. H. C. shouldered his and put on his military manner. The town indeed, quiet a

massive, more picturesque even than last night. Standing on the bridge we looked down upon the dry bed of the river far below. The altars of the chestn

nd black with weather and age. All the windows seemed to have been taken out, resulting in that curious air of unglazed wreck and ruin so often seen in warm latitudes. Countless balconies adorned with flowers and coloured draperies hung over the water. Above all rose the outlines of the cathedral and other c

T IN

hfare were more ancient and massive arcades, hardly noticed last night in the restl

s bridge is something to dream about. Yet one longs for sunshine and lights an

es with gabled ends, tiled roofs and windows ornamented with magnificent wrought ironwork; the true tone of antiquity over all-as yet unspoilt. Gerona, in

a pilgrimage of rough, uneven, picturesque steps. From these, narrow openings lead into

there craned their long necks like gargoyles of some ancient cathedral. Reaching the church and turning to the right down a narrow passage between high dead walls we found ourselves in an excited scene: no less than the building given up to the rites of conscription. The spot and its surroundings was one of the most picturesque in Gerona. A long, broad flight of steps led up to an ancient church now desecrated and turned into b

front. But we were not to pass unchallenged. An inner sentry came up and asked our business. Hearing that we wished to see the cloisters, he beckoned to a further

supported by single pillars with carved capitals, the arches, wider and more open than the pointed arches beneath them, presenting a fine contrast. A deep archway reached by some half-dozen steps led through the

ave the vanities and temptations of life outside the walls of their cells, only to find that in this state of probation conflict can never cease. So confessions were made and penances exacted, and soft footsteps and pale

All the ancient serenity and repose had departed and the beauty of outline alone rema

ILITARY CLOIS

reflected in the calm water; and perhaps as they drew it to the surface there came a vision of another well in a far-off land and a certain woman of Samaria. No such vision troubled the five or six closely-cropped soldiers, whose reflect

by the small camera, interested at finding themselves reflected on the object glass, unhappy that we could not t

for more carelessly contented faces were

es and lodging are found us and we never have any fighting to do. We sho

understand how any one bestowed a second glance on these old outlines. Were we trying to worm military secrets out of the men with the intention of starting another Peninsular war? The worthy colonel who had so freely given us permi

d, "and would infinitely rather see them filled with brave

of things-a time and

el, clanking his sword and looking fierce as a fire-eater. "And who knows? As far as I am a prophet we are

of the west front of what had been the church. The colonel caugh

CLOISTERS

. See," pointing to the crowd below, "we must have room for our recruits. Poor Spain is not England. Our resources are limited. Yet you, sirs, mon

wide doorway greedy to swallow up the youth of the country. Young men disappeared within to the human lottery with anxious faces or reckle

hope deferred, to whom the very shadow of war was a nightmare; fathers wondering if the boy who had now become companion and part bread-winner, was about to be thrown into the whirl of barrack life wi

ove the people-"what brings you here to-day? Surely you have mad

m. He knows good from evil and has strong principles. I gave him my blessing and please Heaven he will return when the years are over. But my heart aches for these poor women who are weak when their emotions are in q

is no training like it. It makes men of boys if they ha

FOR THE

his mother-the resemblance was at once evident; his thread-bare clothes proving him scantily endowed with worldly goods. As he advanced a serious expression and hesitating manner betrayed his fate. No need to ask the question, and with a cry th

his boy was her last hope. No doubt she feels that fate is hard upon her. Pedro," to the old man who looked on compassionately, "tell her it will all come right in the end. Stay; quietly whisper to her to

ly one colonel in the world, and he stood before

lines," said the colonel. "I never saw a building that I did not tire of in a week, but

d not conceal the kindliness. One wished him a finer body of men than these recruits, too many of whom we

movement and expression of this pathetic little crowd. "So far your resources are wider than mine, for when on the subject of old buildings you are as absorbed as in front of this little drama. My interests are more restricted.

aid-still possessed so warm a heart, so much of human faith. No doubt he had shown a little of his true self on the spur of the moment, influenced by the above incidents. All his k