him in, when he would creep guiltily under my bed and sleep happy and contented until morning. The Captain was wounded at this display of affection for a stranger; and although he was too polite a man to mention the matter to me, his vows of vengeance on poor Punch for his derelictions were frightful. He had been, when at sea, seized off Tangier, and sold into slavery once himself; and I could gather from hints he let drop that he often meditated inflicting some such punishment on the traitor terrier; discovering some cruel and piratical dog-merchant, and consigning the unhappy Punch to all the horrors of servitude and starvation.

The ostensible object of Captain Alicant's daily visits to the Hominy House was the purchase of a certain piece of land which the General was very anxious to dispose of, and on the verge of which purpose the Captain had hovered for the last ten years. Every day the General, in a magnificently indifferent manner, brought the matter up, and every day the Captain graciously entertained the scheme and indicated a final answer on the morrow. Then followed a scheme for a villa to be built-for Alicant was rich, and old Dubbley was in consequence deferential to him-improvements to be made, drains to be cut, vistas to be opened, shrubs to be planted: all of which visionary schemes were gravely discussed and the pair parted. One satisfied that the land was as good as sold, and the other that he had bought it.

There was one other subject on which the Captain invariably entered - always abusing himself for his weakness while he did so, but dwelling upon it in so fond and prolonged a manner that I could see his heart was in it.

Captain Alicant had an only son, who, at the age of nineteen, had committed a grave error; and, to avoid facing the ill-nature and scandalmongering of that wretched village, he ran away from home, and had never been heard from since. I had never seen him, but report described him as a tall, rosy-cheeked, lithe-limbed young fellow, full of spirits and good-nature, and a general favorite with all the girls of the neighborhood. After he had slipped up, a number of persons were to be found who had always thought that there was something bad in his eye. His mouth and its expression were discovered to be indicative of criminality; and what had long passed for a fresh, attractive joyousness of manner, was now proven to be the first symptoms of the showy recklessness of bearing which invariably accompanies abandoned criminality.

To all appearance, Arthur Alicant had no. more deadly enemy than his father. The old gentleman was furious that his honest name, preserved as it had been by the salt of every sea on the globe, should be given as a sport to the world.

"The scoundrel!" he would say, savagely, when talking about it at the Hominy House, "I hope he's dead. As long as he lives I'm not safe. He'll turn up in some place or other as a thief or a murderer, and then we'll have an Ali

cant hung. That will be a pretty morsel for the papers, won't it? The son of Captain Alicant, with a full genealogy of the family, and the victim's dying speech, in which he alludes to his father-curse him!"

"There was no excuse for him, Captainnone whatever," solemnly exclaims General Dubbley, the brute, who would have burned his mother alive, I verily believe, to serve his own interests. "If a young man can't see his own interests, why, let him go-that's what I say. Honesty is the best policy, Captain, in the longrun; and you remember what I say."

And the General concluded with a puff, as if an abscess of original thought had just then burst in his brain, and he felt all the better for having it off of his mind.

"Give me another glass of that apple-jack, General," continues old Alicant, oblivious of the other's obsequious morality, "and don't put much water in it. I can't think what spell that villain can have thrown over Rose that she thinks so much of him. She always defends him. In my very teeth, Sir! She says that his fault was only a piece of youthful folly; that I ought to search for him, and bring him back. What do you think of that, Dubbley ?" "Miss Rose is a foolish young girl, Captain. She don't know what she's after.'

"She's not foolish, Sir!" cries the Captain, instantly firing up. "She's one of the cleverest girls, Sir, that I ever cast eyes on. There's not her match in the parish, Sir. But," he continues, moderating his tone, for he occasionally perceives his inconsistencies, "she's in love with him, General. That's it. There's no accounting for women. But I'd rather see her dead and buried than married to such a scamp as that."

"He mayn't be alive, Captain. You ha'n't heard from him for four years," says the old heartless humbug, who is so blind as not to know that a father's heart is never dead to hope.

"That's true, Dubbley, that's true," answers Alicant, in a queer throaty kind of voice. “He's dead mayhap. Well, with all his faults he was a handsome fellow, wasn't he, Dubbley? Damn that dog! where is he? Punch, here, Punch! I'll hang him when I catch him; if I don't may I be - Dubbley, give me another glass of that apple-jack; and mind, don't put much water in it."

The Captain drinks his toddy in a stormy manner; but I, who am standing close to him, can swear that I see tears falling into the tumbler.

The following winter I had occasion to go to Hopskotch on business. It was one of the hardest seasons that we had had for many years. All landmarks were blotted out. Little more could be seen of the smaller farm-houses than their chimneys. Boys and girls rode in their rough sleighs across country, merrily dashing over the buried fences and fields. Apple-trees in the orchards were just able to thrust a few bare struggling top branches over the great white

public business.

And

the man to brook this sort of thing long. when he fought M. Turgot, his object was probably as much to right himself generally with so

love, as to resent the particular insult which brought about the issue. I do not state the above to be positively the case, but it is the surmise of a keen observer of the circumstances at the time.

One afternoon I drove with him over the Toledo Bridge to the ground of his famous duel with M. Turgot, the particulars of which he explained to me upon the spot. A perfect reconciliation never took place between the combatants. It will be recollected that M. Turgot was severely wounded in the thigh, and rendered a cripple for life. For a long time he was confined to his bed, and when I saw him he moved about painfully on crutches. Many months after the occurrence Mr. Soulé had occasion to call upon Señor Luzuriaga, the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The Minister happened to be occupied at the moment, and Mr. Soulé was conducted to the ante-chamber to wait until he should be disengaged. There he found, in solitary possession, his old adversary, M. Turgot, whom he had not met since they left the battle-field. No recognition took place between them, and the meeting must have been awkward and embarrassing to both parties.

A very intelligent American gentleman, who has resided a number of years in Madrid, explained to me his theory of the origin of the difficulty, which struck me as extremely plausible. It was as follows: That considerable unpopularity had preceded Mr. Soulé to Spain in consequence of his supposed views in reference to the island of Cuba. That he came there a Frenchman of humble birth, who had left his country at an early age on account of his extreme political opinions, to represent a republic of which he had become an adopted citizen. That he found there, as embassador from Imperial France, a nobleman of ancient lineage, whose family had for centuries been identified with the elder Bourbons, and who had himself but recently left the legitimist ranks. The result was what perhaps might have been naturally expected. From the moment that they came together M. Turgot exhibited a prejudice which he seemed to be unable to control or conceal. If Mr. Soulé had been an American instead of a Frenchman, this prejudice would probably not have existed at all, or if it had it would have been very much less decided. As it was, it manifested itself in a continuous series of petty slights, each too insignificant to be formally taken notice of, but in the aggregate galling in the extreme. Nor did the annoyance stop here. Others took their cue from the embassador of France, so that the American Minister's social position soon became a very uncomfortable one. Mr. Soulé was not

Some ten days after my arrival Mr. Soulé had occasion to request an audience of the Queen for the purpose of presenting an autograph letter from the President of the United States condoling with her Majesty upon the loss of some relative. He was good enough to say that he desired me to accompany him upon the occasion. I objected that I had no uniform, which I presumed to be an insuperable difficulty in the way of my admission to the royal presence. But he assured me that I need not concern myself on that account; that he would undertake to overcome all such impediments.

It happened that some time intervened before an official note of reply fixing an appointment came from the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The excuse was, that the Queen had been indisposed for some days. On calling at Mr. Soulé's residence one morning he informed me that he was to go to the Palace that evening at seven o'clock, and notified me to be in readiness half an hour previously. I accordingly returned to my hotel, and at the proper hour equipped myself in evening costume, white cravat and black gloves, the Court being still in mourning. Mr. Soulé had an engagement to dine that evening with Lord Howden, the British Embassador. He wrote a note of excuse, stating that he had received her Majesty's commands to present himself at the Palace. His lordship replied that he should not excuse him, but wait dinner until midnight if he did not come sooner.

At a quarter before seven o'clock we entered the carriage and drove to the Palace, which, as is generally known, is situated at one extremity of the city, and directly over the Manzanares. Mr. Soulé wore the costume which has been so frequently described, and which became him exceedingly well. The Madrid palace is a very elegant structure, but only one-eighth of the size of the plan originally projected. I have seen most of the royal residences of Europe, and I do not think that any of them contain a finer apartment than the throne-room at Madrid.

As

On arriving at the Palace we entered a large vestibule paved with marble, flush with the carriage-way in front. Here we found an imposing array of military on guard-there seemed to be at least half a regiment. I never saw any thing like the numbers at any other Court. we passed them we uncovered, and they saluted us with a clang of their muskets, which might have been heard a quarter of a mile off. Turning to the right we commenced ascending, hat in hand, a noble staircase. When we reached the first landing a body of halberdiers stationed there rang their halberds upon the stone tiles

with deafening emphasis. Bowing slightly, we proceeded up the return flight. Here we found more halberdiers, who did precisely as their companions had done below. We then entered a door on the left hand, and found ourselves in a spacious ante-chamber filled with officials in uniform, but without side-arms, thereby indicating the inferiority of their rank. These personages bowed to us in the most deferential manner; but I could not avoid observing that my plain black coat was attracting attention, and I began to feel decidedly uncomfortable. Maintaining our dignity by rather haughty and condescending salutations, we moved on into another room, very like the previous one, except that it was crowded with officers of superior rank with side-arms. It was evident that matters were arranged upon the principle of a theatrical climax. Hence we emerged into the so-called "Embassador's Waiting Room," which far excelled in size all the apartments through which we had reached it. It is here that the corps diplomatique are summoned when a royal heir or heiress is expected to make its appearance. Tedious hours are sometimes spent there on such occasions. As soon as the baby is born it is brought in and exhibited to the assembled Ministers, who thereupon give their attestation to the birth with due formality.

We moved up slowly to the farther extremity of the room, and stationed ourselves to the right of a closed door. Opposite to us stood about a dozen of the highest grandees of Spain, headed by the diminutive Duke of Medina Celi, all in gorgeous array, blazing with stars and orders. They had just come from an audience with the Queen. A moment afterward the little nobleman above named crossed over with solemn deliberation, and facing Mr. Soulé, bowed to the very ground with a gravity I never saw equaled even on the stage. He then turned to me, and saluted me with considerable less formality. All the others in turn went through the same performance one at a time. I would have given any thing to be able to give vent to the laughter which was convulsing me internally. Presently there advanced toward us a brisk, fidgety personage with gray hairs. He proved to be the "Introducer of Embassadors," or, as he would be elsewhere called, the Chambellan. Tapping a gold snuff-box, he opened the lid and presented a pinch to my chief, behind whom I was standing at the distance of a step or two. "I am glad to see you well, Mr. Soulé," he commenced, presenting his hand. "Your audience is, I think, at seven o'clock, and I believe her Majesty is ready to receive you."

During these remarks his eyes kept wandering upon me and scanning me from head to foot.

"But, Mr. Soulé," he resumed with a little hesitation, "you assuredly do not expect this gentleman to accompany you."

"I beg your pardon, I certainly do," interrupted Mr. Soulé; "this gentleman is Secretary of Legation at Paris [I was so ad interim]; he has come to me with very important dis

patches, and for the present is attached to my Legation. There are very peculiar reasons why I am anxious that he should have the opportunity of seeing her Majesty."

"It is quite impossible, my dear Sir, quite impossible. There are two insuperable objections. In the first place, no audience has been requested for him; and, in the next place, he is not in uniform. It is only the other day that the French Embassador wished to present a gentleman connected with the diplomacy of his country who was in uniform, but for whom an audience had not been asked, and he was not allowed to do so."

"Nothing," answered Mr. Soule, "would be further from my wish than to intentionally violate the etiquette of Her Majesty's Court. This gentleman is only not in uniform because he left Paris in great haste and brought none with him. He returns there in a day or two. As I have already said, I have special motives for wishing him to see the Queen, and under the circumstances I must request you to take her Majesty's personal commands upon the subject."

There was no answering this, so the unfortunate Chambellan bowed with a rueful countenance, and went to refer the matter to the tribunal of last resort.

As soon as the door closed upon him Mr. Soulé took my arm, and he slowly paced up and down the room. "It is all right now," he whispered to me; "the Queen is the best-natured person in the world, and I am sure that she will not turn you away."

His prophecy proved correct, for presently the "Introducer of Embassadors" returned, and with an expression of face as if some dire misfortune had befallen the Spanish monarchy, said that Her Majesty consented to receive us both.

Thereupon he preceded us through a passageway to the open door of a moderately-sized drawing-room, upon the threshold of which he bowed profoundly and then backed himself out of sight. As we entered by this door Isabella II. entered by another door from the diagonal corner. The movement seemed to be a simultaneous one. I was a little behind Mr. Soulé on the right. The instant he perceived the Queen he bowed to the floor, and I followed suit. At the same moment down came Her Majesty in the way that school girls call making a cheese. One step with each foot, and the ceremony was repeated on both sides. And so on some six or seven times until we met at a marble table in the centre of the room. Mr. Soulé then, holding the President's letter in his hand, commenced in a low tone a very fluent and elegant little speech in French, at the conclusion of which he laid the letter upon the table. While this was going on, the Queen stood with her right hand resting upon the table with a look which indicated plainly that she considered such business a bore. I had an ample opportunity for taking mental notes of her appearance. Now if my impression was not a flattering one it was at least unprejudiced, and I must sacrifice gallantry to truth.