Martin and the children and Al Faizi went out a good deal to see all the strange, new sights of the Spanish capitol.
But I took considerable comfort a-settin’ still in as comfortable a chair as I could find, a-lookin’ down on the Spaniards and their kinder queer-lookin’ housen, and the strange costooms and ways of another country—
The tall, hauty-lookin’ Dons a-walkin’ along as if the ground wuzn’t quite good enough for ’em to walk on, and the dark-eyed wimmen, and the children, and the beggars, and the splendid carriages, some on ’em drawed by six horses apiece, and their harnesses all glitterin’ with gold, and the humbler vehicles drawed by mules, and these mules trimmed off beautiful, too, and, etc., etc., etc.
Wall, it wuz on the third day after we arrov in Madrid, and I wuz a-walkin’ in the Public Garden with little Adrian and my Josiah, when, on turnin’ the corner of a leafy avenue, who should I see, right face to face a-comin’ towards me, but my intimate friend, Ulaley.
I wuz tickled most to death. It is always happifyin’ in a strange and foreign country to meet anybody you’re intimate with, and when that friend is a Infanty, and one you’ve advised and neighbored with, your happiness is still greater.
She knowed me to once—a happy smile curved her pretty lips.
I advanced and held out my hand, my Josiah and Adrian a-bringin’ up my rear. She knowed me to once—a happy smile curved her pretty lips, and sez she—
“Madam, I’m pleased to meet you. I remember seein’ you in your own country.”
“Yes,” sez I, “we met in Chicago, Ill., and had a first-rate visit there.” Sez I, “How have you been ever sence I see you, and how is all your folks? How is Antonio?” Sez I, “Did he git through the winter all right? Sickness and the grip has been round lots, and if it has spared our two pardners we ort to be thankful. And that makes me think,” sez I, “let me introduce my pardner, Josiah Allen.