Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, December 1878Various
History
Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, December 1878
Various
Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; Science -- Periodicals
One day news arrived from Mexico that the "Indian" had died, leaving to
Teresa his palace at S---- and a large sum of money besides. Pedro was
now able to fulfil his dreams of travel, and started on his journey. He
first visits the Pass of Roncesvalles, and is nearly killed by the
indignant Frenchmen whom he asks about the defeat of Charlemagne and the
Twelve Peers. Pedro then proceeds to Bayonne, where he is so shocked by
the sight of young girls selling their hair to the highest bidder that
he determines to leave France, and we next find him in a Swiss chalet,
where he is disgusted by the lack of cleanliness. His feelings can be
imagined when he finds that the peasants have no popular traditions and
are not acquainted even with the name of William Tell. In despair, Pedro
directs his course to Germany, but finds no sylphs or sirens on the
banks of the Rhine, while maidens with blue eyes and golden hair are no
more abundant there than elsewhere. Greece next receives the wanderer,
who hears in Athens of railroads and consolidated funds: on Olympus he
finds a guano manufactory, and on Pindus a poet writing
fourteen-syllable endecasyllabics. He visits with a similar
disenchantment Constantinople, and then makes his way to England. There
poor Pedro is disgusted by the sordid, selfish spirit of the people. An
absurd scene at a village church fills him with horror. The bare walls
of the temple chill his heart, and after the service a domestic quarrel
between the curate and his jealous wife caps the climax and Pedro flees
to America. On landing in New York he is robbed of his watch: the thief
is arrested, but gives the watch to the magistrate, keeping the chain
for himself, and Pedro is condemned to pay the costs and the damages
suffered by the thief's character. On returning that evening from the
theatre he is garroted and robbed of all he has with him. The landlord
tells him that no one thinks of going out at night without a pair of
six-shooters, and adds that what happens in New York is nothing to what
goes on at Boston, Baltimore and New Orleans. The next day he reads an
editorial in the _New York Herald_ advising American merchants to
repudiate their foreign debts. He then determines to visit the different
States, and on passing through the South thanks God that slavery is
unknown in Europe. Railroad accidents, murders and political and social
corruption cause him to regard with profound horror the young republic,
which seems to him old in vice, and he starts for South America, the
Spanish part of which reminds him of a virgin overwhelmed with
misfortunes, but still full of youth and faith. In Vera Cruz, Pedro
visits the sepulchre of the "Indian" to whom he owes his fortune. A
letter from his mother is awaiting him there, and he bursts into tears,
and sails at once for his beloved home, which he reaches one beautiful
Sunday morning in May. His meeting with his mother takes place in the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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