I was a frequent visitor at the home of the Robinson family in
Arequipa, with whom I had now become well acquainted. It was strange
to my ears to hear them all talk English, for seldom had I heard my
own language spoken by women. The old lady was one of those quiet,
sweet, motherly women. Once introduced to her, it seemed one had
always known her. The whole family was the happiest and most cheerful
I had ever met. Hattie Judson became school teacher to the English and
American children in Arequipa, and her gentle ways soon won the hearts
of all. I enjoyed taking her to the theatre and other places of
amusement, because of her bright conversation and high ideals. From
her I began to catch a glimpse of the nobler things of life, things
that to me, being but poorly educated and in a foreign land, had been
denied. She was a sweet singer and an excellent performer on the
piano, and somehow when she sang I was able to understand the
soul-reaching depths of the melody.
There was company at the house one night, when I heard her sing for
the first time "Coming Thro' the Rye." My soul floated back to Bonnie
Scotland, as when a boy I saw the waving fields of grain, the cows in
the barnyard, and the lassies coming down the path from school; my
mother with the willow basket, bringing in the clothes from the line,
and father smoking his pipe by the well--scenes that nevermore would
return.
In our walks in the shaded dells of the mountains, she often told me
of the United States, the habits and customs of the people--how
ambitions and aspirations were rewarded when accompanied by virtue and
industry. Of the history of Peru she knew far more than I. It was
interesting to hear from her lips the strange stories of the
conquering Pizzaro hosts, whose mailed heels had once trod the ground
we walked, and clanked the knell of a fallen empire.
My school had been the school of adversity. I had grown up with men
who knew or cared little for the finer sensibilities. I felt that her
standards of life were superior to mine. Her loyalty to God and holy
charity toward the humblest soul, bent my spirit to profound respect.
She was one who could see all there was of good in mankind and could
measure the product of one's powers and give them impulse and
direction. In my soul I bowed to the fair graces of her character.
Each day we met I found in her some new wealth of noble thoughts that
created higher ideals in my own untutored mind.
As time went on, fiercer rose the maddening cries of war. I felt the
hot blood surge in my veins and I longed to be at the front, amid the
roar of cannon and the clash of arms.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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