Page:The Homes of the New World- Vol. III.djvu/215

Rh discomfort, though by only one individual additional presence; and I was at the same time filled with admiration of the amiable old lady who, though herself very unwell, yet endeavoured to shelter under her parasol as many of the young ones as she could from the heat, and to save my legs by theirs. The youngest Bambino screamed the whole half of the way. At length wearied out, and in a very deplorable condition, we reached the Caffatal.

But we recovered ourselves. And in the evening we sat out on the beautiful piazza, and saw the brilliant cuculios floating through the air, and listened to Spanish seguidillas, which Alfredo S., who is romantically handsome, sang to the guitar with a beautiful voice, and the utmost feeling and expression, so that it did one's soul good to hear him. How different is the same song when sung with or without soul! These Spanish seguidillas, the peculiar national songs of Spain, have also its peculiar national spirit which breathes from them with indescribable freshness and nature. One recognises in them the inspiration of a youthful primeval life. They have this in common with our popular songs, however different they may be from them in temperament and character. Our melodies are deeper and richer, but there is more sunshine in theirs and a more joyous and a warmer life.

&emsp; Again I bless God that he enables me in Madame C., the proprietor of this plantation, to be acquainted with and to love one of those beautiful maternal women, who are a blessing in all the countries of the world, and who are able, at least for a moment, to remove even from slavery its oppressive fetters, and to allow the slaves to forget them.

This was very soon evident to me from the apparent joy of the negro people in her return to the plantation, and from the beaming countenances which met her and