Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1839-12-10
THE INTERESTING HISTORY OF
DON GILMAN
F. B. DRAKE, EDITOR

myself, and the remainder Is established
on basis as strong as human evidence
can make it.
"In the city Eof Seville, where | lived
many years, Iknew a wealthy merchant,
far advanced in years, who was known
by the name of Guzman the Rich. He
was of obscure birth, and those who hon.
ored his wealth sufficiently to borrow
from him frequently, never honored his
name so far as to prefix Don to it, or to
add his surname, Of which, indeed, most
were ignorant, and among the number it
IS said, the wealthy merchant himself. He
was well respected, however; aud when
Guzman was seen, as regularly as the
bell tolled for vcspers, 10 issue from the
narrow door Of the house, lock it carefully,
view it twice or thrice with wistful eye,
then deposit the key in his bosom, and
move slowly to church, feeling for the key
in his vest the whole way, the proudest
heads in Seville were uncovered as he
passed, and the children who were playing
in the streets, desisted from their sports
I'LL he had halted by them.
/
relative or friend. An old female do.
nestle constituted his whole household,
and his personal expenses were calculated
on a scale Of the most pinching frugaity (;
it was matter therefore, of anxious con.
lecture to many how his enormous wealth
would be bestowed after his death. This
anxiety gave rise TO enquiries about the
possibility of Guzman having relatives,
thoughin remoteness and obscurity the
diligence ofenquiry, when stimulated at
once by avericc and curiosity, is indefati-
gable. Thus it was at length discovered
that Guzman had formerly sister, many
years younger than himself, who at We
ry early age, had married German mu-
stefan, and had shortly after quilted Spain.
1t was remembered, or reported, that she
had made many efforts to soften the heart
and open the hand of her brother, who
was even then very wealthy, TO induce
him to be reconciled to their union, and 10
enable her and her husband TO remain in
Spain. Guzman was inaexibIc. Veal
thy and proud of his wealth as he was, he
might have digested the unpalatable NOR
sci of her union with poor man, whom
he could have made rich, but he could not
even swallow the intelligence that she had
m6rried Protestant. Ines, for that was
her name, and her husband went 10 Ger.
many, partly in dependence on his musi.
cal talents, which we're highly apprecia-
ted in that country-partly in the vague
hope Of emigrants, that change of place
will be attended by change of circum.
stances-and partly, also, from the feeling
that misfortune is better tolerated any,
where than in the presence Of those who
in0ict it. Such was the tale told by the
old who affected to remember the facts
and believed by the young, whose ina
gination supplied the defects Of memory
and pictured TO them an interesting beau
ty, with her children hanging about her
cmbarking with heroic husband, for {
distant country, and sadly hi lding fare.
well to the land and to the religion of he
father.
"Now while these things were talked o
at Seville, Guzman fell sick, and wa
given over by his physicians, whom, will
considerable reluctance he had suffered t,
be called in.
s'In the progress ofhis illness, whethe
nature revisited the heart she long appear
cd to have deserted-or whether he con
cei1ed that the hand of relative NIGH
be a more grateful support to his dyini
head than that Of q rapacious and merce
nary menial-or whether his resentfr
feelings burnt family at the expected ap
proach Of death, as artificial fires wax din
at the appearance Of morning SO it wa;
IS that Guzman in his illness bethought him
: self of his sister and her famIy-sent of
ID at a considerable expense, an express t
ID that part Of Germany where she resides
At TO invite her to return and be reconcile
S. to him-and prayed devoutly that /
"a might be permitted to survive till he cou
70 breathe his last amid the arms of her ar
y her children. Moreover, there was r
port at this time, in which the hearers pr
!" badly took more interest than in any thir
which related merely to the life or dea
ID of Guzman-and this was, that he hi
r rescinded his former will, and sent for
re notary, with whom, in spite of his apparel
s. debility, he remained locked up for son
's hours, debating in tone, which, howe
ii er clear, TO the notary did not leave OF
10 distinct impression of sound on the ca
N that were strained even to an agony of j
20 tening, at the double-locked door of h
N chamber.
ST "Al Guzman's friends had endeavort
81 TO dissuade him from making this exertio
n which they assured him would only ha
ten his dissolution.-But to their surpri
! and doubtless their delight, from the m
y ment his will was made, Guzman's heal
81 began to amend and in less than a wee
1t he began to walk about his chamber, ar
8 calculate what time it might take an e
rs press to reach Germany, and how soon
i'll might expect intelligence from his fan
ly,
es "Some months had passed away, al
e. the priests took advantage Of the interv
$ to get about GuzmaE. But after exhau:
rs ing every effort Of ingenuity-after pl
he ing him powerfully and unavaiingly, {
i the side Of conscience, of duty of fea
"a and of religion--they began to understal
= their interest, and changed their batter
I" And finding that the settled purpose
nc Guzman's sou Twas not to be changed, al
Pr that he was determined on recalling
ed sister and her family to Spain, they co
lul tented themselves with requiring that
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