Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-11-09

Twas not . glimpse of Heaven.
4a fa 3 i.1a ]. n. HEADY.
GOV. TACoN AND THE CIGAR GIRL.
ITm following thrilling and excellently told
story is related by Mr. Ballou, in his late His
tory Of Cuba. If this sketch is strictly true
it viii 60 far to atone for the many cruelte:
which have been charged against Taeon.l
During the first year of Tacon's gov
ernorship in Cuba. a young Creole girl,
named Miralda Estates. kept little
cigar shop in the Gale der Mercaderes,
and her shop was the resort of all the
young men of the town who loved a
choicely- and superior cigar
Miralda was only seventeen, without
mother or father living, and earned a
humble though sufficient support by her
industry in the mandatory we have
named, and by the sales of her little
store. She was picture of ripened
tropical beauty, with q finely rounded
form, lovely face of soft, olive tint,
and teeth that Tuscarora might envy.
At times there was a dash of languor
in her dreamy eye that would have
warmed an anchorite; and then her
cheerful jests were so delicate, yet free,
that she had unwittingly turned the
heads, not to say hearts, of half the
young merchants in the Gallo der Mer-
caderes. But she dispensed her favors
without Partially; none of the rich and
gay exquisites of Havana could say
they had ever received any particular
acknowledgment from the fair young
girl to their warm and constant atten-
tion. For this one she had pleasant
smile, for another few words of pleas
ing gossip, and for third snatch of a
Spanish song; but to none did she give
her confidence, except 10 young Pedro
Mantanez, fine looking boatman, who
piled between the Punta and Moro Cas-
tie on the opposite side of the harbor
Pedro was manly and courageous
young fellow, rather above his class in
intelligence, appearance and associa-
tons, and pulled his oars with a strong
arm and a light heart, and loved the
beautiful Miralda with an ardor roman
tic in its fidelity and truth. He was
sort of leader among the boatmen in
the harbor for reason of his superior
cultivation and intelligence, and his
quick-witted sagacity was often turned
for the benefit of his comrades. Many
were the noble deeds he had done in
and about the harbor since boy, for
he had followed his calling of water
man from boyhood, as his fathers had
done before him. Miralda in turn ar
IDENTIFY loved Pedro, and when he came
at night and sat in the back part of her
little shop, she had always neat and
fragrant cigar for his lips. Now and
then, when she could steal away from
her shop, on some holiday, Pedro would
hoist tiny sail in the prov of his boat,
and securing the little stern awning over
Miralda's head, would steer out into the
gulf and coast along the romantic shore.
There was famous roue, well known
at this time in Havana, named Count
Almonte, who had frequently visited
Miralda's shop and conceived quite a
passion for the girl, and, indeed, be had
grown to be one of her most liberal Gus
toners. With cunning shrewdness
and knowledge of human nature, the
Count besieged the heart of his intended
victim without his appearing to do SO.
and carried on his plan of operations for
many weeks before the innocent girl
even suspected his possessing partiali-
ty for her, until one day she was sur
prised by present from him of so rare
and costly a nature as to lead her to
suspect the donors intentions at once,
and to promptly decline the proffered
gift. Undismsyed by this, still the
Count continued his profuse patronage
in way to which Miralda could find no
plausible pretext of complaint.
At last, seizing upon what he con-
sidered a favorable moment Count
Almonte declared his passion to Miralda,
besought her TO come and be the mis-
tress of his broad and rich estates at
Cerite, near the city, and offered all the
promises of wealth, favor and fortune;
but in vain. The pure minded girl
scorned his offer, and bade him never
more to insult her by visiting her shop.
but not confounded, the Count
retired, but only to weave new snare
he could entangle her, for he
was not one to be so easily thwsrted.
One afternoon, not long after this, as
the twilight was settling over the town,
a file of soldiers halted just opposite
the door of the little cigar shop, when a
young man, wearing a lieutenant's
entered and asked the atten-
dant if her name was Miralda Estates,
to which she timidly responded.
"Then you viii please to come with
me-"
"By what authority" asked the
trembling girl.
"The order of the Governor Gener-
al"
"Then 1 must obey you," she an
swered; and prepared to follow him at
once.
Stepping to the door with her, the
young officer directed his men to march
on. and getting into volante, told
Miralda they would drive to the guard
house. But to the surprise of the girl,
she soon after discovered that thev were