Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1854-02-25

fiower-basket, in which lay, bedded upon flow
ers, aad infant of two months old
"Where is the brde! demanded Manuela
hoarsely, as seon as she ente red
"Manuela." cried Dolores, trembling she
knew not why, yet endeavorng to seem at ease
"l am the bride; and you shall bear my DO.
quets to court"
"fou the bride'' exclaimed Manuela, who
knew and was known to Dolores. rs it YOU
whom he is to marry!"
"Whom he is to marry, Manuela?" answer
ed Dolores; "say whom he has married! Hath
not Don Miguel sent you to strew our nuptial
way with tlowers!"
"The traitor" cried Manuela. "Behold that
infant. it is hist is mne-it is ours" The
tears Of the hower.girl here burst forth in
torrents; but she checked them, and continued:
"Ah!if you knew all his treachery-alI his
wickedness. la poor girl--sought to avoid
him; but he married me-yes, he married me,
and the marriage was false one? discovered
his deceit; but he came to my father and to my
mothers, and he calmed them by renewing all
his protestations and his promises 1t is two
me then, but knew not, though know now
that it was but to deceive me the more fully
lie already loved you-already"
Here the poor flower girl fell down in an ex-
hausted state. She was tenderly cared for by
the agitated bride and her friends, and recover
! ed somewhat strength. "Only to day, about
two hours since, learned that Don Miguel was
to wed another. Then thought, in my madness,
of killing him, but grew more clam. Poor
chid!-what would have become of him-his
father killed-his mother poisoned" The
fantiDg cordition Of the flower girl explained
her words. She had not avenged herself on
| Don Miguil, but unable to live, she had taken
poison! "Take my child" said she to the bride,
as she grew momentarily weaker, "protect him,
| watch over him, be mother to him. If you
can still love Don Miguel after his cruel aband-
| onment Of his child and me, the poor flower
! girl shall not be in your way. But oh, promise
to dying mother that you will take care Of
| her child"
Dolores had rather sighed than spoken the
desired promise, when knock was heard at
, the chamber door. Dolores instantly caused it
to be fastened within. The knocks were then
| repeated, and the voice of Don Miguel was
heard desiring admittance. 'You cannot enter
| answered one Of the women The bridegroom
addressed himself to Dolores, not seeming to
believe she refused him admittance. The pas
sionate words Of affection which he poured out
for the ear of the bride fell unheeded. Dolo-
res, cent over the dying Aower.girI. "Manue-
la" cried she. "this child shall never be parted
from me while l live. Manuela! Manuela!"
ntinued she in tones oil the deepest sympathy, |
.'live Tor your child and Don Miguel-he shall |
be restored to you; mine he is not and never |
shall be! Ah, help! she dies!'
While Dolores was thus engaged, Don Migu- |
el continued to press for admittance; and BY |
this time either through the noise, or by rea- I
son of the brides absence, a whisper had gone |
through the mansion that something was amiss |
Morales, with Il number Of the party, left the |
ball room, and came to the door of his daugh- l.
ters chamber. "My child" cried he, sit is |,
open to me; if anything be amss, let your fa-
ther be with you. Open to me-"
"On bearing her fathers voice, Dolores, who
was literally wiping the foam from the convul-
sed lips of Manuela, reused herself, and gave
orders for the opening of the chamber door
"Let all enter" she said firmly. Her command
was obeyed; and the first person who rushed
forward was Don Miguel What was his
smazement and horror when upon the bridal
bed ofDolores, he saw the pale countenance of
one but too well known to him. Manuela had
not yet expired. Att instant of his advance,
she opened her eyes and fash of fire shot a.
cross their enfeebled lustre. She slowly raised
her finger, and directing it towards him, she
man, pardon thee. But be.
ware of my father--he UtH kill thee!" As she
spoke Manuela sank backwards, and died al
most instantly in the arms of Dolores
The dying woman, her words, and the sight
Of the infant, formed but too full an explana-
ton of this scene to all who entered the cham
ber-consciance-s struck, at least for the mo-
ment, Don Mnuel fled from the spot. The
affair made great noise in Madrid, but none
could cOndole with Dolores on the subject, as !
On the morning of the event she had Quilted
Madrid with the child Of Manuela. She fed
can you guess who she was. and whittier she ,
ied!'
II can-l see her before me!"
"You are right; fed, in the first instance,
With the child Of Manuela to convent where !,
ny father visited me, and where we concerted y
measures to prevent the assertion by Don Mi :
,ueI ofthose marital rights which worlds would
'ot now tempt me to concede. It was deemed =
'est that ! should 90 TO France. did so, and
vas never moIested by Don Miguel while he .
ived, but within the past year the words of Ma. Q
uea were fulfilled, her betrayer fell by the =
and of her father. q
snow Monsieur Longpre," continued the
ountess' "you wish me to be your wife. IL
wn the esteem-I love you, but my heart
rembles a, the recollection of the past, for be.
eve not that escaped without suffering. As q
uring me on this point, and my hand is yours. ii
well believe that you would not insult me by u
aging addresses while bound by another legal "
Engagement; but assure me that none can re- q
ew in your case the death scene of Manuela,
nat the vows paid to me are not violations of
,e actual, though unacknowledged, right of d
ny other, and am willingly. gladly vonra" q,
NJ. Longpre, need we say, eagerly gave the a1
,surance required. Nor did he deceive her: a
hen thei: marriage-day, came as it soon did, ci
70 happiness of Dolores suffered no alloy from c.
70 cause which she had feared, and afforded
s' only specimen of the uninterrupted felicity
many after years. Il
~The New York Mirror complains that every ii