The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1858-09-24
A Story of Real Life-The Spanish Widow

a Story of Real Life-The Spanish Widow.
There lived in the province of Galicia II
lady so perfectly beautiful that she was cal
led by all travellers, and indeed by all who
behe: her, the blower OF Spain With
those excellent charms shs possessed all the
virtues which are SO rarely to hc found unit
ed in such extreme personal loveliness. She
had, therefore, many wooers, but especially
II certain old knight of Castle, as coarse in
mind as he was ungainly in person. Being
very wealthy, he fully expected this beau,i
tui creature would gladly become his wife,
| the mere particularly she was of a poor
though we'll born parcntags. But she pre-
terred to allow her affections TO rest OH a
young gentleman Of small estate hut ainia-
ble character; aud being married to him,
they retired TO tho provinces. aud spent
!! three years of as perfect happiness us is
permitted !rail mor,nls to enjoy.
At the end OF this period he WAS obliged
, [" 20 to Madrid on business Of Il lawsuit,
, AMI was unfortunately murdered on the
way, leaving his unhappy wife, with on"
little boy, and in rather s,raighttnch cir
! cnm>'anr"s. Shortly after, tue cd kn,.h,
again profirred his hand which sh. dcciL J.
ly rcj'ct:I. lie neither respected th.
! sacrcdn>ss Of her glef nor her in'iorn STATE.
hnt mor>'"d her SO continually will! letters
ana presents, that. but for her tarhcil">~
child, sl'c would have been cont"nt tn de"
At len~.h she determined To Withdraw 10
S:,ir remote village. and 10 free herself rem
lii; Gi;"ms prosecutions.
\ few DAYS before the time .hc had !iv"d
on to rrm"v" tn her country ln!grr. her
s'''v"'', Ma:la, hnprracl '""rrn t'r ,i''"r
oi Il ,''r~"t in her m;s'rrs>s mhiu,mi when
Oh; te; the dead i.olv Of man, ami ihv
police bein" sumnonh hv her si.rckS, they
snon Recognised it to hc that ni i!;. ODD
hnsht of Cas,le, though his counlrnalcr
w;S so U!trkcned and distorted ;.> TO appear
scarcely iiuman. 1t was evident tina, lac
had died ly poison, ANA as The unhappy
: lady could rive no account Of the matter
. in spite Of hrr hitherto fair and unbl,lni>I:
. ed reputation. she was thrown into prison ;,>
! lis mur,icress.
The persecution she had suffered from
! the decreased knight WAS generally known.
liit was now attributed to dishun,raLIe
cause, and the murderer Of her husband
never having been reared up, she Was con.
snlercd by many persons as guilty of both
crimes, and The whole province WAS shocked
. that SO beautiful a creature shoni have
! thus brouS lit Disgrace upon her sex and up
on buman nature.
At her trial the court was crowded TO OK
cess, and the lady had nothing to offer bn,
assertions Of her innocence, the servant
! Maria having suddenly disappearcl, the adj
vocated pass sentence Of death. 1t was tn.
, custom in those days for n woman who had
commit'el murder to he first stranglc.l and
! then burned in the market place; before the
sentence could be pronounced. a witness was
moved by rcmorse TO come forward in her
; behalf That was the servant Maria, who
had hitherto hecn disguised in the body OF
the court. She stood on one of the benches
and earnestly enl,;eatrd 10 be heard She
then confessed that she had been prevailed
; on 10y the bribes and promises Of the old
knight of Castle, who declared he in
tended to marry his mistress, 10 secrcte him
i'll the lady s chamber, but solcmnly declared
! she knew no other cause of lis death excel t
/ that on one OF the shelves she had placed
some sweet cakes mixed with arsenic to
poison the rats, and that the knight being
rather guttonous, might have eaten them
in the dark, and so did. At this probable
explanation, the court was Instantly moved
to declare the lady's innocence with one
voice. She reviving little at the noise
anil being told Of this providental discovery
only c!asped her hands, ana then, in a few
words, commenting her son to the guardian
ship OF good men, exclaimed, i can never
survive the shame of this unworthy reproach,
and with q deep sigh, expired on the SPOT