Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1858-02-11

Don Asar AT an hour past midnight he
left his house alone; but never returned to
it. Whittier he had gone no one could
say, nor could any trace of him ever be
discovered. Itwas supposed he must have
missed his footing and fallen into the Qua
dalquiver near which his abode was stu
ated, and that his body had been swept
away by the waves into tie ocean.
Such an occurrence was calculated to
prodace a great sensation in the place
where II had happened and vesale recall
ed rec weeks afer BY The illness of his
wife. found he disappearance of Don Al
vaF ihe thens Of every tongue. The
altefe.! sepsataace ot isabella was attribu-
ted, BY Tts''e. grief for The mysterious
'ibsence.of d 81 Alvar and that conviction
tetl fran i,i'1 81 ply Tor her sufferings.
/, caaa'et - be the festival of Santa Is
sohlia. aai % do ho'or TO her patron saint
rs ~e.. as celebrate the return of her hus-
oand. Isabella ps!ton her welding dress.
ana seated herself by IN opera easement
ihatF overlooked the Alvar gardens and
watched for his coming. But whilst her
eyes were vainly fixed upon the path by
whlcn she expected him to appear, a hand
was laid upon her shoulder, aud turning
round beheId vesale standing by her side.
al have ordered the supper to be laid in
my study and taking her by the hand he
led her away to the room in question, dis
missed the attendant and closed the DOORS
Everything wore festive air; yet the re :
past was cheerless. Perceiving that she
had tasted nothing. Vesale poured few
drops from vial of elixir in cup Of Ma
laga wine, and presented it to her.
Drink this" said he sit is sovereign
cure for the complaint you are suffering
from"
pledge me in the draught," she re-
turned. filling a goblet from the flask, and
handing it to him, '"and it will bring a
quicker healing to me. Let us drink to
our absent friend Andre"
Vesale accepted the offering, and they
emptied their goblets together.
Talking of friends" said he, and sud
denly fixing his eyes upon her. g you have
not spoken to me of Don Alvar de Soil.
Are all the hopes OF hearing from him re-
linquished? He was braggart and lib
ertine, and boasted that no woman ever
resisted his seductions, that no husband
ever suspected the injury he was prepar-
ing for him., ',eo7s
Then grasping his wife by the hand, he
led her up to door at tie further end of
the room. and throwing it wide open, re-
vealing to her view a skeleton, suspended
within, holding in one of his bony hands
one of her embroidered gloves. .I
Behold, he said, pointing to the
ghastly spectacle, ''the gallant and beauti-
full Don Alvar de Soil, the object of your
guilty loye--contempla him well, if the
sight can render your moments happier,
for you are about to die. teo--the wine l
gave you was poisonedP'
When the last dreadful sentence, and its
more dreadful illustration burst upon her
alfrighted senses, she became paralyzed by
excess of emotion. the scream thathad aris-
en- to her throat died there in strangling
murmurs, and sinking, fell back as one
dead upon the arms nj Pessle.
She was not dead. howe,er; he had not
poisoned her. ,has crime had besiIa.ed to
c3mni Vet lac was noneihe less her MUIR
deer. ConvuIsion followed CONFUSION
aud at last she died and in that supreme
moment. the hour that preceded death, her
husband, who had never quilted her. be-
held those phenomena which some times
attend the dying. Awakening foIn torp-
id sumbering. couciousness and memory
|returned at once, and with them calm
courage she had never possessed in her
life. tlssrs3i asi 'so1 81 :
ANDRE said she. fixing her eyes upon
her husband, 81 am dying by your hand,
yet am innocent; l never wronged you
by thclght or deed; Don Alvar pursued
me with his love aud threats, but repuls-
ed him. never loved but you. l feared
and honored you as much as | loved
But dared not tell you of his pursuit.
Oh, Andre, believe my words; the dying
deal not in falsehoods; should | be thus
calm were l guilty." 80
Vesale, sinking upon his knees, solemn
ly protested his faith in the innocence of
his wife, and with choking sobs abjured
her to believe that he only feigned TO give
her poison, that he could not nerve his
hand to take her life; but the terror, not
death itself, was upon her! And while he
yet spoke, Isabella murmured:
"Thanks be. to heaven Cor this!" and
drawing his hand towards hers. laid it on
her heart, and as she did, it ceased to beat.