Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-01-05
For the Spirit of the Age.
THE Spanish Maiden's Fate"
BY SUSIE E

Travelling ter my health which close
bad injured, | arrived, one
ummer's morning, at the little village Of
- in the southern part Of Spain.
by its beautiful scenery and To-
cation, [ at once determined to spend a
;ew weeks there. It is situated in one of
the lovely vallies of the Sierra Nevada,
surrounded 10y its mountains ever covered
with foliage, and with gushing rills pouring
down their rocky sides and meandering
through the valley, gradually increasing as
flow through the orange groves on
their way to the Granddaughter. About a
mile north of the village, is the "Convent Of
St. Margerito," a part of which is in ruins,
oyergrown by moss and ivy; the other is
occupied by the sisterhood. Softly, at
evening and morning, came the chime Of
those old bells, as it tloated by on the still
summer air.
Directly south and almost opposite the
convent, stands a noble building, built in
the Moorish style, looking like some lone
sentinel watching the town. The grounds
neatly and artistically laid out, arbors and
fountains were placed here and there, and
the remains of statuary still remained in
the groves, every thing was laid out with
an eye Of taste. But the grounds were 60
ing to waste; the paths were filled with
rubbish, the tink!ing music ofthe fountains
were long ago hushed, and rank weeds and
bushes were filling the grove. Often have
| wondered who were the occupants, and
: wHPP4t wagg4Ht6bee common 6ffiGfnn nhf ifhhdfi r adurarw1a VII n Peaf:
ed that structure,
t When feeling sad and homesick, [ have
+, often wandered to the ola burying ground,
J and among the willows, flowers and messy
= beds recalled the memories of friends sleep
. ing beyond the broad Atlantic's waves. One
J monument particularly attracted my atten-
ton by its beautiful simplicity and rich
ness, A square pillar Of the purest mar
bic, with the figures Of a maiden and a
youth, with Two arms entwined about each
y other and the other W pointing to Heav-
en-, and the single inscription of the names
"Marcia and Ricardo engraved below
j. The figures were carved with the utmost
elegance, and the countenanccs lovely
, No trace, no clue, as to who they were,
I" could be found, and all my coniecturas
IL were useless. Ny curiosity was at length
NJ gratiied by q gentleman with whom l be-
is came acquainted. Straying there one Clio
ly rious evening in late summer, We seated
he ourselves beneath the overhanging ivy, he
~ commenced in his own sweet tongue, the
- tale:
"The De Castro's were a noble ant
.o' wealthy family, and each year as the ear
licst fruit began to ripen we looked 70,
ND them for then yonder mansion, (pointine
ne towards the one | have mentioned) sai(
ice he, was filled with light and mirth, and un
vo- til the long twilights had ended, he and hi
Sc friends stayed with us. Marcia De Castr
b ? was their only child, and on her was Law
,ho ished all the attention that love and woalt
could procure but amid all these frivol
ties she grew up pure, lovely, and unassr
ming. few maidens in all Spain could Vi
al with her in beauty Of person or any ski
bod full accomplishment. OF course one of he
yes station and wealth was not without sutton
leb and Marcia had offers from many disti
,or guished persons and members Of the 70,
atty but she preferred Ricardo D'Allen,
I'D to all others. He was a young man of OF
village, Of great genius and high ambitio
nth and on that account had been received in
the family Of De Castro, with whom he w
tive quite a ~favorite.
age, bat like most parents, they suspect
the not, what was most likely to happen, a m
tual attachment between Marcia and 7
cardo; but looked to a much higher al
.0N ance for their daughter. Neither Of t
iece young people had breathed their 1--we.
hich by that magic. instinct they both knew +
He others secret, which both thought safe,
and Young lady, one of Narcia's friends. q
cans loved Ricardo UAlIento; and perceivi
and Marcia's love for him, her love for her y
bout turned to bitter hatred. This. howev
E nor she concealed the better to further her n
try a pose this was to make Marcia believe Il
and he loved another and was only triHino w
'ther her. Too well she succeeded. and 'tv
not long before Ricardo perceived the
creasing GOODNESS of Marcia. UnwiIl
I'm ia that it should proceed, he one day told
n to in glowing language his love. The bri,
,t' a blood fled from her face as she Quickly
may fused him. Stung to madness by her
appi- fusal, he drew a dagger from beneath
t we cloak and plunged it into his heart:
n liz claiming "Marcia Marcia" As he :,
oarY dying at her feet, Marcia gave one sbr
and falling on her knees beside him. els
call ed his form and with bitter accents
npla- proachedherself: 'Forgiye me, forgive
new Ricardo" she cried as she saw the life A
.eIgh, ing fast away. He turned and SIM
I~sweetly upon her, and then his spirit