Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-06-24
MisttlIalleol}s.
moreno,
THE SPANISH PEASANT GIRL.
BY LIEUTENANT MURRAY.

The civil wars which have distracted
1Spain SO long have often given rise to some
of the most romantic incidents and scenes in
real life that have received the sanction Of
history. Its sons, generally bred to the
use of arms, seemed never contented unless
welding the implements of warfare, and
never more happily situated than when en-
gagged in foreign or civil wars. The events
of our story occurred during this period of
Spanish history, while her people were Of
ten arrayed one against the other.
1t was Just night fall in the district Of
Aragon when a way-worn and weary soldier
with only his good and well-tried Toledo
blade by his side, sank down before the
door Of a PEASANTS cot, too much exhausted
jeven to ask for the refreshment he SO much
needed. Scarcely moment elapsed, how
ever. before the inha bitants of the cottage,
discovering his condition, were busy adj
ministering to his wants. The sturdy peas
ant who was master Of the cot, held a cup Of
wine to his lips, while young and tender
girl, not quite doomed to womanhood,
swathed a bandage about the bleeding arm,
and bathed his temples with cool spring wa
ter
The soldier could only look his thanks,
smiling languidly upon those who were ten
ding him. His wound was deep, and il
| bled so profusely that the cottager was obi
ged to raise him in his sturdy arms and
bear him inside the cottage, for he could nc
longer support himself The little house
| hold was all a-bustle and confusion to pre-
pare proper aid and comfort for the woun-
ded soldier The matron was busy here
the father there, and the daughter in anoth.
err place. He was carefully watched that
night, but ere the next days sun had SCI
the soldier had become dclirous, and bis
wound presented to the eye of the inexperi.
enced cottager the most fearful appearance,
and reasoning from this they feared that it
must prove fatal. But the truth was that
the fever that now ragged in his veins was
more from fatigue, loss Of blood ard conse-
quent suffering, than from the immediate
character of the sword wound that had disa-
bled his arm.
Day after day passed and still the soldier
lay in a half-dormant state Of lethargy, the
fever struggling with his constitution, one
day seeming as though it must conquer him
and the next perhaps growing more feeble
in its influence, Imorene, the daughter of
the cottager, was untiring in her delicate
attention to the stranger night and day
she watched by his side !: smoothed his pill
low, bathed his brow, or moistened his par
ched lips. True, he seemed scarcely to
realize these kindnesses, yet smile some
times lit up his pale and haggard features
while Imorene was by his side.
A strong constitution and youth at length
prevailed over the fever, and day by day
the soldier gradually improved, until at last
he was able to 60 once more abroad And
now, attended by that gentle, child-like
form that had watched him through tedi-
Gus fever, the soldier wandered through sha-
Idly groves, and hill-sides and through dells
musical with bubbling fountains and frag
rant with flowers; and here they would sit
down together, and he would tell her of
such gallant deeds of arms, and such sto-
rics of true love, and misfortune and bliss,
that poor Imorene was lost in bewilderment
at his eloquence, and dwelt with rapture
upon the real melody Of his fine voice.
Through all his character there ran ten
der melancholy, and he half scorned the
very words he often himself uttered, but she
knew little of human nature and nothing of
the world, and could not see this A dis
eliminating observer would have thought
him man Disguised with the world, and
yet he was, seemingly too young for such a
conclusion. He might be twenty five or
twenty -six-not older. There was some
singular reason why he should still remain
at the cottage, now that he had been well
enough to have walked dozen leagues if
necessary. It was not love that kept him
there, for though Imorene loved him SO
dearly that every look and motion betrayed
the language Of her heart, yet the soldier,
though uniformly most gentle, considerate,
and attentive to her, never spoke Of love.
Months had passed since the wounded
soldier first sat himself down before the
peasants door. His purse had been sufi-
GENTLY we'll filed to enable him amply to
paw for the shelter he had enjoyed, and in
deed the cottager tho't 50 agreeable and
profitable a visitor quite a god-send to bis
house One day, stranger passing that
way, the soldier accosted him, and was for
long time alone with him, deeply enga-