Gazette and sentinel., 1860-05-12
THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN.

DdQ paSSeu SILKY Ouu years Oh his lie
without ever being troubled by the va
carries of Cupid, when all at once the
little god, at if in revenge for the length
OF time the old man had deied his pow
er, inspired him with a violent passion
for a pretty orphan of good family, but
so reduced in circumstances that she
lived by the needle. Believing that gold
was all-powerful, he made his proposals
with very little ceremony f; but Blanca,
as virtuous as she was pretty, rcpulScd
him with indignation. He then tried
the effect of his darling gold upon an
aunt with whom she lived, but without
any better success. Aunt and niece
were alike memorable the former be-
came ten times more vigilant than ever
over her young charge, and the latter
completely secluded herself, w APP
pearing even at her window. All this
severity, however, did not daunt the
Insurer, who, Judging by his own heart,
supposed it was a feint to enhance the
price of her favors. He accordingly
employed an old woman to plead his
cause with her, and she readily under
took, on the promise of a handsome sum,
to render her propitious to his wishes.
The old woman soon found, however,
that her task was a hopeless one; but,
not willing to lose the promised reward,
she contrived to amuSe Brandini, from
time to time, with hopes which she very
we'll knew to be vain. By these means
she extracted from him "a little money:
but impatient at the smallness Of her
gains, she determined TO venture upOna
bold stroke, in order to make the old us
urer draw his purse-strings.
"Good news p cried she one day,
coming to him with joy in her face;
"your pretty Blanca is at last inclined
TO be more kind. Her aunt is gone to
visit a sick friend, and viii not return
tonight; and if she sees you under her
window about eleven o'clock, there is
no knowing whether she may not be
tempted toilet you in"
The delighted usurer made the old
woman a handsome present, and did not
fail to repair to the appointed spot be-
fore the hour agreed upon. He walked
up and down for some time in vain; so
full of the hopes he had conceived, that
he did not perceive he was an object Of
attention to a man wrapped up in a
cloak, who watched all his notions
This was a young student, who was also
an admirer Of Blanca, but without any
better success than our usurer. Till
now, he had considered mistress's his
virtue as the cause of her disdain, but
the sight of Brandini put other notions
in his head; he had, as he believed, ari
val, and he determined to discover who
he was, and to seek revenge.
During some time, Brandini waited
patiently enough; he then began to
cough, hem, and give sundry tokens Of
his approach; finding these all disre-
garded, and it being past midnight,
be determined to climb up to the bal
cony.
No sooner did he begin to climb, than
the student, regarding it as a confirma-
ton of all his suspicious, snatched up a
stone, and flung it with all his force at
Brandini, whom it hit on his forehead,
and he fell back on the pavement, and
expired.
The student, who had acted from the
impulse of the moment, was equally
grieved and alarmed at the consequence
Of his imprudence. He fed from the
spot-but, before he had gone far. he
began to reflect OF the risk he ran if the