Spirit of the age., 1861-04-24

Isabel Montebello, that she will never "eo
, her than him she loves, Don Sebastian de
Cordova'
"A thousand thanks, most sweet and lovely
of womankindr = cried Don Sebastian, enthu-
siastically. as he passionately kissed the little
dimpled hand that trembled in his own. 10
be so loved by one so loved, is a JOY that VIII
make happiness present even amid the DARK
est frowns of fortune!
On the day preceding the one liked Tor ms
departure to the paternal mansion, Don pc
bastan received a perfumed note from ms
beloved Isabella, inviting him to soiree at
her fathers ON that evening, and binding him J
It may pe the last time for years that you will |
behold your loving Isabelita'
J shall be there, sighed Don Sebastian, as
he refoldeG the note and placed it next his
heart; but have sad miSgivings that all /
will not be as | could wish
He was there, punctual to the hour; and,
as his heart had foreboded, he met with a
cold reception from all save her he loved. =
She, without whom the world was a blank,
and with whom the world was forgotten, was |
pale and sad, but more sweet and lovely and |
loving than ever. She could not guard him |
from the studied coldness of those around her; |
but she could show him that her own heart |
was still true and unchanged-that her own
happiness was identified with his-and this |
she did.
In the course of the evening, the lovers |
found an opportunity to withdraw from the |
brilliantly lighted saloon, to the dim, quiet
arbor Of the garden; and there, forgetful of
all but themselves, their present happiness
and future misery, time rolled by unnoted
while they respoke their love, repledged their
VOWS, and permitted their souls to mingle and
be filled with the last JOY they were ever to
know in the world of time.
Reused at length to a conciousness of hav-
ing been too long absent from her other guests,
la Senorita Isabel started to her feet and,
with a few hurried but tender parting words,
was darting away, when the hand of her lover
caught and detained her.
This is our parting, dearest Isabel he
murmured, in low, passionate tone 'and
cannot let you go, perchance forever, with
out hearing once more from your sweet lips
your solemn vow of eternal constancy.'
BY all things holy, dear Sebastian prom
ise to be true to you till death and if we
never wed, then this hand shall go unwedded
to the tombp
Even though the high-born Count Geroni-
mo should sue On bended knee, sweet Isabel?
rejoined the eager lover
Even though the high-born count should
sue on bended knee, and have a fathers pray
ers to aid him, dear Sebastian replied la Se-
norita Isabel.
Then are you mine indeed 7 cried the en-
raptured lover, impulsively enfolding her in
his arms and sealing his love upon her lips
Liar! thundered the hoarse, harsh voice
of Count Don Geronimo del Alcazar; she is
not thine and never shall be, unless she wed
thy bloody corpse! Take that, base plebi-
/
burst, ere do brand thee coward through all
Spain ! and while he spoke, he tore from his
hand glove, and threw it in the face of his
hated rival and now deadly foe.
Blinded by furious, uncomfortable rage,
the Colonel Don Sebastian might that mo-
ment have been guilty of a murder, had not
his hand and steps been stayed by the alarm
ed and shrieking Isabel who fairly threw her.
self upon his breast, and implored him to be
calm and do no crime.
A scene of wild confusion and excitement
ensued; during which the Count stalked sui
lenly away to his quarters, to await the chal-
lenge of his mortal foe; and the Colonel took
a painful leave of her he loved, promising to
her fearful prayers that he would so govern
his temper as not to give his treacherous enc
my undue advantage in the contest of life and
death which now must follow.
AS soon as he could find friend to act as
his second, Don Sebastian dispatched him to
Den Geronimo with challenge. 1t was i'm
mediately accepted, but with scorn and in
suit
Tell your plebian MASTER he said, that
the Count of Alcazar will condescend to chas-
tise him for his insolent presumption
My cooling blood might have permitted
him his miserable life-but now he Shall
die !" was the reply of Don Sebastian, spo-
ken slowly and with compressed lips to the
friend who repeated the message of the insul-
ting Count
At day y-break of the folio wing morning the
rivals met in a retired spot-the Count
naughty and selfconfident, and the Colonel
cold and determined. The weapons, chosen
by the Count, were swords, of which he was
considered a master but he lost much in the
onset by undertaking the skill of his antago.
mist, who was nearly, if not quite, his equal
Don Sebastian quietly assumed the defensive
and merely protected himselfagainstt the furious
assaults of his over confident adversary, til
the latter, growing infuriated at his want O
success, began to press upon him more Wig
orously and even carelessly, when, watching
his opportunity, he suddenly made one pow
erfu and desperate lunge, and drove hi
sword completely through the heart and body
of his foe, who fell and expired almost with
out groan.
Hurrying to his hotel, the Colonel wrote
hasty note to his Isabel telling her in brie
, what had occurred, and bidding her an al
E fectionate farewell; and then, mounting hi
horse, he rode swiftly away, to seek the hom
, of his father.
Great was the excitement occasioned a
= Court by the result of this duel and fierc
4 was the wrath aid loud were the lamenta
tions of the heads of the two houses of A
@ cazar and Montebello An order was immt
t diately procured from the King banishin
the Colonel Don Sebastian de Cordova t
|, Spanish America and hearing Of this, an
believing all hope of their ever meeting agai
|. was over, the Senorta Isabel Montebello ono
i carried into execution her promise, and r.
tired to q convent for life.
l. In the city of Caracas, South America
e the year 1884, an order was issued by tt
ot Congress of Venezuela for the suppreSsio
D, and dem clifton of the ancient converts
n the State; and while some workmen wer
le engaged upon one of the oldest of these stru
lures, taking it down, piece by piece ar
i stone by stone, they unroffed cell in whiC
they found an DID, insane friar, whose snow
D. locks and trembling, almost palsied limb
OF had felt the weight of more than 80 year
e, For more than forty years his reason b:
er been wreck; and in one of his fits of ma
r. passion, he had murdered brother frs