Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1862-10-15

have devised such an exquisitely romantic
mode OF expressing his passion TO her
Z" And does he really love me 20 She
mused; but this, the more she reflected
upon 1t, seemed as puzzling as the rest,
for how was she to determine whether he
intended it all as some mere passing act of
gallantry, or was sincere in his profess
ions Yet even then it was bliss to be
iieve the doubtful equivocatiun, that 'sies
like truth
From morn till night, the image of that
handsome cavalier, and the flatterin@
words OF his song, SO occupied her mind
that she could think of little else; while
she sat humming over the pleasing air,
and gazing upon the place where she last
saw him waiting kisses toward her on the
wings Of night, and is intentIy as if he
We're still visible to her sight He wake
ful fancies now co.jurcd up dreams again
similar 10 her midnight vision; but they
were also doomed to be dispelled by Il
phantom equally rs horrible-and appear
ing more ike reality than the former
Three days afterwards, Senor Lopez
congratulatingly informed her that she was
:. betrothed bride. and that her marriage
would take place III the course Of few
short weeks, She was astonishcl, ave.
utterly contounIcd by the unexpected in
telIigence; and sooth there was indeed
ample reason, for this WAS the first init
nation she had received of such being
probable occurrence. However. after the
first shock Of the startling communication
had passed over, she began to console her
self with the reflection that it must be
:. '.Eelasco" who had thus suddenly pro-
posed to her; but IL her guardian cuntin-
ued, she nearly f;pinted with the sudden
reaction which chilled her hopes
"Iou see, my dear, Don Emanuel,
who Is = noblcman at Madrid, has written
to me, soliciting the honor OF YOUR hand
in marriage. Knowing we'll his state and
Importance, returned him my consent
Immediately"
but you could not give him n,y con-
sent" said she III tone of deep rcproach-
"Oh, no. yoa will give that Us mat
ter OF course" he replied. laughing, with
out appearing to think thai she could have
the slightest objection to 20 advantageous
a match.
Dona Cons;anza felt ready to weep
with Indignation but womanly pride sus-
tanned her. and she returned in a tone
that was intended TO signify her firmnesS,
though her voice was trcmuious with
emotion. Then, scnor, as a Bsattcy' 0t'
course, I will not give my consent; but will
rather enter cDnvcnt than marry Don
EmanucI-cvcn though hc We're the king
himself" And sine turned quickly from
the presence Of her merccuaTy guardian
toward her chamber. there 10 Give relief
to lIcr scrrows ani vcXation by Il food OF
tears She was very aucry with him ;Or
such imncrtiacnt o!iiciousHgss as indeed
what young maiden would not have been,
thus to be disposed of, like 4 horse or n
slavc-to have husband selected and
agrccd upon. and her own approval and
consent To an arrangement, usually the
most important of any III woman's life,
deemed OF very little account-but TO fol-
low. however, rs u ''matter Ot course. )"
She knew nothing of Don Emanuel, ex-
ccpt that his name had been casually men,
toned once or twice in her hearing as Il
gentleman of high rank in Madrid, but
who had spent of late.some years abroad.
He might he old and ugly for all she knew
To the contrary ; and his very name sound
ed as if it belonged to a cross and stupid
old bachelor. ''What care for his state
and Importance" she exclaimed, pcttiSh-
lv, as these words recurred to her mind,
Il could not love him if he were made of
gold and jewels.'
Nor could she have loved him while her
heart was pre-occupied by the graceful
imma@e of anothcr-that of her mysteri-
Gus serenater; whom, however, she had
not seen since that eventful evening of his
first appearance This seemed very
strange to her, as she nightly watched
eager and anxiously hour after hour for
his dearly anticipated temperance but
in vain. She felt it indeed singular, vet
she could not believe that such n noble
looking gentleman would play falsely
merely TO deceive a simple maiden-kind-
ling an undying flame in her bosom, and
then vanishing as mysteriously as he came
/ leaving it to rage and consume her heart
unheeded Some accident must full surely
have befallen him, or he would have
! sought an interview with her long before
and she wept with deep anguish at the
| thought
But whether s'Nelasco" came or not.
she was fully resolved to oppose her tyr
annical guardians plan, even though the
| laws of her country might leave no alter
native between compliance with his
wishes and a living burial within a con-
vents walls, If he choose To enforce her