The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1868-04-25

IKE grateful farther, and at his
death left all his property to bis
faithful Mareelio. aa ss
All the villagers rhourued their
alcade, and after rendering him the
funeral honors with more tears than
pomp, they assembled to elect his
successor. In Spain, certain villages
possess the privilege of electing their
alcades-that is to say, the magistrate
who judges all suits, takes cogniEance
OF all crimes, causes the guilty to be
taken into custody, examines them,
and delivers them over to hesuperior
jurisdiction, which generally confirms
the sentence passed by the alcade.
The assembled villagers unaui-
mOusly elected him whom the old
alcade had designed for his successor.
The old men, followed by all the
youngsters of the village, went in
formal procession to carry the ensign
of his dignity, white wand, to Mar-
cello, Celestina accepted it and
affected even to tears with this testi.
mony of the affection of these honest
people, she resolved to consecrate her
life, formerly destined for love, to their
happiness.
Leaving the new alcade busy with
the cares of Office, let us return to
the unfortunate Pedro, whom we left
galloping on the road to Portugal, and
at each step increasing the distance
from his beloved. 81"
He reached Lisbon without obtaln~
ing any intelligence of Celestina. He
retraccd his steps, and made every
possible research, and returned again
to Lisbon with no better fortune.
After six months of fruitless inquiry,
he felt satisfied that Celestina had not
returned to Granada, and he resolved
to go to Seville, where he knew she
had relations. He found, on his ar~
rival, that they had just sailed in the
Mexican fleet; and, doubling not that
there he should recover his long.lost
mistress in Mexico, he fastened on
board the last vessel in the feet,which
was on she point of sailing. He ar,
rived safely, discovered the relations
of Celestina, but they knew nothing
concerning her. He returned to Spain
the vessel encountered a storm, and
was wrecked on the coast of Granada.
Don Pedro and some Others of the
passengers escaped, and, proceeding
into the mountains in search of shel>
ter, were led by chance or Cupid to
Gadara.
Don Pedro and his companions
went into the first inn they came to !;
and they wre congratulating each
other on their escape, when dispute
arose between one of the passengers
and soldier, concerning a casket
which the soldier had saved and the
passenger claimed as his property.
Don Pedro, who endeavored to settle
the quarrel, proposed that the passenp
ger, in order to prove his claim,
should state what the box contained /;
which was done, and the box opened
to ascertain if what was said were
true: but what was the surprise Of
Don Pedro when he recognized Celes,
tina's jewels, and among them the
emerald he had given her !
How did you come by these
jewels?" he demanded of the passen-
ger, in voice of fury,
"What is that to you ?" replied
the pretended owner; ait is enough
that they belong to me;'' and SO say.
ing, he attempted to snatch them
from Don Pedro, who repulsed him,
and both drawing their swords, they
, fought, and after few passes the
passenger fell wounded. Don Pedro
was seized and hurried to prison, and
the master of the inn sent his wife to
fetch the cure to attend the dying
F man, while he himself ran with the
casket to tho alcade, and informed
him what had happened.
What was the surprise, the Joy, the
, terror of Celestina, on recognizing
her diamonds, and hearing that they
had been challenged by the gentle.
man who was in custody She wen
D at once to the inn where the cure haC
, already arrived and the wounded
t man, who believed himself dying
, affected by his exhortations, &C
D knowledged to the aIcade that, tw,
r years before, as he was passing a
night through a street in Granada,
woman at a window gave him tn,
0 casket, telling him to hold it Will
f she came down; that he ran ava,
!, with the jswels, and he begged pardon
: of God for the robbery. Celestin
$ hastened to the prison: how he
heart beat as she went She quick
8 ened her steps everything prove,
$ that it was Don Pedro whom she wa
i, about to behold, but she feared beini
e recognized by him. She pulled he
hat down over her eyes, mufiied her
:. self in her cloak, and preceded by
/, turnkey who carried a light, she en-
d tered the dungeon.
n She was scarcely at the foot of th
It stairs whom she recognized Don Pedro
}, Joy almost took away her sensel
= She leaned against the wall her hea
1t recIined on her shoulder, and th
1t tears flowed down her cheeks. BY
Q great effort she repressed her emotion
i and forcing herself to speak boldly
d she approached the prisoner. Strar
IT ger" said she, in teigned voice, an