The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1868-04-25
From Seott's Monthly Magazine.
CELESTINA. '."-
"A TALE OF GRANADA.

Celestina, in her seventeenth year,
was the first beauty of Granada. She
was an orphan, and the heiress of a
large fortune; and lived under the
guardianship of her uncle Alonzo, an
old avaricious man, who occupied his
days in counting his duCats, and his
nights in silencing the serenades with
which his niece was each evening en-.
tertained. He designed for her hiF
only son Henriqucz, a notoriou.
Ounce. The beauty Of Celestina wa,
so great, that almost all the younl
cavaliers of Granada were in lov,
with her and as she was never to b.
seen except at mass, the church which
she attended was crowded with young
men. Among these, Don Pedro, a
young man of twenty, and captain in
troop of horse, was pre-eminent.
Handsome, gentle, witty, the eyes of
all the ladies of Granada were attract.
ed by him, while among them all he
saw only Colestina; and she, who
could not avoid perceivipg this, felt
herself gradually influenced by the
dumb eloquence of his eyes, and
could not help replying by soft
glances,
Thus passed a month, when Don
Pedro found means to convey letter
to his mistress, informing her of what
she already well knew. As soon as
she had read this epistle, the cruel
Celcstina sent it back to Don Pedro
in great indignation But she had a
remarkably retentive memory, and
did not forget word of what she
had read, and eight days afterwards
was able to give a distinct reply to
every paragraph. But Don Pedro
had perseverance, and Celestina had
charity, and at length consented to
talk to him at her window, according
to the Spanish fashion, where windows
are Of more service by night than by
day, aud are the old established
meeting places of impassioncd lovers.
There, when the street is deserted the
lover appears, gliding cautiously
along, mufIlcd in his cloak, .ani
his faithful sword in his
hand. lie approaches the window,
defended with strong bars on the
outside and shutters within. But the
shutters are gently uuclosed, and the
lovely Spaniard appears; h5r trem-
bling voice awakos the low echoes Of
the night in a murmured inquiry if
none is waiting beneath her window
her lover answers, VOWS are ex
changed, aud even kisses pass be-
tween the cnvious grating. But the
day is breaking-thcy must part: an
hour is spent in breathing forth their
passionate adieus; aud they separate,
leaving unsaid multitude of things
most necessary to be impaired.
| CelestiDa's window was at the back
Of the house, aud looked upon q
piece of waste ground, around which
were a few poor ill built houses be-
longing to the lowest class of people
Don Pedro's old nurse happened tc
live in room Immediately opposite
to Celestina's window. This he de,
termined to secure he went to his
nurse, and after blaming himself fol
having SO long neglected her, insisted
on removing her to his own house
The poor woman, affected even tC
tears by the kindness of her foster
son, refused his offer at first; but, al
length giving way, she left her ole
apartments to his care, and was in
stalled at Don Pedro's house.
| Never was king more happy a
taking possession of throne, thu
was on Pedro when he found him
self installed in the miserable apart
ment abandoned by his nurse, H,
spent the day in watching the move
ments of his mistress, and the nigh
in conversing beneath her window
but this happiness was suddenly in
terrupted by the arrival of Henri
quez, the intended husband of Celes
tina, who made his appearance bearin
in hi3 hand a declaration of love
written for him in Latin by his tutor
Thatnigh an earnest consultation
was held at the window, and mean
time the contract of marriage was i
preparation, and the marriage da
was fixed, A fight to Portugal wa
determined on as the only means t
avoid SO direful catastrophe, and
, was settled that they should get mai
, ried as soon as they should reac
\ Lisbon, and make terms with ht
! guardian afterwards. Celestina wa
to provide herself with casket
Jewels which had been left her by hs
Z mother this was of considcrabI
g value, and on its proceeds they wei
e to support themselves until the
o affairs were settled. Nothing WI
needed but the Key of the gratin
f which Celessina undertook to procur
!. Eleven o'clock the next night vi
a fixed for the escape. Pedro was
: provide horses outside the gates, ar
}, was to meet Celestina at that hou
: assist her in her descent, and fly wi
e her to Portugal. Never was there
better-planned elopement.l "a
: Don Pedro employed all the ne
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