The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1870-08-12

In vain. Her delIoGSe limbs were sub
jected to tor IRE, but she clung unt1inch
ingly to her new faith. The lady su
periOr, enFaged at finding all her ettOrt'
ct conversion vain, denOunc~d 4 her t
the officers of the ingu 'siti0n as a dan
gerOus and Obdurate hereto. She was
removed from the ;Onvent to the pIie
on, and with undaUntCd resolution, and
with faith that deficd both danger
and death, in the very pr -ence OF the
Inquisitor-( ieneral, she glOri, | i'll the
suffering sho was CT led on TO endure
for the sake Of Jesus.
She was condemned to be burned on
tts first day of November, with Others
who had TefUsed to rCCa1t and stftie
I their conscience by again returning to
! the bosom of the Holy Catholic Church.
| II accordance with this sentence Le-
OnOra was now on her way TO the plaza,
where every preparation had been
made for its execution.
From the moment that the cOrtege
had staI led from the prison young
man of noble mien, dressed III a garb
| that bespoke bis high rank, had been
Struggling to force his way through the
dense mass to the side of the captives.
| Though AO Difference was shown on
! this occasion to persons Of quality, yet
/
young grandee, and the unmistakable
! anguish expressed in bis face. operated
| in lis favor, autl- tlfss slame s crowd
allowed him tosd4aW near me victims.
! This parsonage, seemingly SO intent on
beholding the dreadful sentence car
ried into execution. was the young
! Marquis of Elvas. A short time before
LeOnOra had placed herself under the
| spiritual guidance of the English GU
rate he had made her an offer of his
| hand and heart. The two families had
! been on terms of intimacy for years,
and the prospect of matrimonial con-
nection was highly satisfactory to all
parties. The lovers were passiOnately
attached to each other, and were look
ing forward to Il happy cOnsummatiOn
of their betrOthal when the terrible cir
cumstances we have detailed broke in
upon their dream of bliss.
The powerful families of the MARQUIS
and De Castro had both eXerted all
their influence to have the punishment
of LeOnOra mitigated, but the stern &C.
cIesiastics had refused the slightest re-
lief A petition for respite had met
with the same fate. The young no.
bIeman in his distraction and despair
had cursed the pitileSs rigOr of the dread
tribunal, and even dared to question
its authority. By this course he had
drawn uDOn himself the cret but GER
tain vengeance of the Church. Though
aware of the close espionage to which
all his words and acts were subjected,
he resolved = see and, if possible, offer
some words of comfort to LeOnOra be-
fore she reached the plaza. He would
at least as ure her of his sympathy and
unchanged affection, and then, rushih.s
rom the fatal scene of her suffering,
which for worlds he would not witness,
would forever turn his back on the
priest-ridden land of his fathers.
Before be cOU'd reach her side, how
ever, the procession had reached the
goal that was, as he thought, to end
forever his dreams OF happineSe. The
captives had been drawn up in q line
Idciug the bishop, who, on ms solemn
occasion, of1iciated rs the representative
of the Church. According to the uSu-
al cU3t ON, each of the condemned We
urge tO ant, whNe the dir, st pains
of hell were denounced against sucn a9
should persist to the end III their aifsyn-
Unable heresv. The evident distr, Df
IeOnOra hau induced the priest to be
IieVe that she, at least, would not prove
to be finally Obdurate. He even held
out to her hopes of II FCite, and perhaps
of-uItimate pardon. He alluded to her
t9hder youth, her beauty and accom-
pIishmen'r, and limited at the JOY ) that
life might yet have in store for her.
He SPOKE Of the d's, IS OF her heart
broken relatives CCc9 stoned by her
ag0stasv, and DE joy with which she
would NIL their heal IS by a recanta, .On,
even at tue eleventh hour. " And now,
IcgnOra De Cas.tO," continued the
bishop, "will you retrace your erTing
steps? VIII you discard the heretical
opinions implanted In your yOuthfuI
mind by that son of Belial? Our holy
Church, ever lenient to the faults OF her
erring children, everNi disposed to deal
merciluiIy with such as confess their
sins and repent, would receive you
again to her boron. VIII you come ,"
He paused, while every sound was
hushcd to hear her response. Her agl-
tation was now gone, and i'll calm,
clear voice, that was audible to many
on ear in that anxious thrOng, she re-
Dlied: "I can not acknowledge the
authority of the Church you represet.
I believe the faith I now profess to be
the true one. There is but One who
can forgive sin, and in his mercy do l
trust. If am called to die for HIS dear
sake. will uy to bear my sutferings
cheer.Jlly, knowing that our light at-
fiction, WI ;ch is but for q moment,
Worketh for Us a far more exceeding
and etc naI weight of glory"
The astonished churchmGn, enraged
at the unexpected reply of the fair cap
tive, and fearing its effect on the pOpu~
lace. ground his teeth in fury, and or
dered the fires to be lighted at once, and
the prisoners to be bound to the stakes,
adding, i'm q stern tone, to the brave
young girl, "Obdurate wretch! this
day shalt thy soul wTithe in the frey
tOTments Of the damnedi thou shalt
soon enjoy a fOretaste of thy DOOM"
LeOnOFa, whose nerves had been great
lv weakened by the long trial to which
tRav had been Subjected shocked at the
barbarity Of the prelate's rude address,
staggered, and would have fallen to
the ground, but the young Marquis
now rushed forward and caught her in
his arms. "Inhuman monster" he
exclaimed, addressing the bishop, "she
IS filter for heaven than such as thou.
If<4lere is an angel iii the presence OF
God, she will soon be one"
''Ha, my lord Marquis" cried the
prelate, these are bold words, but they
have sealed your doom
i" Arrest the Marquis of Elvas," he
said to the provost; and that officer
was just stepping forward to obey the
order, when low, rumbling sound
was heard, followed by a sudden shak-
ing of the earth that cast every one
PROSTATE on its faco. An immense
wave, towering inits might, came roll
ing on from tie Tagus, and quenched
the impious fires that had been kim
died to consume those who trusted IN
Him " who heareth the young ravens
when they cry" In few seconds the
shock was repeated, and cries of terror
and dismay came rolling up from the
doomed city; mingled with the appalling
crash OF falling buildings.
All was CONSERVATION and universal
panic. The mad multitude so lately
clamerOus for the iuhUman sacrifice,
and who had come ont : ON the quiet
CITY to gloat over the sulferings of their