The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-11-24
from Harper's Monthly of November ]
A STRICKEN HEART.
A ROMANCE OF THE ANDES.

ShNC, anu luuuSUC6u also, lTODhDll
5, in some degree by love of novelt
and adventure, recently made tn
journey acrors the continent of Sout
America from Peru to the mouth O
the Amazon, gives, in his account o
the tour, narrative of one of the in
cidents that occurred substantially a
follows:
II After traversing one of the chain
n or cOrdilleras, of the Andes by ;
frightful pass, he came into q viii,
region, quite sparsely populated
and as, of course, in such a country
there are no public facilities of AM
= kind for the accommodation of tray
elers, our adventurer was obliged tC
trust to such chances of private hos
pitality as he could find for food aud
shelter at night. He spent one night
, in a small cabin-like dwelling
which, being the residence of the
family occupying it, served the puI-
pose of what in New England would
be called a country store. -
Gr. Marcoy-for that was the
name OF our traYeler-d;d not find
his accommodation very comforta-
bic. In fast, he found them very un-
comforl able; and in tie morning, on
resumiDg the journey, his guide, to
relieve somewhat his evident dis
satisfaction and discomfort, promised
him much better quarters for the
next night. 1t would be, he said,
not at such a N iserable grocery as
the last, but at the hacienda of real
lady, that they would lodge. 1t was
a lady, however, he added, that, for
some mysterious reason, lived in the
most absolute retirement and secluS-
ion. She was native of Lima, and
had come some time before to estab-
lish herself on this estate, which she
inherited from her parents. She
lived there, he said, in perfect soil
tude. She always kept herself dur
ing the day secluded in her apart
ments, and whenever she went ont
which was only at night-she was
always closely veiled. But in respect
to the cause of her separating herself
thus mysteriously from the world,
the guide knew nothing.
| OF course the speciailv
as be was of an age and q tcmpera-
ment TO appreciate the romance
of such story as this-be-
| gan at once to feel some curiosity
and interest in respect 10 this myste-
~, and he was more tlan usually
impatient that day TO arrive at hi,
| journeys end. At lCngt, toward
nightfal. the hacienda came in sight.
1t was q white house, with pretty
green blinds of the Spanish fashion
and was pleasantly situated among
trees, upon a rising ground, at sh,rl
distance from the banks Of the river
OCcocamba, along the course OF which
MIR. Marcoy's journey lay.
As the traveller and his guide drove
up to the house two persons, attracted
perhaps by the sound of the horses
footsteps, made their appearance At
the door. They seemed to be SER
wants. One was an elderly man, lis
hair already gray; the other wes a
somewhat Sayly dressed young peas
ant woman, who, as the traveller ina
eined from her air and appearance, |
might be a lady's-maid. Mr.. Marcoy
at once inferred that she was the at
tendant of the mysterious resident OF
the hacienda. Size gazed at the tray-
eler, Gs he approached the door, with
a pleased look of interest and curios-
ity. The man asked the stranger,
when lie saw him preparing to dis
mount, what he desired.
Mr.. MacOy stated his case, saying
that be was traveller passing
through that part of the country, and !
had come TO the hacienda in hopes
that he could have shelter there TOR
the night. lie made his Statement, in
& somewhat full and deliberate mal-
ner, and spoke in a pretty audible
voice, and his most agreeable tone |
and manner, in hopes to make IA
vorable impression upon the myste- !
riOus lady, in case it should happen, |
as he imagined might very possibly !
be the case, lhat she was concealed |
behind the blind OF some window |
within hearing.
Whether he was correct in these /
surmises may not be very certain; |
but at any rate, after some further |
parleyiug, the maid went into the |
housa, and soon returned, sayi Q. !
with an air OF cordially and pleasure, |
that he could stay. She also said |
something in an uHder-tOne TO the |
man, who then went at once TO aid |
the guide in taking care of the |
horses.
Accordingly, after delivering lis |
horse into his guides hands, Mr.. Ma 1
COY followed the maid into the house, !
She led him into kind of salon.
which was plainly but comfortably |
furnished, and was oTnameIted with |
piciures of saints aud other religious |
subjects, and also with images Of diff
ferent kinds having the same piOus /
expression or character. The peas |
ant girl, with pleased and somewhat |
curious and even almost rOguish |
looks, welcomed him to take seat
upon the sofa, saying that he could re-
main there, unless lie chose 10 amuse |
himself ana while away the time,
while she was preparing his repast,
bv walking il the garden. lie de-
cided at once that lac would walk III /
the garden.
On entering the garden he began
sauntering 10 and fro along the walks
and among the beds Of flowers, and
while pretending to be observing |
only the sky, the mountains: and the
horizon, and admiTipg the beauties
of the surrounding scenery, he was
covertly taking survey of the build
inc. with l. view of discovering, ifhe
could, the probable situation of the
mysterious lady. lie also began to
examine with botanical eye the
plants in the beds and borders, try {
ing at the same time TO see If he
could find any where traces of the
horticultural performances OF lady.
Finally he penetrated into kind OF
inner garden, partially separated
from the rest, which was overlooked
by window that was shaded by a
blind, and adorned in beautiful
manner by climbing plants and
vines.
lie decided at once that this win
dow must be the one which had been
the object of his search. He was
confirmed in this opinion by Ghserv-
ing that the training Of the plants in
that part OF the garden which was
overlooked by this window, and the
kind of supports by which the more
delicate ones were sustained, ildica-
ted lady's hand rather than that of
regular gardener.
He obserVed-taking care, hOWev-
er, not TO appear to be making any
such observation-that the bars of
the blind were drawn down that is,
were is position to intercept vision.
He then turned bis lace partially
away, and pretended 70 Sc entirely
nccnrnind in examining and 30 uliring