The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-04-26
THE STORY OF CoELIO.

THE STORY OF C0ELIO.
Philip IL, King of Spain, like many
other powerful monarchs, loved to lay
aside the insignia of royalty, and, fol-
lowing the example of Caliph Haroun
Alraschid, roam the streets of, his
capital of q night, accompanied by a
faithful servant in Disguise. He was
thus often enabled to discover himself
causes of popular discomfort, frammels
of conspiracies, or wishes for reform !;
also, to perform many acts of munifi-
cence towards the poor and meritori-
GUS.
In the year 1549 Philip paid visit
to the capital of the Netherlands,
Brussels, where he resided some time,
and was entertained in q manner
which recalled the magnificence of
the days of chivalry. He was still the
idol of his people, who hoped that the
son of Charles ", by treading in the
footsteps of his illustrious father,
would continue towards them the
favors and wise policy which had ren-
dered both Spain and the rest of the
empire SO unusually fl0urishing. How
Philip responded to these expectations
belongs to history. L will only men-
ton that at the period of the action of
this story he was in the zenith of his
popularity. -.
One night, when the ceremonies of
the court were over, Philip summoned
his faithful servant, Ruy Gomez.
Masking his face with long grey
beard, and enveloped in great Span
ish cloak, he and his attendant went
forth into the dark streets of Brussels
in quest of adventure.
They had not proceeded far in the
direction of the river, when their at
tention was drawn to person hurry
ing with rapid but uncertain steps to
the bridge. BY his excited gestures
the king thought he was some unfOr |
tunate creature driven by despair to
seek q watery grhve. He, therefore, /
hastcned after him, and, together with
Gomez, arrived just in time toprevent
his leaping over the. parapet into the
river.
y ,'stop! for Gods sake, stop"' cried
Philip ILL
"Who may you be? Let me alone,
I say. My life's my own, and l supt
pose / may do as / choose with it,"
"That you may not. 1t belongs to
God, who gave it. He alone may take
ct.
"Wherefore then does He not pror
vide me the wherewithal to sustain it?
He feeds the vermin, but leaves man
SO dependent that he may die Of star
walton, as am doing. Unhand me,
1 say, unhand mel" ,....,.....-5
The desperate man sought for his
rapier, but it was gone.
"What misfortune has driven you
to this rash extremity?" asked the,
king. .tjifF 4
"Sir, this is my misfortune, and
may it never be yours. / have not
tasted food for two days"
"Alas! poor YOUTH" He was a
tall, lank young man, who, had he
been properly fed and clothed, would
have been remarkably handsome. His
bony frame was elegantly built, slen-
der and graceful, yet strong. His eyes
were black and fiery, his brow broad
and intellectual, his features regular,
but at present much marred by their
extreme meagerness. The expression
of his countenance, under favorable
circumstances, would have been open
and engaging, but misery had stamp
ed it with a haggard, carewornk look,
piteous to behold. The King of Spain,
putting his hand firmly on the young
mans shoulders, again sighed, FAlas!
poor boy" "
Don't stand there signing and
looking at me. In the name Of the
saints in heaven, can you give me
food-food and employment II not,
let me end my miseries." -.. rti
"Young man, look into my face.
See, does it look careworn?" at' ~
"Very much So"
"Well, young sir, when you have
gone through as much of agony as
myself then may you think of leaving
this world i'm search of another, where,
as just punishment for your crime, a
worse fate awaits you in eternity.
Who are you? Whence came you?
Above alp here Philip searched for
the tiny crucifix that hung from the
rosary he wore round his wrist, are
you Catholic"' -i
"WhO dares to question it?n ex-
claimed the young man, haushtily.
az am" '''
"Are you a gentleman ~ again
questioned the king.
"By my patron saint, am, sir-as
true a gentleman as ever wore q
sword" .a - ... fr,..i
'.GeDtleman or not you are Chris
tian. Come, follow me, and will give
you some supper and a bed for the
night. Tomorrow we CONTINUED King
Philip who, accustomed as a sovereign
to speak in the second person plural,
had difficulty to adopt the first, person
singular in his disguise that is, L will
further question you as to what you
can do to earn your livelihood for the
future. There, Gomez, lead the way"
Holding the rescued youth by the
i hand firmly, lest he should escape.
Philip, preceded by Ruy Gomez, bent
his steps toward the palace. iE
On his way curiosity, one of the
strongest passions of this great SOW
ereign, got the better of his charity,
and, Notwithstanding the young man
was so weak as to render his answers
almost inaudible, the King obtained
from him the outline of his history.
He was, he eaid, one Alfonso Sanchez
Coelio, q native of Portugal, and a por-
trait painter by profession. He had
oeen driven from Spain by order OF the
Marquis Don Louis de Mariavalle,
Governor of Badajos, for the crime of
falling in love With his excellency's
daughter, Dona Esiafania, in. whose
company he had been much thrown
during q considerable time employed
in the execution of her picture. He
had wandered to the Netherlands in
the hope of obtaining work. But al
though he had done all in his power to
earn his bread, he had in every care
failed, and for two days had not tasted
food. He was too proud to beg, and,
maddeled by want, had sought to free
himself of his miseries by a violent
death.
The king provided Coelio, as he
promished, with substantial meal
and q good bed, and the next morning
he awoke much refreshed, to find Ruy
Gomez by his couch, holding in his
hand handsome suit of clothes for his
service. Vainly did he question the
shrewd Ruy as to the condition of his
unknown benefactor. Ruy informed
him that the gentleman was named
Don Paez that he was in the service
of his Catholic Majesty, and that pre-
sently, when he had finished his colla-
ton, the Senior Don Paez would come
to him, and talk of his prospects for
the future.
Accordingly, when Sanchez Coelio
| had dispatched an excellent breakfast,