The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1873-01-10
and Mexican in its natural and artificial

! Seventy years ago, during the Occupan-
cy of the Mission Father, there lived
fn the vicinity of Los Gngeles a beauti-
full Spanish girl Nearly all spanish
girls, while IN the bloom and freshness
of youth, possess more or less of their
national cast of beauty but the Seno-
rita MaroelIina had, from childhood,
been acknowledged queen among the
maidens of her native place. Her
complexion, tinged with the warm bru-
nette hue of her face, was clear and
bright with the rich tint of health. Her
wealth of black hair fell in rippling
waves far below her waist and her
large, dark eyes were fringed with silk
en- lashes that matched the exquisite pen
Cling of the arched brows above them.
Her parents, though belonging to the
better class OF Spanish, had become
poor, through extravaganza and mis-
management, and had formed the pro-
ject of bettering their fortunes by we'd
ding their daughter to some wealthy
Don.
The lovely Marcellina did not lack
for admirers nor ardent lovers, and
among them all Senior Carlos de Dom
ingues was the favOrite and accepted
suitOr. He was handsome, tall, and
manly, but alas! without fortune, and
socially not the equal of Marcellina.
AS may be supposed, his suit met with
no encouragement from the Don and
Dona Feliz, and they, finding the at
tachment becoming stronger than ac-
corded with their plans for their daugh-
ter, resolved to remove to Santa Bar
bara, mission some hundred miles
north, where resided many wealty fam
lies, among whom they doubted not an
alliance would be formed suitable in
fortune and position.
The announcement of their contem-
plated removal struck dismay to the
hearts of Marcellina and Carlos, but
the latter, receiving courage from the
separation, presented his suit to the
parents. AS was anticipated, it was
scornfulIy rejected, and further inter
course sternly forbidden. The lovers
were, however, too ardent to be separa-
ted thus, and, through the medium of
an old Indian nurse, who was devotedIy
attached to the girl, they obtained one
interview before parting.
In the early twilight MarcelIina stole
by an Adobe wall which lay back of the
paternal mansion. Here she stood,
waiting with throbbing heart the arrival
of her lover, while her nurse kept
watch on the other side of the wall,
ready to give the alarm, by a signal
agreed upon, should any one approach
from the house. Already the shadows
lay dark beneath the thick, low branches
of the olive trees, and at every rustic
and sound the fair transgressor started
and trembled. Suddenly @ tall figure
sprang over the wall, and crept stealth
lily along in its shadow, till he came
close to where the waiting maiden stood.
" Carlos" she cried, holding out her
trembling hands. "Is it you, Marcel
lima? All, poor little one, how she
trembles! They are cruel, darling, but
we will not be separated. They shall
not take you from me, my precious
one ="
And then he spoke long, low, and
rapidly in the beautiful Spanish Ian
guage, SO exquisitely fitted for express
sions of tenderness and endearment,
telling her that, as her parents objected
to their union on the ground of his pow
erty, he had determined to win wealth;
that an old Indian, bound to him by
ties of gratitude, possessed knowledge
of a rich mine far away among the
mountains, and to which he had prom
ised to guide him and his company:
and, by courage and skill, he would
soon return to claim her hand from her
ambitious, avaricious parents.
I" Remain true to me, Lima, and resist
their scheming. Wait for me but two
years, my darling, and if, at the end
of that time, you do not hear of me
know that have persisted in the at
tempt to win you"
He then gave her a cutting from a
grapevine, telling her to carry it to her
new home and plant it, keeping it as a
reminder of him, and that while it lived
and fourished she might know he loved
her and was true to her. The cutting
was in the form of riding whip, and
as such she was to carry it, for her jour
ney was to be performed on horseback.
Vowing eternal fidelity, the lovers
parted, and the next morning, Don and
| Dona Feliz, with their daughter and at
| tendants, started on their journey;
while Carlos and Company, with their
Indian guide, wended their way, full of
hope and confidence, over the noun
tain trail
Mwcellina, as may be supposed, made
little use of her grapevine switch to
urge her mustang along the weary way
between Los Angeles aud Santa Bar
bara. Arriving at their destination,
four miles from the Mission of Santa
Barbara, her first act was to plant the
cutting upon the hillside, with many
tears and prayers to the Virgin for the
success and safety of her lover.
The vine grew and iourished with
wonderful luxuriance, and gladdened
the heart of the waiting maiden, who
could hardly have borne the burden OF
anxiety and suspense without its silent
encouragement; for Don and Dcna had
found, as they thought, n suitable com
panion for their daughter, in a Spaniard
of reputed great wealth, who promised
them liberal compensation for her hand.
He was short. of good circumference