Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-03-09
An @riginal Storg.
PxEG88xs.A..
A THRILLING STORY OF WESTERN LIFE.
Rx MRS. HENRY IDEAS.
CHAPTER XIX.

Let us, now once more, enter the prison
walls at Valladolid, and revisit the cell where
Manuel Gonzales is confined. .....
Some months have passed since his last in
terview with General K, and he looks now
even more worn and i'll than he did on that
occasion. Languor and depression mark all
Lis movements. He sits idle most of the time;
even his old occupation Of writing has
ceased to interest him, and his books lie
unopened on his shelf
Leaning With one elbow resting upon the
table, his head supported by his hand, he sits
thus detected and unemployed, when bis cell
door is opened, and his American friend, un'
e,,1xpectedly, appears before him.
The FIRST joyful surprise of the meeting be-
ing over, the prisoner speedily relapsed into
his former listless state. But his visitor, with
an eagerness of manner denoting him to be
the bearer of important news, reused him
from it by exclaiming, as he laid his hand
upon bis arm .....I
"Manuel, have good tidings for you, my
friend! Can you bear them 7" -...
Manuel quickly raised bis head, and bis in
quiring eyes met those of the General, which
spsrkled with irrepressible joy. A responsive
plesm kindled upon his own features, yet
shadowed by uncertainty and doubt as he re-
Piled sns .r!..-. .5 .-,... %. ..
: aGood tidings for me, General! 1t is 80
long since have ceased to anticipate them'
that they will come, indeed, with something
Of q shock upon me. Yet / think can lis
ten to them with fortitude." D"
"Then I will begin with my most important
point" said the General. Your brother has
been found |"
"My brother-Edowardo p cried the pris-
oner, rising to his feet, while flush suddenly
crimsoned his face Impossible! How 7
Where 7" a .t,.... ...
aIn the United states-his hiding place, as
it appears, for many years past-where he has
been living under an assumed name his
capture, Of course, implies full discovery of
his own guilt, and your own exculpatlonn'
Do you realize that? 7"
The unwonted flush faded as suddenly as it
had risen, from Manuels brow. He sat down
again, trembling from head to foot, and con-
cealel bis face in his hands.
"Come bear it like man" said the Gen
eral kindly, pressing his arm as he spoke. Il
fear have agitated you uselessly, by my ab-
rup.ness. should have prepared you in some
way for this IneX p5crtr news: 'Dus' s'-ffadee'dd
my heart was so full of it, that l could not
contain myself any longer"
"Would to God," exclaimed Manuel, "that
my innocence could be established in any
other way than through his shame, which
must thus become publicly known. He is my
own brother-my only one; the companion
and play.fellow of my childhood"
"Aud your base betrayer in later years"
reioined his friend. "Can it be possible that
any sentiment of sympathy, Of tenderness for
him, moves you at such time as this I"
II am so bewildered," replied Manuel, pass
sing his hand across his brow, "that 1 scarce
" know what feel At one moment, an
oyerpowering joy fills me, only to be mingled
at the next with bitter pain. Forgive my
weakness. my kindest friend! To you, owe
a debt Of gratitude which can never re-
pay"
"For assisting in capturing your brother p
asked the General, with half-smile. "You
must know that was in command of the par
ty who took him." And, as briefly as posi-
bic, he gave sketch Of the affair alluded to,
to which his companion listened in silence. /,
"You, Of course, acted as was incumbent
upon you," said the latter, with heavy sigh,
when the recital was concluded. 'Yet, Oh!
General, it causes me bitter grief to think that
my freedom should be purchased at such a
cost Better had it come in that other way
which I anticipated; better had l been re-.
leased by the hand Of death But tell me"
be added, anxiously, sis there not chance of
obtaining his pardon-or, at least, commuta-
ton of the punishment in store for his crime
banishment, imprisonment"
"His crime, you say! Alas, my friend, his
crimes are too numerous and too black to be
classed under single head. Believe me,
your sympathy for him is as uncalled for, as
it would be unappreciated by his base and
ignoble nature. He would but mock you for
it, and regard it as childish folly; weakness
of mind resulting from long imprisonment,
and secusion from the rest of mankind"
"Is he, then, so wicked as you describe him
to be ?" asked Manuel, with shudder.
"He is, indeed but will not pain you now
by recital of bis deeds. You will learn them
all at some future day. 1t may be cousola-
ton to you to learn that his conduct to you,
base and unworthy as it has been, will call
less loudly for punishment than many of his
other and more recent atrocities. But, dear
friend, let US not look now on this dark side
of the pictured Let US rather rejoice in the
prospect of your speedy restoration to liberty,
that liberty Of which you have been unjustly
deprived 50 long. Consider the odium which
hss rested upon your name, and the Joy OF
having it removed"
al do consider this; but, as I said just now,
my thoughts are in a whirl-everything seems
unreal and confused. And, after all, General,
what is there worth having, in this liberty
you have procured for mei I know it seems
uneraseful to speak thus; but consider how
little Joy in life can be in store forme. What
claim has the world upon me, or 1 upon it ?
I am bound by no family ties-my wife, my