Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1877-08-02

said the hermit. Hast thou the
courage to bear i'll news?'
ST have the heart for anything but
suspense.
Tomorrow was to have been thy
wedding day."
"Was to have been?" echoed the
impetuous young man. sis it not
to be7 You yourself promised to
bless our union.'
"Calm thyself and listen to me. Is
there lamb upon these wild hills
that the wolf seeks not to devour?
Maria was my pet lamb-Vincentio
Martelli is the wolf"
"Vincentio Martelli!''
''He came hither-he saw the be-
trothed," continued the old man;
''her beauty fred him; he said that
charms like hers were not to be vast
led on peasant churi. He offered
to make her his bride. Maria spurn-
ed the offer. Then he resorted to
menace. Il give you,' said he, to-
night for reflection. If on the NOR
row you are not prepared to grant my
suit, my men-at-arms shall drag you
from this roof to the safe security of
my castle, and there my almoner who
dares not refuse obedience to nv
commands, shall unite us at the affairs
foot"
And she was compelled to as
sent =" cried Antonio, in a a voice of
agony.
Not so !; she was proof against
temptation and menace. She declar-
ed that she would sooner perish
sooner dash herself to pieces On these
wild rocks, than be false to her plight
ed VOW. With a repetition of his
threats, Martelli left her.
'sAnd l met the villain On his re-
turn, and knew not this 20 exclaimed
Antonio. ''We stood together on a
narrow pass, where one motion of my
arm would have hurled him to perdi-
ton. But he shall not escape me,
Where is Maria now!"
IkSst,. - .oe, x-;4h hor % +bor o+ ,,,x-
hermita re. Protected by the cross,
no one dares modest her. But, alas,
this il but temporary shelter. Mar
telli is capable of starving her in her
retreat, by beieaguring the sanctuary,
even if, bad man as he is, he does
not resolve to commit the crime OF
sacrilege, violate my threshold, and
carry his menace into execution.
What. then, is left you ultimately
but submission?''
"Revenge," answed the Corsican,
in deep and hollow voice.
30, my son." cried the hermit,
''remember it is written-'Vengeance
is mine, saith the Lord Remember
that submission is the duty of a
Christian"
"Not submission to tyranny,
father" cried the young man impet-
uousIy. "Our tenets teach us not
that. Know you not that this Mar
telli is usuper to whose yoke we
Corsicans have too long bowed? But
the hour of reckoning Is at hand.
This last act has over-filled his cup.
Farewell father. We shall meet each
other on the plains tomorrow. Till
then watch over Maria with fathers
care. Once more, farwell. !"
On the following day the broad
green plain at the foot of the moun-
tain presented gay and animating
spectacle. A large space was inclos-
ed by the rough palisades, and around
a part of the circumference were rails
ed rude benches, for the accommo-
dation ola large number of spectators
of the approaching sports, and these
were filled with gaily attired peasants
and mountaineers of both sexes, at an
early hour. A sort of throne. richly
ornamented and canopied, arose upon
one side of the lists, and here was
seated Vincentio Martelli, in his
most splendid robes, surrounded by
his mercenary satellites.
The sports of the day consisted in
the capture and tanning of number
of half wild horses, which were turned
into the ring and pursued by men on
foot, provided with lassos, which they
threw around the necks or legs of the
horses. After the horses were thrown
down the huntsman bitted them,
yaulted upon their backs, and en-
deavored to reduce them to obedience
in spite of their frantic effort to re-
gain their liberty.
One noble black horse, well fitted
to be the champion Of his race, at
tracted the universal attention, and
seemed destined by his fire, speed
and ferocity, to battle every attempt
to master him. When first admitted
to the ring he dashed around it with
the speed of lightning, looking wildly
for an outlet. Finding none, he at
tempted to leap the harricade. Fail
ing in this, he lashed out with1his
hind legs till the massive stancheons
that sustained the gate threatened to
give away.
More than one adventurer in vain en-
deavored to fix the lasso on his limbs.