The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-11-10
THE MAID OF sARAGossA.

L
dispatched by. y.Bonaparte in the June of
that year 10 reduce Saragossa, where the
royal Standard Of the B1urDons had
been uniurled. This city was not
fortified; it was surrounded by
an iIl-constructed wall, twelve feet hign
by three broad, intersecLed by houses ;
these houses, the neighborlng churches
and converts, were il so dilapldated a
state that from the roof to the fOunda-
tion were to be seen in each immense
breaches; apertures begun by time aud
| increased by neglect. A large hill
called Ii TOrero, commanded the town
at a distance of Il mile, aud offered sit
uation Tor most destructive lombard
ment. Among the sixty thousand IN
nabitants there were but two huHd Ell
and twenty regular troops, and the al
| tillery cOnsis ted OF ten old cannon.
| The French began tue siege III rather +
siotnful style; they deemed much eXer-
ton unnecessary: SaragOssa, they said,
was only inhabitated by monks and
coSards. but tGelr opinions and their
efforts were destined 10 an entire revO-
lutIon. Very seldom in the annals o.
war has greater heroism, greater
bravery, greater horror and misery been
concentrated than during the two
months that these desperate patriots re-
pelied their Invaders. No sacrifices were
| LOO great to be offered, no eXtremities TOO
| oppressive 10 be endured by The be-
sleged; but, as it often occurs among
The nOblest bodies Of men, that one sor-
did soul may be found open TO the TAR
reaching hand OF corruption, sucn a
wretch happened to be intrusted VITA a
powder magazine AT Saragossa. Under
ne influence of French gold, he III Ell
| the magazine on the night OF the I'd Ot
June. To describe the hOrrorS that ell
sued would be i'm, ,Josslble.
| The Fleuch, to whom The noise of the
IeXplosIOn had been signal, advanced
their troops to the gales. The popula-
t ton, shocked, amazed, hardly knowing
what had occurred, entirely Ignorant Of
the cause, bewildered by conflagration,
ruins, and The noise of the enemy's az
tillery UNEXPECTEDLY laundering III tuelr
ears, were paralyzed, powerless; the
overthrow, the slaughter OF those who
stood at the ranparts, seemed more like
massacre than battle; in a short
time tue trenches presented nothing
but a heap OF dead bodies. There was
no longer a cOmbatant 10 be seen; no.
UOdy ielt the courage to stand TO the de-
tense.
AT ,his desperate moment an unknown
ma den issued from the Chutch OF Nos
IRA Donna del Plllas, haDlLed in wnIte
raIment, cross suspended from her
neck, her dark hair dIsneveled, aud her
eyes sparkling with Supernatural lus-
ire. Sue traversed the city mltn IL firm
ana bold step; she passed TO the raul-
parts, to the very spot where the enemy
vas pouring on 10 the assault; sue
mounted to the breach, seIzeu u lighted
match from The hand Of dying en-
gineer, and fired the piece Of artlllery
he had taIled to manage; then Kissing
her cross, she cried, WlLn the accent OF
inspiration, "Deatn OF victory J" and
reloaded her cannon.
Such a cry, sucn a vision could not
fill OI calling up enthusiasm; 1t seemed
that Heaven uad brought aiG tO the juot |
cause; her cry was answered., "LUnS |
1--we AgostinuW
forward, forward, we will conquerw |
resOunued on every side. NerVeu by |
sucu emotions, tne force Of every man |
was doubled, and the French were re-
pulsed on ali sides.
General LeteV, {, mortified at this un- |
expected result, determined to reduce |
the place by famine, as well as to dis
tress IL by bomDardment from Ii Torero. |
The horrors tnat followed his measures !
would be too painful TO de,aIl, but |
they afforded Agostlna an opportunity |
OF ule playing her lGtrepldlty. she threw
herself i'll The most perllous Positions
to rescue the unhappy. beings wounded |
by the bombs or by the falIng OF tim
bers. She went from house to house |
visiting the wounded, binulng up their
hurts, or supplying aid to the sick and |
s carving. Tue Flench, by their lndOm-
liable perseverance, from step TO step, |
rendered themselves masters OF nearly |
halt the CITY. Leteyre tuOugnt his hour |
of triumph had now certainly arrived
ne sent to the commandment. General |
to demand u capituaLiun. |
Pa.afox received this in pubic. He
turIeu to Agostina, who stood near hun,
armed:
"N nat shall ansWerT'
The girl Indignantly replied:
"W al 10 the kuliev'
Her exclamation was echoed bV the |
ana PalafoX made her words |
his reply TO Leleyre.
Nothing in Lhe history of war has ever
been recorded to resemble lhe cunse-
QuGnCe OF this refusal TO capitulate, One
Tow OF houses III street would be occu-
pleG by the Spanish, the opposite row by |
The Frence. A continual tempest OF balls
passed through the air; lhe town
was volc NO; the most revolving
w DIS SulI iou Ou IOC 6leNGu
days and eleven nights. Every street.
every house, was disputed win mu, ket
and pnlgnard. AsUSLIna ran from rank
10 rank, everywhere taking the most
active part. Inc III ench were gradually
driven back; and the dawn OF tie 17th ol
August saw them relinQulsh this long-
l!sputed prey, and take CAe road to Pam
peiuna. Inc triumph OF the patriots
neir JOY Was unspeakaDIe. Pa
IloX rendered due hon0rs to
.he brave men who had
perished, and andeavored to remuneratc
ne lew intrepid warriors VINO survived
them was Agostlna. But " hat
could be offered commensurate with the
,e wees Ut one who mad saved the city!
palatoX told her to select what honura
ne pleased. She modestly begged Lo re-
ain The rank of engineer, ana TO wear
he arms of Saragossa. The rest OF her
.f4 was passed in honorable poverty,
Until she died, In 1926,
"By all her COuntry's wishes blestv
--.@eS-
SWiNDLING HOTELS.