The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1878-07-18

And right across the river,
A path Of hsht dothlis.
Isazed till my eyes were dAzzisd,
At the slowly shining sun,
Till the stars poeped out above me-
Telling the day was gone.
A ROMANCE OF TnE PYRENEES.
lam Spaniard, and the only son and
sole heir Of Don Guzman de MansOria,
grandee of Spain of the second class, by
whom was educated according to my for
tune and exalted rank. At the age OF
twenty five /. lost my father. II is the
custom in Spain that at the death of .
father the mobiles should wear mourning
for one year, and pass that time In state
of absolute solitude at their rem0test es-
tates. I loved my father tenderly, and
deeply regretted his loss. observed my
cOuntry's custom on the event as q holy
duty, and in conformity thereto removed
into Ara2on, where had a castle situated
nj the foot of Mount Maladetta, on the
extreme frontier between Spain and France.
This was in the year 1870, when Spain WAS
still beautiful and mighty. although the
nobility and clergy ruled it with an iron
despotism. and the feudal laws, more rigid
" enforced than they had ever been, even
in France, were better consolidated by the
perfect understanding on this point between
the priests and the crown. The mobiles
rnled the people, and the King ruled all.
For my part, l frankly admit that was
proud of my title Of Count, and priced the
prerogatives of my rank and the rights of
my birth. My Steward dispensed justice
to my vassals in my name, and when his
decisions appeared unjust to them they ap-
pealed to me in person.
The gallows, which stood before the
gate of the castle, pithily announced my
power OF condemning to death within the
limits o. my county. BY law all snug
glers were subject to this rigorous penalty
to which my deputy always condemned
them with unspariDg severity, and which
always commuted to a lighter punish.
ment. At this time the smugglers were In
xyualee aambers than they are nov, a6d,
o had received directioos from Court "a
suppyen this illegal tnAlc, had armed my
Ws6als, who patroled IN the deflles and BY.
roads, secured the mountains, end assisted
the officers Of the Kings customs on all &C.
Onions. This rigorous pursuit of the
smGggIers increased their audacity and In.
spired them with desperation and revenge.
Before they were only dealers in prohibited
articles; they now became brigaDds, organ.
lied regular bands into troops, and opposed
open resistance in the field to the Kings
and my jurisdiction. One day fifty of my
people were attacked near La Picade and
cruelty massacred by these bandits where.
upon vowed never again to remit or com.
mute the sentence of my Deputy, but "a
hang up the first smuggler who should bt
captured.
A few days afterward the worthy func.
tionary was announced, and presented me
with death warrant for my signature.
hesltated, trembled, and could not proceed.
It is such shocking, chilling thought that
sfew letters, SO rapidly and so easily traced,
should have the power of depriving fel.
lOw-creature of life! tried to read the
sentence, but my eyes were clouded and
could not see distinctly, so l asked the
Steward to read it. He commenced with
IN official tone, but / stopped him at the
second line-when found that the culprlt
was . girl only eighteen years old!
MY lord, said the fuDctiOnary, ''Milan.
eta is the daughter of the captain of the
smugglers. She daily deceives the vigi-
lance of the guards, and passes and repsss-
es between Spain and France with intelli-
gence to direct the movements of the two
troops of bandits, and they could not pos
sibly battle our authority but for her. This
young woman is guilty: have condemned
her. and it is your duty to sanction the
laws award. You haye pledged yourself
to the rigid execution Of justice to your
vassals, and you owe it to the kind. The
word Of Spanish Grandee is sacred !;
therefore, my lord, you must sign that pa
per-"
Never! What, send girl only eighteen
years old 10 death! l couldn't muster
strength to do it. What die she urge in
her defense 2"
HAS she confessed the charger
''No."
sThen l suspend the execution Of the
sentence. Conduct Milanetta here.
wish TO see and interrOgate her personally"
NV deputy obcyed. and in an instant
.fterwar6 Nilanetta stood before me Oh
n Won had seen that youthful creature
differing with grace and beauty )! Had yo,,
irving moment, the clear olive of her ex.
pressiye brow (the sun, YOU know. kisses
aur Snanish mai,iens with a scorchinc EN-.
br.cel her dark tresses floating loose IN
the mountain breeze, her noble attitude and
the majestic bearing of her head, like me,
you would first Of all admired: like me
you would have felt an involuntary respect
for her; like me, perhaps, you would have
loved her! was then only twenty five,
and knew nothing of women but had
learned in the cloisters OF Salamanca or the
courts and reveis Of Madrid. My heart was
yet in Its virgin freshness. my head was
heated under our burning sun. ana feit