The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-05-01
ROMANCE OF TEE PYRENEEO.

ROMANCE OF TEE PYRENRES.
| am Spaniard and the onl y son and
sole heir Of Don Guzman de Mansoria,
grandee 0. Spain of the second class
by whom l was educated according to
my fortune and exalted rank. At the
age of twenty five | lost my father. 1t
is the custom in Spain that at the death
of father the mobiles should wear mourn
ing for one year, and pass that time in
IA state of absolute solitude at their re-
hottest estate. | loved my father ten
derby and deeply regretted his loss. /
observed my country's custom on that
event as holy duty, and in conformity
thereto removed into ArsgOn, where
had castle situated at the foot of Noun
Maladetta, on the extreme frontier be
tween Spain and France. This was in
the year 1879, when Spain was still beau
tiful and mighty, although the nobility
and clergy ruled it with an iron despot-
ism and the feudal laws, more rigidly
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 ruled the people and the King
ruled all For my part, 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 decision appeared
unjust to them they appealed to me IN
person.
The gallows, which stood before the
great gate of the castle, pithily announ-
ced my power of condemning to death
within the limits of my county. BY law
all smugglers were subject to this rigorous
penalty, to which my deputy always con-
demned them with unsparing severity,
and which | always committed to light
er punishment. At this time the SNUG
lers were in greater numbers than they
are now, and as had received directions
from court to suppress this illegal traf1c,
had armed my yassals, who patrollsd all
the defiles and by roads, secured the
mountains. and assisted the Offices of
the Kings customs on all occasions. This
rigorous pursuit of the smuglers increased
their audacity and inspired them With
desperation and revenge. Before hey
were only dealers in prohibited articles;
they now became brigands, organized
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 neir La
Picade and cruelty massacred by shese
bandits whereupon vowed never ,gain
to remit or commute the sentence o my
deputy, but to hang up the first smggler
who should be captured.
A few days afterwards the worthy
functionary was announced, and pre-
sented me with death warrant br my
signature. | hesitated, trembled and
could not proceed 1t is such a Shocking,
chilling thought that a few lett'rs so
rapidly and easily traced should have
the p6wet of deprving fellow creature
of life | tried to read the sentence,
but my eyes were olouded and could
not see distinctly, so l asked the steward
to read it. He commenced with an Off
cial tone, but | stopped him at the sec
ond line-when | found that the ulprit
was a girl only eighteen years old
my Lord" said the functonary,
Milanetta is the daughter of tie Gap
tain of the smugglers, She daily deceives
the vigilance of the guards, and passes
and repasses between and France with
intelligence to direct the movements of
the two troops of the bandits, and they
could not possibly battle our authority but
tor her This young woman is gully
l have condemned her, and it is your duty
TO sanction the laws award. You have
! nledged yourself to the rigid execution of
Justice to your vassals, and you owe it to
the king. The word of Spanish gran
dee is sacred therefore, my Lord, you
must sign that paper"
" Never! What, send a girl only
eighteen years old to death +! couldn't
muster strength to do it. What did she
urge in her defense y
Nothing"
" Has she confessed the CHARGE
ssNo"
" Then suspend the execution of the
sentence. Conduct Milanetta here. I
wish to see and interrogate her person
allv."
Ny deputy obeyed, and. in an instant
afterWard, Milanetta stood before me.
Oh, if you had seen that youthful crea-
ture, gfittering with grace and beauty
Had you noticed the sublimitv Of her
looks at that trying moment, the clear
olive of her expansive brow (the sun YOU
know, kisses our Spanish maidens with a
scorching embrace, her dark tresses float
ing loose in the mountain breeze. her no
bic attitude and the majestic bearing of
her head, like me, you would first of all
have admired; like me, you would have
felt an involuntary respect for her: like
me, perhaps, you would have loved her
l was then only twenty five. and knew
nothing of women but what I had learned
in the cloisters of Salamanca or the courts
and reyels of Madrid, NV heart was
yet in its virgin freshness, nv head was
heated under our burning sun and I
felt that inscrutable want of something
to love something to invest with the
rich worship of my soul something that
MouIu burst upon me like q vision of
hght, even If it consumed me IN its rev.
elatlon When commenced nv EXAM
nation | was much more agitafed than
my prisoner. We were alone. md / am
sure my emotion must have haa, appar.
cnt when / said 80 w
DO you know the punishment to
which the steward has Condemned Won p