The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-04-11
A Romance of the PyreneeS

/ am a Spaniari and the only son an,
sole heir OF Don GuEmAn De Msnsoria,
grandee Of Spain OF the second class, b,
whom | was educated according TO m,
fortune and exalted rank. At the age o
TWENTY-FIVE | lost nv father. Ii is tn,
custom in Spain that AZ the death Of
father the mobiles should wear mourning
for o1e year and pass that time IN
state of absolute solitude at their re
notes. estates. l loved my father ten
DERBY and deeply regretted his loss.
observed NV cOuntry's custom on that
event as holy duty and IN conformity
thereto removed into Arag0n where
hai a castle situated az the foot of Mount
Maladetta. on the extreme frontier, be
tween Spain and France. This Was IN
the year l779, when Spain was still
beautiful and mighty, although the no
hihtv and clergy ruled il with an iron
despotlsm and the feudal laws, more
rigidly enforced than they had evel
been. even in France, were better con-
soliated 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 l was proud OF my
title Of Count and priced the preroga-
tives Of nv rank and the rights of my
birth. Nv steward dispensed justice 70
my vassals n nv name, and when his
decisions appeared unjust TO them they
appealed 10 me in person.
The CalIows, which stood before the
great gate Of the castle, pithily an
nounced nv power Of condemnIng TO
death within the limits of my county.
By law all smugglers we're subject to this
rigorous penalty, 10 which my deputy
always condemned them with unsparing
severity, and which always committed
to lighter punishment. At this time
the smugglers werein greater numbers
than they are now, and rs had received
directions from court TO suppress the
illegal traffic, l had armed my vassals,
who patrolled all the defiles and by
roads, secured the mountains, and as
sisted the officers OF the kings customs
on all occasions. This rigorous pursuit
of the smugglers increased their auda-
city and inspired them with despera-
tion and revenge. Before they were
only dealers in prohibited articles they
now became briganes, organized regular
bands into troops, and opposed open re-
sistanee in the field to the kings and
nv jurisdiction. One day fifty Of my
people were attacked near La Picade
and cruelty massacred by these bandits
whereupon / vowed never again 10 re-
init or commute the sentence OF my
deputy, but to hang up the first suggler
who should be captured.
A few days afterwards the worthy
functionary was announced and present
ed me with a death-varrant for my sig
nature. l hesitated, trembled and could
not proceed. 1t is such a shocking,
chilling thought that n few letters, SC
rapidly and easily traced, should have
the power OF depriving fellow creature
Of hfel / tried TO read the sentence
but nv eyes were clouded and | could
not see distinctly, 50 I asked the steward
TO read il. He commenced with an Of
fetal tone, but l stopped him at tins
second lnae-when / found that the
culprit was girl only eighteen year
old.
"My lord" said the functionary
"Milanetta is the daughter OF the Cap
tain OF the smugglers. She daily de
ceives the vigilance OF the guards, anC
passes and repasses between Spain anC
France with Intelligence TO direct the
movements of the two troops OF bandits
and they could not possibly baffle oul
1s,k Fnr fTfaau
woman is guilty; have condemned her
and it is your duty to sauction the law'i
award. You have pledged yourself t,
the rigid execution OF justice to you
vassals, and you owe it TO the kind. Th'
word of a Spanish grandee is sacred
therefore, my Lord, you must sign tha
paper.
"Never What; send a girl onl,
eighteen years old 10 death / couldn'
muster strength to do it. What did sh
urge in her defense 2"
Nothing"
"Has she confessed the charge ?"
"No."
Then suspend the execution Of tn
sentence. Conduct Milanetta here.
wish to see and interrogate her person
ally"
NV deputy obeyed, and in an instan
afterwards hIilanetta stood before me
Oh. if you had seen that youthful crea
ture. glittering with grace and beauty
Had Won noticed the sublimity Of he
looks at that trying moment, the clea
olive of her expansive brow (the sur
Won know. kisses our Spanish maiden
with scorching embrace), her dar
tresses floating loose in the mountai
breeze, her noble attitude and the mi
iestic bearing of her head, like me. 20
would first of all have admired like m'
Won would have felt an involuntary n
spect for her like me, perhaps, yo
would have loved her / was then on
twenty-five, and knew nothing of w
men but what had learned in the cloi
ters of Salamanca or the courts and r
wells of Madrid. My heart was yet
its virgin freshness, my head was heatt
under our burning sun, and l felt tn
inscrutable want of something to low
something to invest with the rich wo
ship of my soul; something which shou
hurst upon me like vision OF llgh
even if it consumed me in its revalatio
When I commenced my examination
was much more agitated than my priso
or. We were alone, and / am sure n
emotion must have been apparent Wh'
| said
"Do YOU know the punishment