The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1878-04-18
CHE is here stir MiIanetta >,

I On! spare MIN, my IOT0, spare MIN. 1t
is l only who have deserved your ven
geance--death is my portion; but for
| him"
Yes, scornful girl Death for you
He has asked for mercy for you-he has
come to ask me to place you again in his
arms but | will give you to the execu-
toner, and your lover shall witne ss''-
The marquis flung open the door with
violence. had quite forgotten that he
was there, and he had heard every word
/ spoke. At his appearance Milanetta
uttered one despairing shrek, while /
looked at them both Yindictively. He
beckoned me aside, and said with a low
voice: My Lord Count, you are a
gentleman by birth, but you have dis
/ graced your name and rank. Among
! people of our station the sword Is the
| only arbiter, and the injuries of jealousy
and love are settled by that appeal. 1t
is not by hanging Milanetta that you
SHOULD revenge yourself when you have
the opportunity of gentleman of fight
ing me-"
What Would you accept a chal-
leBge?"
q This very instant
But you knew the strict laws against
! duelliBg, and the rigorous strictness
with which both kings exact the pens
alty2"
"I know very we'll that 10Th in France
and Spain the duellist is punished by the
| forfeiture of his estates; that his shield
is defaced and his coat of arms burned,
and that if his enemy ia killed he is be-
headed but hate you now as strongly
as you can hate me, and to hold my
swords point to your heart would face
every peril and every disgrace J"
Tomorrow, then, at daybreak, 1 will
be at Venasque With second"
"Be- it so. And now sign Milanetta's
PARDON
," Her pardon!" "
/ ,'fIt is the first and only condition of
our meeting"
I signed it, and handed it to Milanetta,
who refused to take it,
What will it avail me-" said she,
"when my father knows the secret of
my nocturnal journeys? When he
questions me, what answer can give
himP IF I tell him the truth he will kill
me on the spot"
."Kill you, Milanetta2"
/ 4" He is only a smuggler or a bandit in
your eyes; but this bandit is as jealous
as any peer Of France or grandee of
! 6PdlIss l1S Will hlll L GCll gOus anu L
would prefer dying by the executioner's
hand to his"
Next morning, before the sun rose 1
was ct the very extremity of the Spanish
| frontier, and the marquis made his ap-
pearance almost as soon. He brought his
/ second but had forgotten to bring one,
A man on horseback was passing within
a few PAGES of us. I called to him and
asked him if he would become my second
in duel.
He Immediately dismounted, measured
our swords like man accustomed to the
| business, and offered me his own as bet.
| ter tempered than mine. We had scarce
! lY crossed our blades when the French
and Spanish guards came running up,
separated US, enioined us to desist, and
threatened to arrest us if we renewed the
combat. Milanetta had informed them
of our intentions. l perceived the rage
and notifications of the marquis at this
interruption, but ] told him that we
could laugh at their interference, and
| fight before their faces without their
having the power to interfere.
"The frontier of France and Spain is
marked. by that cross. You, who are a
| Frenchman, cross into Spain, while l
step into France. We can then cross
our blades, with our feet touching the
| frontier line, which we can keep between
our bodies and our swords. The Spaniard
who fights a Frenchman on French
ground, and the Frenchman who meets a
Spaniard on the Spanish soil, cannot be
reached by the law, for the King of
| Spain has no more power over you than
the King of France has over me, and
neither would violate the laws of nations
by arresting their subjects on foreign
territory"
With one bound I stood upon the ter
ritOry of France, while the marquis re-
manned in Spain, and we both called TO
the guards: Back, marshalmen of
France, you have no authority over q
noble of Spain" Away, holy brother
hood of Spain; keep your hands off a
gentleman of France"
The soldiers fell back amazed and
irresOlute, while we stood and fought in
the narrow pass, where there was not
room for more than a man to stand. Our
swords had scarcely recrossed when the
marquis fell, pierced TO the heart.
rushed forward to support him, when my
second, holding me in his iron grasp,
shouted Stop where you are One
foot forward and death stares YOU in the
IdCS, anu LDdb uDOA LuC cCdllOiu LIE
words were interrupted by q shrek, and
we saw Milanetta fling herself upon the
dead body, uttering the most passionate
exclamatieus of agony and tenderness,
NY second gDashed his teeth, when be
saw and heard her. He rushed to her
and tore her roughly from the body
which she embraced. She uttered 8
heart piercing shrek. and, falling on hel
kneesyand clasping her hands, she ex
claimed:
Forgive me. father, forgive me l'
"DishOnOred s" answered he, with {
gloomy voice. "Then die with him =
and with one blow of his knife he laic
her lifeless at his feet Then lifting NJ
her body he flung it to me, saying: " Shit
who loved a hated FrenchmRn is no
worthy of finding grave in her country
the soil of Spain rejects the body o
Milanetta"
The guards of the holy brotherhood
surrounded the smuegler, who threw hi
knife away and held out his hands Il
them.
"Bind me-" said he, 81 am the leade
of the smugglers-you can hang me a
once for smuggling, but not for killing
nv daughter. You have outlawed tn
smuggler, and therefore he takes justic
into his own hands"
My estate was coDfscated, my es
cutcheon disfgured, my castle burne'
and a price set upon my head bu
heaven has punished me in lengtheDini
, my existence and protracting my sorrows
| have survived this even. fifty years
but my heart is still young IN recolleC
tions and suferiDgs, and from that time
have never trod upon the soil of m,
f country
EDIsoN is ingenious, but not ingenu
= Gus. "When he was in Boston b
played a trick which cost him his place
2 It was the rule for each night operate
E to telegrah TO headquarters every hal