Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1878-04-20


An 1t Ats my fist as no other can,
The horny hand Of the working man.
A ROMANCE OF THE PYRENEGS.
am a 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
fortune and exalted rank. At the age of
twenty-five | lost my father. 1t is the
custom in Spain that at the death of a
father the mobiles should wear mourning
for one year and pass that time in a state
of absolute solitude at their remotest
estates. | loved my father tenderly and
deeply regretted his loss. Iobserved my
country's custom on that event as a holy
duty and in conformity thereto removed
into Aragon where had a castle situ-
ated at the foot of Mount Maladetta, on
the extreme frontier, between Spain and
France. This was in the year. 1873,
when Spain was still beautiful and
mighty, although the nobility and clergy
ruled it with an iron despotism and the
feudal laws, more rigidly enforced than
they had evtr been, even in France, were
better consolidated by the perfect under
standing on this point between hepliests
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 prerog.
atives 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
appealed to me in person.
The gallows, which stood before the
great gate of the castle, pithily announced
my power of condemning to death
within the limits ofmy county. By law
all smugglers were subject to this
rigorous penalty, to which my deputy
always condemned them with unsparing
severity, and which ! always commuted
to a lighter punishment. At this time
the smugglers were in greater numbers
than they are now, and as | had received
directions from court to suppress the
illegal traffic, | 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 audacity
and inspired them with desperation and
revenge. Before they 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 jurisdie,
ton, One day fifty of my people were
attacked near La Picade and cruelty
massacred by these bandits; whereupon
| vowed never again to remit or commute
the sentence of my deputy, but to hang
up the first smuggler who should be
captured,
A few days afterwards the worthy
funcIiOnary was announced and presented
me with adcath-warrantfOr for my signature.
| hesitated, trembled and could not
proceed. II is such shocking, chilling
thought that few letters, so rapidly and
easily traced, should have the power of
depriving a fellOw-creature of life |
tried to read the sentence, but my eyes
were clouded and | could not see dis.
tinctly, 80 | asked the steward to read it.
He commenced with an official tone, but
| stopped him at the second line-when |
found that the culprit was girl only
eighteen years old.
e My lord" said the functionaly,
Milanetta is the daughter of the captain
of the smugglers. She daily deceives the
vigilance OF the guards, and passes and
repasses between Spain and France with
intelligence to direct the movements OF
the two troops of bandits, and they could
not dossibly 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 have
pledged yourself to the rigid execution
of justice to your vassals, and you owe il
to the kind. The word of a Spanish
grandee is sacred; therefore, my lord
you must sign that paper
"Never What; send girl only
eighteen years old to death couldn't
muster strength to do it. What did she
urge in her defense ?"
Nothing"
",Has she confessed the charge ?"
"No." ~
Then | suspend the execution of the
sentence. Conduct Milanetta here.
wish to see and interrogate her person
ally
My deputy Obeyed, and in an instant
afterwards Milanetta stood before ne
Oh, if you had seen that youthful crea
J ture, glitteTing with grace and beauty
Had you noticed the sublimity of bel
, looks at that trying moment, the cleal
: olive of her expansive brow (the sun, you
know, kisses the Spanish maidens with,s
scorching embrace) her dark tresses float
ing loose in the mountain breeze, he
, noble attitude and the majestic bearing
/ OF her head, like me, you would have fell
an involuntary respect for her; like me
perhaps you would have loved her!
| was then only twenty-five, aud knew
J nothing OF woman but what had learned
in the cloisters of Salamanca or thu
courts and revsls of Madrid. My hear
I was yet in its virgin freshness, my heaC
was heated under our burning sun, and
, felt that inscrutable want of somethin.
, to love; something to invest with tn,
/ rich worship of my soul; something
' which should burst upon me like visiOl
5 Of light, even ii 1t consumed me in it
) revelation. When / commenced my ex
animation / was much more agitateC
thar my prisoner We were alone, anC
/. am sure my emotion must have beeI
I apparent when | said;
] "DO you know the punishment Il
which the steward has condemned you p
Yes, my lord" she answered, in ,
I low, calm voice-"tO DEATH"
"Before confirming the laws sentenc,
| have desired to sec you, to ascertain
from vouraalf whathar nou haua a.