The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1878-05-02

liked William; and he thought there
were some discrepancies in this story.
You say, my son, that the robbe rs
took you past the convent of Santa
Maria, about three lesgues from Lisbon?"
! said Father Pedro
William turned very pale; but that
might be caused by painful recollections.
"' Yes, good iather,' said he.
g 4 know that country well, and was
born not far from that convent said the
old man, musingly.
The events in the history of tLis
family had been 80 shocking that Vicksrs
sank into state of incspacity. Although
man in the vigor of life two years
before, he was now sunken and apparently
dead.
His estate, which was large, came
very, much into the hands of William,
who, though young, proved himself an
excellent man Of business. His slaves
worked more hours than any gang en- the
island, and his sugar and coffee brought
high prices. He led a Ii of unparalleled
! license and dissipation, and seemed to
| fear neither God nor man. Yes, there
was one man who made him tremble, and
that was Father Pedro.
SAT length it occurred that this check
should be removed. Father Pedro had
| long since determined to go to Spain and
| to make search for the unfortunate
Philip, but many things detained him.
| The Catholic priests are very dominant
men on these Islands, and very important,
particularly in the Spanish islands, to
| the government; 80 he must wait until
| some successor arrived to take his place.
Atlength, and difficulties being smoothed
away, Father Pedro departed silently,
not communicating the purpose of his
| journey to any save one, and this was old
Santa, an African slave.
| can African slave means one
| brought from Africa Immediately, having
still the original brand on the forehead
given by the SLAYER. Of these the islands
of Cuba and Porto Rico are full, and
wild, fierce race they are. The gives
have not yet entered their souls, and
they seem to have a supernatural power
about them. burning ever in their uu~
tanned eyes.
Old Santa was the commanding spirit
of the plantation. She had been very
insubordinate at first, and Father Pedro
! had interfered to save her many a cruel
/ punishment. She was now old, su5dued,
and attached to the family, and especially
to Father Pedro.
" The family estates were three in
number. One lying on the seacoast was
called 'The Bay > another, more to the
| inland, was called 'The Sapphire from
! its commanding a view of the blue
ocean the third and by far the finest
was called the Man in Armor,' from Il
| fanciful decoration to the facade of the
house-an efigy of man in full armOr
! lying beneath each window--the pro-
| prietor having paid this tribute to his
! love of merrie England IN her feudal
days.
Yickars grew nigh to death and pres
| pared to resign all these possessions. As
the body gave way the mind came back,
and, summoning his lawyer he dictated
as follows:
''' I have three estates, and 1 pray 10
i God that / may still have three children.
| My fine estate called the Man in
| Armor give to my son Philip, if he be
! living and give it in trust to nv son
William to keep for him twenty years. If,
at the expiration of that time he is not
heard from, it becomes the property OF
/ William. My estate of The Bay l
! give to my son William. My estate of
| The Sapphire / give to my daughter
| Annunciata.'
" And other provisions followed which
| do not affect this story.
This will was sjgned by Vickars in
! the presence OF his son William, his law
yer and one Mr.. Agayo, Spanish gen.
tleman who owned an adjoining estate,
and, unnoticed by all of them, old Santa,
who was busy in the room.
i Poor Annunciata, whose youth had
been withered by these events, after pay
ing the last sad offices of respect to the
remains of her father, departed for EGG
1 land to the relatives whom she had
never seen, hoping to receive some ale
Walton to the grief which consumed
| her.
" Meanwhile her brother employed
| himself in altering and re6tting his
| houses, particularly the Man in Armor.'
He sent away all the slaves pertaining
to it, to his other plantations, and em~
ployed some Spaniards who had newly
arrived on the island.
Zone day, as he was surveying the
| facade, he muttered to himself, Almost
large enough for a mans body He
started as he heard step behind him,
but felt reassured as he saw only old
Santa.
"After giving her a sound repreof for
louDging about, he sent her away but
her curiosity was aroused and she deter
mided to watch him.
" About this time the island was very
much agitated by the report that Mr.,
Agayo was found dead in his bed. In
these islands the events are 30 few that
one such thing as this, which does not
attract much notice in a larger place
fills the minds of the whole population
He had been at dinner the day before
had drank freely, but had gone home
perfectly well, and this was all that was
known.
Before this event had ceased to be 6
! topic of conversation, the dinner parties
: Of the island were enlivened by very
: different rumor, which was that the lost
. heir of the Man in Armor' was alive
and was coming to claim his own again
p It at first was q rumor, but soon became
/ more by the arrival of a letter from
, Father Pedro to William, which reaC
: thus:
. "'God be with you, my son, and give
!, you satisfaction in the tidings 1 bring
i Your brother, whom you believed dead
= is alivel 1 found him in the holy con
+ vent of Santa Maria, injured in minC
? and body, but still. hope, capable o
d Improvement The holy brothers of tn
convent found him bruised and bleeding
=, at the foot of precipice. They tool
K him up and tendeIly cared for him. Hi
Is memory is affected much, and he ma,
never quite recover il. He can recal
9 nothing OF the robber troop, of whom
y Won have so vivid recollection, but re
members something of riding with Yol
4 up g mountain pass, when his bors
Il stumbled and fell. He cannot approach
this place without emotions almost over
n poweIing. The holy brothers tell m
4 that they see change for the better i