The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-03-28
A Romance Of the Pyrenees.

am Spaniard and the only son and
sole heir of Don Guzman de Mansoria, q
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 ole year and pass that time in n
state of absolute solitude at their re-
motest estates. loved my father ten
derly and deeply regretted his loss. I
observed my country's custom on that
event as holy duty and in conformity
thereto removed into Aragon where ]
had castle situated at the foot of Mount
Maladetta, on the extreme frontier, be-
tween Spain and France. This was in
the year 1779, when Spain was still
beautiful and mighty, although tie no
bility and clergy ruled it with an iron
,lespotlsm and the feudal laws, more
rigidly enforced than they had ever
been, oven in France, were better con-
solidated by the perfect understanding
ON this point between the priests and the
crown. The mobiles ruled the people
and tho king ruled oil. For my part, I
frankly admit that L was proud of my
tives of my rank and the rights of my
birth. My steward dispensed justice to
my yassais 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 an
nounced my power of condcmning to
death within the limits of my county.
BY law all smugglers were subject to this
rigorous penalty, to which my deputy
always condemned them with unsparing
severity, and which always committed
to a lighter punishment. At this time
the smugglers were in greater numbers
than they are now, and as had dreceived
directions from court to suppress the
illegal traffic, had armed my vassals,
who patrolled all the defles and by
roads, secured the mountains, and as
si-ted 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 brigands, organized regular
bands into troops, and opposed open re-
sistance in the field to the kings and
my jurisdiction. One day fifty of my
people were attacked near La Picade
and cruelly massacred by these bandits
whereupon l vowed never again TO re-
nit OF 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 death-w warrant for my sig
nature. 1 hesitated, trembled and could
not proceed. 1t is such a shocking,
chilling thought that few letters, SO
rapidly and easily traced, should have
the power of depriving fellow creature
OF life! 1 tried to read the sentence,
but my eyes were clouded and I could
not see distinctly, 80 asked the steward
to read it. He commenced with an Of
fetal tone, but L stopped him at the
second line-when I found that the
cnlprit was girl only eighteen years
old.
"My lord," said the functienary,
Milanetta is the daughter of the Cap
tain OF the smugglers. She daily de-
ccives 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 possibly battle our
authority but for her. This young
woman is guilty; have condemned her,
and it is your duty to sauction the laws
award. You have pledged yourself to
the rigid execution of justice to your
vassals, and you owe it to the kind. The
word of Spanish grandee is sacred;
therefore, my Lord, you must sign that
"Never What; send a girl only
eighteen years old to death couldn't |
muster strength to do it. What did she
urge in her defense9"
Nothing"
:" Has she confessed the charge p"
"No."
Then suspend the execution of the
sentence. Conduct Milanetta here T
wish to see and interrogate her person.
ally"
My deputy obeyed, and in an instant
afterwards Milanetta stood, before me.
Oh, if You had seen that youthful crea-