The Portland daily press., 1879-04-04
A Thrilling Tale.
"The Fair Captive ofCastsI Negre."

The following romance is the work Of Port
land Grammar School girl, to whom was as
signed the task Of writing Composition,
which should contain the words, Diurnal. Noe
turnai, Sanguinsry, Auxilaries, Lachrymose,
Perspiration, Gustatory, Somnolent, Indefati-
gable, Timidity, Oleaginous and Farinaoeousl
CHAPTER l.
1t was gorgeous day In the middle of An.
gust 1430. The sun shone with dazzling splep.
dor. The trees rustled with the gentle breeze
that foated past bearing the scent of magnolia
and orange blossoms The brook carolled
harmoDiously, as it wandered through the long
grass. The southern birds with their brilliant
plumage, sung vociferously. But alas, this
duicet, bucoical landscape was marred by
huge black castle which doomed up into the
azure sky, with turrets piercing the vault Of
heaveI-but enough! let rs proceed with our
tale.
CHAPTER II,
Although the outside Of the castle was gloomy
and forbidding the interior was furnished with
all the newest styles OF drapery, lspobrequins
and ceramics. Within the innermost rec-sses
OF the east centre wing of the Castel de Negre.
was beautiful boudoir furnished after the
latest Eastlske sampes-it would be useless to
describe the beautiful things in this apart
ment.
The walls were covered with Japanese fans,
plaques. and rich drapery of dull reds and gem
darme blues, olive green's with slight dashes Of
dandelon green's in the high lights, all mixed
harmoniousy together.
In the depths of a luxuriant diyan sat our
heroine, Juanita the fair-she was an artistic
creation-her face was Of the Spanish type,
with the full crimson lips retrousse nose and
irridescent eyes which gJowed with all the
latest tones of shades; her hair was the wonder
OF the age-lt was Of golden yellow hue, shad-
ing into the latest fashionable tnts of old gold,
it rlppled and curved in undulating billowy
masses as II fell on the Persian rug which she
had lately worked with her own fair hsnds-a
yellow dog reclining on bed of roses. From
the color of her hair, she might have been
Russian, a French, Turk or Prussian or per-
haps Ital-i-an. Bnt nc-iispel these low
thoughts-she was q Spanish senorita, daugh-
ter of an Hldalgo of the sapgre azul.
CHAPTER III.
During all the diurnal and nocturnal hours of
this month, Juanita had been confined in this
gloomy castle by her tyrannical padre tpa for
sbortJ for the simple reason that she had made
stern resolve to elOpe with Don AlphonRo de
Casa Blanca A moon before, her father, sf.er
having been announced by her duenna, en-
tered her apartment and thus addressed her:
"My lovely daughter, my liege the King sum-
mons me TO engage in a sanguinary conflict
shall leave you In charge OF the auxiliares-
your customary repast of bread and water
then and be nourished." With tbese words
he imprinted loving kiss upon her forehead,
aud in lachrymose tones exclaimed, while the
perspirsti0n gathered upon his noble brow:
Farewell, my own, my own, an revoir."
Her gustatory exercise had been so slight
that her phsyical strength collapsed, and she
swooned in graceful manner among her
bric-a-brac.
CHAPTER IY.
But to our tale-the month was now drawing
to a close, the sun had silently melted, like q
gumdrup, into the western forests. The silver
in clnudlnaa Oa1aatv and .IQAQitQ
stood upon the battlement. All nature was
somnoleDt Jusnita sighed and murmured,
"Padre meo, padre meo, ere thou returnest as
thou saidst thou wouldst, shall be far hence,
the bride of thy indefatigable enemy, Don Al
phonso de Cassai Blanca-even now l listen
with eager timidity for the sound of his dear
whistle.
CHAPTER Y.
But let as return to our narrative.
And even as she mused the clatter of horses
hoofs was heard along the labyrinthian avenues
Of the outspreading park. 1t was Jusnita's
Alphonso de CASA Blanca and his retainers.
Refining in his prancing steed beneath her case.
ment window hA cried IN olesginous aud farina-
ceous tones, "Juanta, appear"
A soft, sweet voice from within the easement
murmured "If what?" "If you please" re-
piled the noble knight obssquiously. "As thou
sayest those words l know thee for my own
Alphonso," she murmured.
Softly back came the strain
MY sleeu'S Dy tine tower,
My bark's ON the sea,
And sweetest Juanita
I'm waiting tor thee.
She leaned over the battlement, looked at the
dlzzy depth below, and cried, "But how, my
ownY'
'Leap, oh love, to my arms" he cried, ''and
be my own Castilisn bride.'
"But never can."
"What never?"
"No never"
"What never?"
"Hardly ever
One spring and she lighted, as feather
might, on the left shoulder of her beloved,
Oae touch OF the spur to the Barbary courser,
and they were off on the wings of the wind
aud Castel Negre knew its fair captive no
more. FMS