Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1884-05-24

on Victor, as though to arouse anew in
Juanito's heart a hatred of the French.
| Have courage" said his brother Phil
lippe, "or else our almost royal race will
| be extinct"
Suddenly Clara rose. The group ths
had formed around Juanito parted, and
the girl, rebellious in her good cause,
saw, standing erect before him, her aged
father, who said, with stern solemnity:
| "Juanito, l command youl"
Seeing the young count immovable,
the father fell upon his knees. Invol-
UNFAIRLY, Clara, Manual, and Philippe
initiated him. They held out supplicat-
ing hands toward him who was to save
the family from oblivion, and seemed to
| echo their fathers words.
my son, will you be so lacking in
Spanish courage and true sensibility?
Do you wish to keep me longer at your
feet? What right have you to consider
your life and your sufferings?" Then.
springiEg to his feet, and fixing a terrible
gaze on the marquise, he cried: Madame
is this my SOM"
HE consents" murmured the mother
in despair. as she saw movement of
Juanito's eyes.
Maraquita, the younger daughter, knelt
at her mothers feet, embracing her with
her slender arms; and seeing that she
wept hot, bitter tears, her little brother
Manuel came and reproached her grave
ly. At this moment the chaplain of the
castle entered, and, quickly surrounding
him, they led him to Juanito.
Victor, unable TO endure the scene,
and reassuring Clara with a gesture,
fastened to make last attempt on the
general, whom he found in the midst of
the feast, drinking with his officers, in
the best of humors and holding high
revel.
An hour afterward, hundred IF
Menda's most respected citizens were in
| vited on the terrace, by the generals
| orders, to be witnesses of the execution.
A detachment of soldiers was placed
near to maintain order among them; and
| as they stood under the gibbets where the
| marquis's retainers had been hung the
PEASANTS heads almost touched the feet
of those martyrs.
Thirty feet away the block stood, with
its glistening knife.
In few momonts, through the most
profound silence, there were heard the
irregular tread of several persons, the
measured march of a picket-guard, and
the light rattle of their guns. These
different sounds were mingled with the
joyous clamor of the officers feast, as but
late the music of the ballroom had
drowned the preparation of a bloody
treaChery. All eyes were turned toward
the castle, as the noble family advanced
with perfect elf-possession. Every brow
was calm and severe. One man alone
trembling and pale, leaned on the arm
of the priest, who lavished all the conso-
lations of religion upon him-the one
who was to live.
The headsman understood, as did all
others, that Juanito had accepted his
Office for day. The old marquis and
his wife, Clara, Maraquita, and the two
brothers, knelt few PAGES from the
fetal spot, to which Juanito was conduct
ed by the priest. When he reached the
block the executioner. catching him by
the sleeve, drew him apart and gave him
few instructions. The c6nfessor placed
the victims so that they should not wit
ness the last agony; but they were true
Spaniards, who stood firmly, with no
signs of weakness.
Clara was the first to spring toward her
brother. "Juanito." she cried, shave
pity on my lack of couragel Commence
| first with mew
At that moment the hurried steps of a
man echoed through the silence, and
Victor appeared upon the scene. Clara
| was kneeling, and her bare white throat
seemed appealing to the sword. A dead
ly pallor stole over the officers face, and
gathering his energies together, he
sprang forward.
'The general accords you your life if
you will be my wife," he murmured in
her ear.
The young girl turned upon him a
proud, contemptuous glance. "Strike,
Juanito" she said, in low, clear voice..
Her head rolled at Victor's feet.
A convulsive shudder shook the form
of the Marquise de Leganes. 1t was the
only sign of her agony.
"Is this the way to place myself, dear
Juanito?" said little Manuel to his broth
er.
"Ah! you weep, Maraquita," murmur-
ed Juanito to his sister.
eyes," replied the young girl; 81 think
of you, my poor Juanito; you will be so
unhappy without us"
Soon the grand form of the old mar
quis appeared. He looked at the blood
of his children, and turning to the mute
and mOtionless people, he stretched out
his hands toward Juanito and sud, in
clear voice:
"Spaniards, l give my benediction to
my son. Now, Marquis, strike without
fear and without reproachT'
But when Juanito saw his mother ap-
proach, supported by her confessor, his
white lips muttered hoarsely:
"She gave me BIRTH" ...i--'- .''
His voice drew cry of horror from
the assembly The noise of the festival
and the joyous laughter of the officers
grew louder at this terrible clamor.
The marquise understood that Ju-
anito's courage was exhausted, and, with
one bound, she sprang from the balus-
trade, and crashed, a shapeless mass,
on the rocks below. A wild cry of ad-
miration shook the air as Juanito fell
sanseless.
In spite of the honors with which he
is surrounded; in spite of the title "El
Verdugo" (the headsman), which the
king of Spain has given as title of no
bility to the Marquis de Leganes, he
lives lonely, solitary life, consumed
with terrible sorrow. Crushed by the
burden of his noble crime, he seems to
- a. Al .~f