The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-04-19

ooh AoAodAV uAhi w bIul ufhhhDv YAK
invaders; and although the royal fav'
or was no longer withdrawn from him.
self, the Moor felt that such favor
hung upon capricious and uncertain
tenure SO long as his sovereign was
the slave Of superstition or imposture,
But that noble warrior, whose char,
acter the adversity OF his country had
singularly exalted and refined, even
while increasing Its natural fierceness,
thought little OF himselfin comparison
with the evils and misiortunes winch
the king's continued irresolution must
bring upon Grenada.
80 brave, and yet so weak, thought
he, $50 weak, and yet SO obstinate; SO
wise q reasoner, yet 80 credulous a
dupe! Unhappy Boabdill the stars,
indeed, seem to fight against thee, and
their influences at thy birth marred
all thy gifts and virtues with counter.
acting infrmity and error"
Muza--more. perhaps, than any
subject in Grenada--did Justice to the
real character OF the king; but even he
was unable to penetrate all its com.
plicated and latent mysteries. Boab-
dill el Chico was no ordinary man; his
affections were warm and generous,
his nature calm and gentle; and al
though early power, anu the painful
experience OF o mutinous people and
unarateful court, had impaired to
that nature an irascibility OF temper
and quickness of suspicion foreign
to its earlier soil, he was easily led
back to generosity aud justice; and II
warm in resentment, was mag.
unanimous in forgiveness. Deeply
accomplished in all the learn
ing of his race and time,
he was, in books at least, q philoso-
pher; and, indeed, his attachment to
the abstruser studies was Que OF the
main causes which untitled him tor
his present station. ,....
But it was the circumstances at
tsndant on his birth and childhood
that had perverted hls keen and grace.
full intellect to morbid indulgence In
mystic rsveries, and all the doubt,
fear. and irresolution OF q man who
pushes metaphysics into the super
natural world. Dark prophecies &C.
cumlated Umens over his head; men
united in considering him born to
disastrous destinies. Whenever he
had sought to wrestle against hostile
circumstances, some seemingly &C.
cidental cause. sudden and unforeseen,
had blasted the labors of his moet
vigorous eneroy--the fruit OF his most
deliberate wisdom. Thus, by de.
grees. gloomy and despairing cloud
settled over his mind; but, secretly
skeptical OF the heMohammedan creed,
and too proud and sanguine to re-
sign himself wholly and passively 20
the doctrine OF inevitable predestina.
ton, he sought to contend AGAINST
the Vaccinations OF hostile demons
and boding stars, not by human but
spiritual agencies. Collecting around
him the seers and magicians OF Orient
fanaticism, he lived in the visions oi
another world; and fattered by the
promises OF imposters or dreamers,
and deceived by his own subtle and
brooding tendencies OF mind, it was
among spells and cabais that he
sought to draw forth the mlkhty 90.
cret which was to free him from the
meshes OF the preternatural enemies
OF his fortune, and leave him the iree-
dom OF other men to wrestle, with
equal chances, against peril and ad-
versitles. IL was thus that Almamen
had won the mastery OF his mind; and
though, upon matters OF common and
earthly import or solid learning,
BoabdIl could contend with sages,
upon those of superstition he could
be fooled by child. He was, in this,
kind OF Hamlet; formed, under
prosperous and serene fortunes, to
render blessings and reap renown, but
over whom the chilling shadow oi
another world hal fallen; whose soul
curdled back into itself; whose life
had been separated from that OF the
herd: whom donbts and awe drew
back. while circumst ances inpelled
onward; whom supernatural doom
invested with peculiar philosophy,
not OF human effect and cause, and
who, with every gift that could en-
noble and adorn, was suddenly pal.
sled into that moral imbecility which
is almost ever the result OF mortal
visitiDgs into the haunted regions oi
the Ghostly and Unknown. The
gloomier colorings OF his mind had
been deepened, too, by secret remorse
For the preservation OF his own life
constantly threatened by his un
natural predecessor, he had beer
early driven into rebellion against hii
father. In age, infrmity, and blind
ness that fierce king had been made q
prisoner at Salobrena by his brother
El Zagal, Boabdips partner in rebel
lion; and dying suddenly, FL Zaga
was suspected Of his murder. Thougl
Boabdil was innocent OF such q crime
he felt himself guilty OF the causes
which led to it, and dark memory
resting upon his conscience served Il
augment nissuperstition and enervat,
the vigors oil his resolves; for, OF al
things that make men dIeamers, non
is SO effectual az remorse operasin
upon thoughtful temperament.
Revolving the character OF his SOW
ereign, and sadly foreboding the ruiz
of mis- country, the young hsro O
Grenada pursued his way, until hi
steps almost unconsciousiy led hin
towa-d the abode OF Leila. He scale,
the walls OF the garden as before; b
neared the house. All was silent an,
deserted, his signal was unanswered
his murmured song brought no crate
| ful light TO the lattice, no fairy loot
step to the balcony. Detected an,
sad OF heart. he retired from the spot
and, returning home, sought q coucl
60 winch even ell the fatigue and OK
element he had undergone could no
win the ioreetfulness OF slumber
The my stery that wrapped the maid
en- OF mis- homage, the rarenese Of thei
interviews. and the wild and poetica
romance that made very principl
of.the chivalry cfths Spanish Moors
had impaired TO Muza's love for Leg
q passionate depth, which. at this da.
4 81 Ia -.