Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-08-30


.'No"
'Why not?"
NO, / say
''But why not?"
because do not know how"
'.Not know howl Was there ever such
hypocrisy?'
"Of course you desire 70 crafty us?'
''Well, come. We know that you
were chief musician Of the infantry
And that no one played the cornet
as you did"
"And that they listened TO you at the
palace I'm the time of Espartero-
and that you have a pension.
sCome. Don Baslllo, have pity on us!'
"Wel, then sOnor, IL is true. l have
plaved the cornet; ] was IA specialist,
as YOU saw nowadays; however, tits also
true that two years ago / presented my
cornet TO q poor licensed musician, and
since then l have not wished even to
sourd it,"
''What PITY
Another ROSsini"
oAh, since il is this evening you
ought 70 play"
sRemember that it is my birthday,
.Harrah! hurrahl Here is the cor
nett"
eyes, now play"
"A waltz"
polka! Away with you! A fan
dango."
eyes, yes, fandango-the national
dance"
II am very sorry, my children, but L
can not possibly play the cornet.
''YOu, so amiable."
$50 willing 10 please"
"Your little grandchild beg you TO-"
"And your niece
Leave me alone, for Gods sake. /
have said that l can not play"
"Why not?
because do not remember, and be-
cause, moreover, l have sworn not 70
learn again
ITO whom have you sworn?
''To myself and 70 some one who is
dead-to your poor mother, my child!
Every face saddened suddenly on
hearing these words.
@Abi IN YOU knew at what cost
learned 70 play the cornell" added the
old man.
''The story! the story~ exclaimed the
yoong people Tell us the story.
'In fact" said Don Basllio. lit Is
quite a story. Listen TO il, and you may
Judge If can or can not play the cor
metz And seating himself under tree,
surrounded by curious and courteous
Young people, he told the story Of his
music lessons.
In the same way Mazeppa, Byron's
hero. related one night 70 Carlos Nil,
49,. an another tree, the terrible story
q bis riding lessons. Let Us listen to
Don Basilio:
Seventeen years ago Spain was agi-
tated by the civil war. Carlos and lsa-
bel we're disputiug for the crown, and
the Spaniards, divided into two bands,
poured out their blood In the fratricidal
struggle.
had friend called Ramon Gomez,
lieutenant OF my battalion, the most
clever man ] have ever known. We
were educated together; together we
left college; together we had been rep
riminded q thousand times, and together
we desired 90 die for liberty. All i
must say he was more liberal than / or
than any one else IN the whole army!
But q certain injustice had been done
by our chief 10 the hurt OF Ramon, one
OF those abuses of authority which dis
gust one with the most honorable pro-
fession. This arbitrary act made the
lieutenant Of the Caradores desire to
abandon the ranks of his brothers, the
friend TO leave the friend, the liberal to
turn 70 the faction, the subordinate 70 kill
his ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Ramon was not
in the mood so early In the morning TO
bear insults and injustice.
Neither my threats nor prayers were
sufficient TO dissuade him from his pur-
pose, He had decided to change the
helmet for the cap, although he alb
horred the rebels
We were then within three leagues OF
the enemy. IL was the night In which
Ramon was 20 desert-a cold, rainy
night. melancholy and sad, the eve Of a
battle.
About . o'clock Ramon entered my
lodging.
] was asleep.
"Basilio," be murmured in my ear.
"WhO Is it?.'
sItisI. Adleul'
"Thou art going now?'
eyes; adieu."
And Selling my hand-'Llsten," he
continued, IF thre should be battle
tomorrow. as they think, and we should
meet in It
81 understand; we are friends"
every well; we will embrace and then
fight. i shall die in the regular way to-
morrow; however, hope to trample all
under foot until I have killed the lieu
tenant COLONEL AS for thee, Basilio, do
not expose myself 10 danger-glory is
only smoke.
"And liie?"
"Thou art right. Make thyself COM
mander, " exclaimed Ramon. THE pay
is not smoke until after one has smoked
IT, All all that is ended for me!'
"What sad thoughts" I said, not
without terror. 1--WE shall both survive
the battle tomorrow"
''Then let US arrange to meet after
terward."
sWhere?"
sat the San Nicholas inn, at in the
morning. Death alone shall prevent the
meeting. Let US agree 10 It."
Agreed.
''Fhen, adieu."
sAdieG"
Having said this, and after tenderly
embracing me, Ramon disappeared into
the shadows Of the night.
III.
As we hoped, the rebels attacked us