The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-12-01

10 escape. But what an awakening
from his false dream Of security He
doubted no more the tale Of his
daughters disobe dience. but with his
habitual caution. he kept his own
counsel, breathing not a word Of his
own suspicious to Rosa, for he wished
to ascertain the bitter truth for him
self, dete rmined that when he had
done SO his vengeance should be swift
and certain
The two lovers, entirely engrossed
by their passion. had gradually re-
Taxed their habit of watchfulness,
and having been so far fortunate in
lulling the old mans suspicious, had
become somewhat imprudent and
careless. To surprise them in one of
their stolen interviews was therefore
an easy task for the willy old SNUG
gler. He informed his daughter that
he should be absent on business for
three days, and then craftily returned
in the middle of the first evening of
his pretended absence Rosa and
Valsassina were supping happily to-
gether, although from long habit the
latter still kept his loaded weapon by
his side When they least expected
it, a knock was heard at the door.
''Ahi' cried Rosa, seized by an over
DOWGTlu& sense OF Impending mis-
fortune, lit is my fatherg'
open, Rosal' cried the old mau,
open Immediately. 1 am holly pur-
sued BY the oficersl'
Rosa a the same time was suppl
eating her lover to hide himself This
he a [ first refused to do, but al length,
yielding to her entreaties. he retired
to her bedroom and closed the door.
''At last" cried the enraged father,
as he entered the house and looked
around him. Then he added, in a
tone Of fury, Where have you hid
den him?''
s.Hidden whom? IN the fend's
name, what do you mean?' replied
Rosa, striving, as usual, to laugh the
matter of, though she grew as pale
as death.
s.Ahl you think to deceive me. do
you'll You will see-for if you love
him, now is the time to utter a prayer
for his soul" Quickly approaching
the door of the chamber, he burst it
open with one blow. But the hunter
was prepared for him. Two shots
we're exchanged almost Simultaneous
~, and with a fearful oath Manila
fell dead at the feet Of his young an
tagonist.
And thus it was that the courage
Gus and devoted lover of the beauti-
ful Rosa became the murderer of her
father, while the terrible shock had
such a fearful effect upon the sensi-
tive soul of the daughter that reason
tottered on its throne, and the maniac
we had watched scaling the dizzy
heights was no other than the sweet
Mountain Rose, whose tragic fate
had been caused by the selfishness of
81 Al
and jealousy of the people among
whom her lot was cast.
Nevertheless, as I looked on the
soft eyes and pale, intelligent face Of
this humble heroine of the mount
aims. I could not help asking myself
the questions, rs Rose Manila in
deed bereft of reason, or is her sup
posed madness only assumed for a
purpose? Is it certain, beyond the
possibility Of doubt, that her out
lawed lover indeed was crushed be-
meath the rocks at the foot of the
precipice? Is it the madness of love
which leads that poor creature up
those dizzy heights. and strengthens
that slight form to endure those al
most superhuman tolls? Or is it a
true heroic love which thus enables
her to brave every danger, and to en-
dure obloquy and disgrace for the
sake Of that one beloved object?"
But if the hypothesis Of the death
Of Valsassina be a false one, and her
madness only assumed, how could he
possibly exist on these mountains, or
IN those forests, during the frost and
snow, and amid the fearful tempests
of winter, without being obliged to
descend into the valleys, and thus ex-
pose himself to the danger Of dis
cavery by the officers Of justice2 But
was it indeed necessary that he should
return to the Italian territory? Could
he not descend on the other side, and
under an assumed name dwell un-
known in some remote village of LA
belle Suisse?'
This was certainly not impossible
The Peasantry of those parts are un-
scrupulous, and Valsassina would nat
urally find many accom- plices and pro-
tectors among them, and would Ger
tain1y prefer a country of smugglers,
who delighted like himself in evading
the law. An abode, therefore. in this
well-known region would offer a
more secure refuge for such charac-
ter than the great we'll guarded
routes to England and America.
These and similar considera tons
arose spontaneously in my mind, but
the driver and other teIlers of the
story only shook their heads and
laughed For them Rosa Manila con-
tinued to be the mad woman of the
mountains. and her lover crushed
form long buried beneath the rocks.
That same winter such enormous
quantities of snow fell from the
mountains that the whole region
greatly suffered and many fatal dis