The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-28
THE MERRY PIEMAN AND
THE DAUGHTER OF The DON
n CaStilian Romance.
BY JOHN BENNETT.

: their skins; but Francella hung her head
upon her breast like wtlted flower, I'M
mindful OF IL all.
Up the glittering lists rode the Don TO
the bar of the high pavilion.
Begin!' he cried, and waved his hand.
With a tremendous shout. the mail
clad warriors hurled together like mai
wild bears. Crash! went ashcu spears.
I splintered in fragments that kept the
poor in kindling wood for month Clang.
Gang, rang the sword and hattle-aN on
helmet. mail and shield. Down went horse
and rider in a cloud OF binding dust
Round and round went the struggliug
seething whirl. battling like tigers. while
from the great pavilion rose shout ana
call TO friend and foe: Go IL. Gaspar-
now you We got him. Wade in. Carlos-
hit him again" Now. Deigo-yah, yah.
YAH" until the sky rang.
Many an unintentional somersault was
turned in that wild onfall. and many
/ gallant knight was tumbled over his
horses crupper. like an apple from
tree. But still the fight went on with
undated fury all day long, without in
/ PERMISSION even for refreshments. though
] here and there at intervals. from under
4 the mad medley Of hits and heels. some
! disheveled caballero crawled on his hands
and knees and telephoned for the ambu-
\ lance
But when at last the night drew down
and over the mountains I'm the east the
old moon hung like a tired cheese, the
/ Don arose.
/ Let us eat, drink and be merry and
sleep anon; and on the morrow the tour
ney may proceed"
Then followed a scene that battles de-
] scription.
The Don had mortgaged his whole estate
/ to raise the ready cash. and Get me the
best cook in all CASTLE, he said.
ard.
And the richest stores in all The
They shall be procured"
/ And there upon the great tables spread
IN the long pavilion steamed and glowed
/ feast that filled the air FOR miles around
with appetizng fragrance that was in it.
self almost "A meal, and made the mouths
! Of those noble warriors water like noun
/ tam springs
Roasted capons stuffed with spice and
/ olives; fiitches Of beef, garnished with
savory and lined with currant jelly; broad
gammons Of sizzling bacon, crisped with
onions and grated almonds; fat cells.
stewed in rich green oil. sausages buried
\ in golden cheesecakes; roast lamb. with
clear mint sauce: Venison collops with
guava jam; turbot herring sturgeon roe.
turtle soup and deviled kidneys drowned In
| wine
| day long. and having healthy medieval
/ appetites TO begin with, dukes. earls and
baronets fairly fell over each other in the
rush for the table. Meats, vegetables.
| sauces, garniShes, salads and entrees
| melted before their attacks like a snow
bank under a July sun.
Forks were unknown things In those
| brave days; so that the guests pitched
in with both hands ana were speedily
grayied;. oiled and spiced clear to their
| noble elbows, and the damask table cloth
! was a sight to see.
Then came raisins, figs dates. honeyed
| prunes and apricots candied cherries,
! plum preserves. picked peaches, branded
| pineapple jams jcllies and cOnserVes,
! swimming in lakes OF yellow cream anu
showed under with sparkling sugar grains.
And after those ripe melons, grapes:
| oranges and luscious pears were served
| with rich fruit cake and cocOanut pattes
mellow with great Jumps OF golden butter
| courses immense trays OF confectionery
were carried around and each guest helped
himself with a sugar-scoop; while from
! first to last the red wine ran In streams.
| They ate until they could eat no longer
| and when at last the banquet came to an
! end. and all of the guests had been trun-
! died home in wheelbarfOws, being quite
unable to walk silence fell upon the scene.
! But in the night "A woeful sound arose
| within the camp There was Dusklhs ana
/ buckling in haste and riding hard through
| the darkness. and wild blows and voices
| crying at the doors of all the doctors
and apothecaries in town.
And when the morning came the camp
| wore a melancholy, jaded air. Down hung
| the proud banntrs YEARLY. and slow
| tapped the tent doors dejectedly In the
| sulen wind and there was prevalent
| odor of peppermint and paregoric every
Again the trumpet blared from the cas-
! tie wall and the draw-bridge ratified
/ down; and again the retinue OF the don
! and his daughter swept down the lists.
| But the lists were empty. and in the
whole camp there was no sound. nor any
! person TO be seen. save one doleful fell
| low with a plaster on his nose and bit
of raw beef clapped to very dismal
| eye.
! And while they wondered. there came
from afar off riding a solitary horseman,
down the mountain side. Squirting across
the plain, he came up the lists in a cloud
! of dust and smOt upon the shield of
| Don Santallana Lopez. Duke Of Tors,
with blow that made the audience jump
an inch off their seats. Il challenge him
| to nombatr' cried the stranger in a
ringing voice, at the sound of which
Francella started ard clasped her hands.
Then the dust cleared away. There up
on a fat little donkey sat a stout young
fellow in a gaberdsne of blue and gold.
wearing a white apron tied about his
waist In his hand he bore a broad.
| strong bakers paddle of ash from which
| fiuttered a banderole. and upon this BAN
/ derole. on blue ground were blazoned
a silver lily and three custard pies ram
! ''Trot out your duke" cried he impa-
| tiently. Il can't wait here all day
! Then the marshal ran to the duke pavil-
| ion, crying, 'tSenor. senior. they are cali
| ing thee In the istsi"
SLet EN- call, you noisy dog" bawled
| the duke with his head in a bucket of ice
| water. II wouldn't fight, the way 1 feel,
| for a billion Lilies of Castile--my head is
| like to splitr' and he groaned dismally,
Then the Stranger rode again down
the l.sts and struck the shield of the
Baron of Baquedena until II rang like
| Chinese gong. But the baron came not.
And the marshal ran to the baron's tent
and beat upon the sill-board, calling:
''Senor. senior. they call thee in the lists"
plague on the listsr' groaned the baron,
who was rubbing his forehead with spir-
its OF camDhor and wore a mustard plas-
ter where Il would do the most good.
plague on the lists and on You. too, My
head spins round like dying dutchman.
I wouldn't fight for the fairest maiden IN
forty Spainsv And oh that supper, that
support he groaned in bitterness of spir-
it.
PARKWAY smile and smote upon the shield
Of All the knights within that camp, but
not a one came forth; for some were
grooming and some were praying. while
othQs.s lwera swearing dreadfully; and
some threw their boots at the marshars
head. and some tied themselves up in pit
cons knots and walled for the doctor,
and the burden Of their wailings was:
THAT supper; oh, that support
At last they came TO the Marquis of Sc
Vile: and ne being and old campaigner
and veteran eiutton. had but an attack
Of dyspepsia that filled him with yearn-
ing 10 light a cage Of wildcats for pasfirne.
He summoned his two private blacksmiths
and got him into his fighting clothes. and
then. with his pOnderOus lance IN rest, he
Numbered down the lists, gritfing hts