The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1896-04-03
IN WARTIME.

IN WARTIME.
Just below the dam the water wheel of
Euzebio, the miller, creaked noisily i'll
its p0nderous revolutions, while from
the opposite bank the mill of Anselmo
growled a muffled accompaniment.
Friends from childhood, the lives of
these two old widower millers of 20
gave a silent contradiction to thu pOpu-
lar axiom concerning men of the same
employment.
And the picturesque beauty of the
spot Behind Euzebio' S mill the pasture
ground sloped gently to the river S edge,
and, crossing it, ran the pathway down
which the mules were driven, laden
with grain for the mill. Along the bank
d row of tall poplars threw fantastic
shadows upon the placid surface of
the millpond. The river slipped easily
along between its sandy margins, now
glstening i'll the sunlight, now hiding
itself within the recesses of some cane
plantation and emerging at length to
fall in clear and transparent streams of
sparkling water upon the wheel, which
churned them into snowy whlteness.
In summer, when the water was low,
the two old comrades used often to visit
one another, boldly crossing the stream
by the stepping stones below the dam,
but when the autumn rains had swollen
the slow moving river into noisy tor
p1,1inaI fn fhp1n-
selves with calling from bank to bank.
Sometimes Euzebio would say:
"Speak louder, Anselmo. / don't hear
you"
What do you say" the other would
ask, advancing to the rivers edge and
leaning forward anxiously.
And Euzebio, making a speaking
trumpet of his hands, would shout:
Il don't understand"
When they finally succeeded in max
ing themselves heard, they would agree
that the water wheels were mere noisy
than they used to be, and that the river
had never been SO turbulent. All, yes!
1t was the creaking of the wheels that
kept them from hearing and not the
weight of the years pressing upon their
shoulders
Euzebio had son, fine looking fell
low of %, tall, we'll built and as
straight as an arrow. A great worker,
daybreak would find him already busy
in his fathers mill. He tolls like Il
Moor!' the neighbors would say ap-
provingly. Every one liked Simon, and
he was general fayorite at the merry
making of the neighboring villages.
Sometimes after one of these gatherings
the priest, staid and solemn parsonage,
would come to demonstrate with Euze-
bio upon his sons behavior of the night
before, whereat the old man was accus-
toned to shake his head reprovingly and
cast down his eyes, whether to better
express his condemnation or to hide the
twinkle in them no one ever knew.
And Anselmo had a daughter, Mar
garida by name, pretty girl of 10,
with that sweet, natural beauty of the
country, and her loveliness of face and
form was but a fitting accompaniment
to a gentle and loving disposition. Mar
garida and Simon had been playmates
from babyhood, but when the girl had
reached her fifteenth year this childish
intimacy began to give place to Il maid
emily reserve on her part and to an atti-
tude of chivalrous devotion on the part
of her companion, while in his heart Il
deep and earnest love was slowly
springing into life.
Margarida would feign annoyance
whenever Simon summoned up the cour-
age to speak of his love and Of the pain
her indifference gave to him, and with
a frown on her pretty face would
abruptly change the subject. The maid
Ell S disdain of her lovers pleadings,
however, merely added fuel to the pas
sion that famed III the heart of the
young miller.
"Margarida, -" he said to her one day,
eff thou wilt not marry me, l shall
have to die bachelor. -
There are plenty of girls, Simon"
And sec thee become another ~
cried the lad, with tears in his eyes. 81
don't know what l should dot would
kill mer'
And was Margarida so cruel as really
TO despise the love of her childhood's
friend and playfellow? Wait awhile;
we shall soon see how far a woman S
love and devotion can go.
At the time of which we write war
had just broken ont between the follow
ers of Dom Pedro and Dom Miguel.
When the terrifying news reached the
village, the mothers shuddered as they
looked upon their sons, returning weary
from the pillow.
Nobody knows the number killed,
said the messenger. lit is the end of the
world ~
The next day a squad of soldiers en-
tered the village, and, marching to Euze-
bios mill, drew up line, while the Off
Ger in command. with Il couple Of pri-
Yates, entered. 4 few minutes later the
horror stricken neighbors saw them
march away with Simon in their midst,
with bound arms like felon apprc-
hended of justice. The father tried to
follow them, but age and weakness held
him back. Hearing the cries Of the PEG
pie, Margarida came running to the
Ipot and when they told her that Simon
had been impressed into the service of
Dom Pedro, she fell fainting in Eu1e-
bios arms.
a week later shots were heard in the
distance and the bugle calls Of bat
TALON. A skirmish was evidently taking
place near by. At midday column of
troopers passed through the village, and
all pressed forward to see if Simon were
among them. Yes, there he was, but
how changed Breathless and exhausted,
rovered with dust, his shoes in holes and
clothing torn, they saw him march by,
bending YEARLY beneath the weight Of
his knapsack. As he passed them he nod
ded to his acquaintance, while his eyes
searched eagerly for a glimpse of Mar
garida OF his father, but in vain And
so, with heavy heart, he passed on.
When Margarida was told that her
lover had just gone by, she wanted to
run ahead and catch up with the bat
TALON.
And mingle with the rough SOL
diersr % cried an ancient dame. God
save us, child Dost thou know what
thou art saying?"
lis not Simon soldier, Aunt Joa-
quina?" asked the girl tearfully.
At nightfall a melancholy procession
neared the village. A file of soldiers
led the way. Behind them came a slow