The Sauk Centre herald., 1896-03-12
Dom Pedro. she. fell fainting In Enc.

7UlStduCo duQ t8o sOuB40 Ou44c " - Ueb-
TALON. A skirmish was evidently taking
place near by. At midday column Of
troopers passed through the village. and
all pressed forward to see II Simon we're
among them. Yes, there he was. but
R6M Changed! Breathless and exhausted.
covered with dust, his shoes in holes and
clothing torn. they saw him march by,
Bending wearily beneath the weight Of
his knapsack. AS he passed them he nod
ded to his acquaintances, while his eyes
searched eagerly for a glimpse Of Mar
garida Or his father, but in vain! And
SO. with a 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
diers r. cried an ancient dame. "God
save us, child! Dost thou know what
thou art saying?"
lis not Simon a soldier, Aunt Joa-
Quina?' asked the girl tearfully.
At nightfall melancholy procession
neared the village. A file of soldiers
led the way. Behind them came slow
moving line of farm wagons, make
shift ambulances, filed with the wound
ed. There they lay, heaped together,
the dead among the dying. Oh, it was
pitiful sightl The sobbing women
ran from cart to cart, searching for the
face Of some loved one.
Suddenly, from amid the cloud Of
dust surrounding one OF, the ambulances,
faint cry was heard:
''Fa- ther Mar-ga-rida lam dying ~
And one of the wounded men was
seen to let his head fall forward upon
his breast, while from the edge of the
wagon his left arm hung Imply.
The soldier leading the horses Of this
ambulance shook his head as Margarida
came running toward him, asking for
her lover. The rumble of the cart wheels
droned her words. Sorrowfully she
turned away, but as the cart passed her
the arm extended from its side caught
her eye, and springing forward she
seized the hand in hers, and examining
with intentness ring the dead man
wore fell back into the arms OF her
friends, with the cry of breaking
heart:
"Oh, Simon, my love! Dead! Dead"
When neighbor went to Euzebio's
house to tell him Of his sons death, he
found the old man seated ON the edge of
his bed, praying, with his eyes fixed on
a crucifix he held in his hand.
"Pray for his SOUL, said the friend
sadly.
The old miller, who had become very
deaf, raised his head and asked in
alarm, "What is it?" putting his hand
to his ear.
"Dead, shouted the other.
Euzebio rose to his feet, and, with
pale face and set eyes, made his way to
the head of the bed, and took down an
old musket that hung there.
"What is that for, Uncle Euzebio?"
inquired his friend.
81 will kill themr' said the old man,
in trembling voice. II will kill
them i''
But as he crossed the threshold of his
house, gun in hand, volley rang out
from the foremost squad, and the old
man fell forward on his face, dead.
The next morning a neighbor's boy
came running home, white with fear.
sobbing and trembling, and told his
mother that a little below the dam'he
had seen the body of woman, drifting
drifting
X
In after years I revisited the scenes OF
my childhood. It was beautiful April
morning. I found Margarida's father
seated in front of his mill, his chair by
the rivers edge, enjoying the warmth of
returning spring. He told me of Simon's
death and of the tragic fate of his
friend Euzebio, but when he began to
speak of his daughter, his voice failed
him, and, turning his head away, he
whispered to himself:
"Oh, my Margarida!'
And silent, motionless- like man in
a dream, he gazed with Axed eyes upon
the river that slid softly by his feet, as
though within it's depths he beheld her
smiling face. Chicago Inter Ocean.