The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1896-01-11
LOVES SACRIFICE.

gust sky, they were truly Z pitinbls
sight, though they held up their head:
dcfantly. and smiled derisively at tho
| insulting epithets and grinlaces which
| the lower classes heaped upon them, cs
pecially in the vicinity of any ofrictf's
residence. The better class of the
1Invanesc showed their sympathy il
striking contrast to the jeers and gibes
OF the baser sort-the men, by thei,
sullen, indignant looks; the women, by
frequent sobs and tears and smothereu
exclanations of Los desgraciados!'
Que lastima! Dios los ayudel"
The time was 1851, directly after Tic
lieutenant, in his ill-starrcd expedition
to Cuba. He and his Spartan remnant
were these forlorn prisoners.
hen they reached the Gale de IL
I.amparilla. one of the narrow streets
OF tine city, the guards suddenly halted
the column and reverently barred their
heads. A funeral procession was APP
pro.sching from the opposite direction,
and the line was pushed close toward
the houses jutting on the narrow foot
why, scarcely worth the name of side
walk.
A youth among the foremost prison
ers. who, evidently, had not the forth
tlde OF his older companions, judging
by his bowed head and deep ejection,
now looked up with q wan smile of rec
ognition as pair of dark eyes brim-
ming with tears gazed through q lat
ticed window ut the pitiful sight.
''.Amalia!" he whispered.
"Hobercito! Is it indeed you? Oh,
how terrible! I did not dream you wero
with them.''
Dearest cousin, save me-" he re-
piled in Spanish as fluent as her OVID.
I've are all condemned to be shot in
two days, perhaps sooner. l am too
young to die"
''Wou1d that 1 could, nino qucrido,
but, alas! l G1n powerless as q lamb
among wolves"
"Amalita, don't say that! You have
friends, lovers. among the Spaniards.
For the love of my mother"
Forward, march," rang on the air,
and the weary column passed on to tho
dungeons of MORO castle.
That night the Senorita Amalia de
Valdez was a dream of loneliness a.
che reclined listlessly among the cush-
ions of Il lounge in her handsome salon.
Tall, exquisitely formed. with tetty
tresses framing n softly rounded face,
with midnight eyes SO large, SO liq-
uid, SO lustrous that her admirers eN-
liuusted the aftiuence of their honeyed
tongues in praising them; with a mouth
whose twin carnations, perfect in re-
pose, were still more enchanting when
her smile disclosed the dazzling teeth
is no wonder she was con-
sidered to be the beauty of beauties
in a capital famed for the grace and
loneliness of it's women.
The young Capt. Antonio de Ramon,
who presently entered, WINS SO enrap-
tured with her appearance that only the
presence of the inevitable duenna re-
him from throwing himself
at her feet in reality, as we'll as in the
formal salutation with which Spanish
gentlemen greet all ladies.
'Beso Il 10 pies. senorita."
She responded in the same fashion,
only kissing his hands (fguratively)
instead of his feet. But she looked pre-
occupied, sad, Respondent. He seated
himself near her, while the duenna,
her gentle Tia Maria, retired to a dis
tant corner and, opening a prayer book,
was soon entirely (to all appearances,
ut least) absorbed in it's Perusal.
''TeIl me, my SOUL" said he. why are
you SO melancholy?'
n sigh was the only response.
"Al, yes! l know your tender heart
aches for the prisoners you must have
seen to-day. Poor fellows! Theirs
is terrible fate. But, tell me, what
is it you wished to ask me? Can there
he n wish of yours ! would not crafty
1T the risk of my life, if need be? 1
have your precious billet safe here"
md lie pointed to his heart. "Iou have
but to command and will obey"
lila mia, said Amalia, turning to her
aunt, Il have n,islaid my pearl bracelet
upstairs. Will you kindly look for it p
The duenna vanished as if she hal
the request. On the instant
Amalia said to him:
"You have often sworn that you love |
me to distraction, is it not SO, An
tonito?'
What happiness it was for him to
hear from her lips the diminutive Ito
added to his name, which, in itself, is !
, caress in words.
my life, with oil my heart and SOUL" !
ne exclaimed, seeking to embrace her.
But she drew back. |
mo, I give myself only to him who
proves his love-
''What can I do for you, beloved? |
Dispose of me as you will for life"
ut is life ask. Sit here beside me,
learest, and ! will tell you"
She then related the scene Of the |
her discovery that Roberto. /,
Who had passed the previous winter
n Havana with the family, was now
.mong the prisoners.
HE is the son of my favorite aunt
% young, barely 16. He came here
o perfect himself in Spanish, and
inspired him with my own enthusiasm
or the Cuban cause. He has returned,
las! to die, unless you will save him
or my sake. Should he perish, l can
,ever know another happy moment"
ervou, nm Ia ho 1;Sfe