The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-08-23

EngltSn manner-that Is, by himself
disiiking TO call In barber, and one
/ morning while making his toilet he
heard a noise In the courtyard and
| stepped out on the corridor to listen.
forgetting that it was chilly and that
he was In his stocking feet. He caught
cold, as 1T was supposed, and there
Followed IN embolism, something chok-
ing n vein or artery in n leg. Many
painful symptoms followed. En- rcsum-
idas cuentas. he took to his bed. and
the foremost surgeons Of the city In
consultation decided that his leg must
be amputated to save his life. he was
a big. strong. full blooded man, and it
was not Imagined that he might not
survive the operation. But ten days
after he died OF the shock. and it was
II nurveI now wasted he had bec1:rc
This was the most tragic event during
generations in the history OF the yalles
dc Miranda.
when other events, sinister and sOr-
! rowful, had occurred in that once hap
py family, Leonidas looked up the date
OF the death OF Don Ignacio. It was
the 18th. This was but the beginning
Maria. the wife, died Of typhus. and
then came losses Of property, the mines
failed to pay, an interest in banking
house was lost through n most unex-
pected failure, anu when we heard that
the banking house was ut 13 - street
we shuddcrcd. My father went to see
young Julio Yale dc Miranda to coun-
sci him to move out Of Is Damas Re-
gias. but Julio said that it was all q Sc
ries OF condolences and that, even If it
were that, lie had no money to spend
Ill fitting up q new house. 1t seems in
credible, but In the space Of three years
every member Of that family except
Julio and sister, Trinidad, had died,
and each death took place on 18th Or
a 2Gth! People all over tle city had
come to talk Of the Vale de Miranda
family and its awful luck. Most peo-
pie were confirmed in their prejudice
against the number 13. Timld persons
moved out Of No. 13s or changed the
number to 12 bis anything to break
the spell.
"Ten years went by, and Julio re-
mained bachelor. while his sister,
Trinidad. a splendid looking GIRL tall,
OF lovely figure and with great dark
eyes, who had been carefully educated
Mt the Sacred Heart, remained with
him. Julio had managed to retain the
house, for n copper mine, which no one
had thought worth considering and
which the creditors Of the family had
left in doubtfully generous way to
Julio and his sister. bad turned out Of
much value and had been sold to
Frenchmen. don't know how 1t hap.
pened. but Julio seemed fascinated by
the old house. They were odd people.
that brother and sister, and declared
, TINT where their father and mother
had lived was dear to them and that
they could not be happy in any other
house. even In u modern mansion in
the newer part Of the city.
''It was about 1892 when Il young
man OF excellent family. Rafael de.
Monte, began to pay court to Trinidad.
standing under her balcony ut night.
following her everywhere. in short the
utmost devotion. Rafael had q large
fortune In houses and lands and lived
the life Of a young clubman. and, being
fond Of horses, was always driving,
horseback excursions about the valley.
He was an immense fav0rite in socie-
+. ty. and oil the mammas were scheming
to get Rafael for their daughters. He
could play the piano, sing, speak well,
both In French and English, had tray
eled. dressed in perfect taste and was
not only a handsome fellow, but moth
ing dissipated. Leouidas will be nv
witness that we used to say, on talk
Ing over the devotion Of Rafael for
Trinidad. thnt perhaps the evil fortune
Of the family of the Wales de Miranda
had taken wings. Youth and beauty,
wealth and distinction, madly in love!
Surely. we thought, the leaf has been
turned in the book of a tragic fate. At
all events. fortune seemed to have re-
Tented. and Trinidad was as happy a
girl as one could wish to see. Whcrcv-
er we met her Mt social reunions she
was radiant picture Of youth and
beauty, and her wonderfully distin-
gnished bearing and perfect ease drew
every eye. She was girl OF whom no
one said mean things Society here is
sharp tongued sometimes. but as If by
common consent all the world seemed
50 yyish good saEtuiie for thts last OF the
daughters OF an i'll fated house."
Leonidas looked meditatively ut Clo-
tides lovely hands and murmured,
Trinidad was perfection itself, IN an
gel from heaven" speech well befit
ting that gallant old gentleman.
Indeed. she was perfection, and
when women fall In love with q wo-
man you may be sure, girls. that she is
good and sweet and charming. All
I That was Trinidad Vale de Miranda.
The very buliflghters ON the street cor
ners forgot to pay her a compliment
Once one said, She Is q holy image
from the altar, gone walking through
these streets Of Cod But no rude
word ever reached her ears as she
went about the city: Heaven seemed
to have relented and to have showered
all possible gifts OF grace md virtue
on this superb young woman. How
devout she was! How constant in her
devotions! How many times she went
TO the shrine at Guadalupe to pray!