The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1905-01-07

The house at the apex OF TIE trees
upon the knoll was so peculiar, and
altogether 80 queer and uncanEy that
the Struggling settlers gave it a wide
berth. and it was Whispered around
that there were many Gark deeds done
under its roof. There was large els
tern some 25 feet deep, near the house.
and that tapped a living spring which
supplied water for the house, and large
domain around it; orchard and gar
den blossomed and grew under the
careful care Of the servants, and Donna
Ramon should be happg with such a
home. but she was prisoner and never
was seen on the roads driving except
with the Don
One Gay he left her, saying he should
not be back until the following even
ing, as he was going to town to attend
/ to some business affairs, and Donna
Inez, being left alone. assembled the stair
to the cupola, to watch the moon rise
over the far-distaut water. Oh, how I'M
happy she was. ever since her marriage.
and for six months she had heard moth
ing from her family.
Could it be that Don Ramon de-
stroyed the letters? She sat there she
knew not how long. and it seemed to
her the most peaceful time she had
spent since leaving her own sunny
land
She heard sound that made her
heart beat faster, and faster, and she
leaned far out on the window sill, and
| there stood-could it be possible? Oh
blessed Mother, Yes! ii was none
other than her beloved Pedro, singing
the cid love song. and looking up to-
ward her.
What should she do-she must see
him, but how-hoW? The old watch
dogs. the servants, were not all in bed,
| would write him a note, and fling it
down from the window.
He must go until later. She flew
downstair and penned the note, and
/ put it through ring she took from her
| finger, and flung it far down in the
grass Then she watched, and knew
that Pedro knew and would be still and
| Wa1t-and what JOY.
She could see him in the garden and
Don Ramon would not be there to in
terfere, Would the hours never pass?
At last she stole down. and out to
Pedro, her lost love. She told him Of
| her misery. and Don Ramon's jealousy,
how she was a prisoner. could go no.
where, or see anyone, and how she had
heard of his hard name among the set
/ tiers, and all her troubles
How nice to have sympathy and love
from an old friend from home!
| He, in turn, told her Of his wander
ings and loneliness without her, and It
| was almost morning ere he started to
depart But bark! what was that step
she heard over there by those rose
bushes; surely no servant could be
around now. She was bidding Dor
Pedro a long farewell. when an angry
face, black with passion. and the CLEAN
of an uplifted knife, was all-and Don
ma Ramon's SORROWS were Ger. and Don
Pedro and Don Ramon were in deadly
combat, struggling over her dead body
| in the moonlight. One gained the
mastery, and Don Ramon was left, but
not dead. beside poor Inez.
When the morning dew reused him,
/ Don Ramon's first thought was how to
get rid Of the grewsome thing there on
the grass Surely there must be some
way. he had done the deed before and
still was free.
! What could he DO now? Something
must be planned before the servants
were stirring. and he must not be seen
| until tomorrow eve, when he was
| expected, and then he would join IN the
/ search for Donna Inez. Ali there was
| the cistern.
He dragged her lifeless body toward
It. and lifting board, plunged the poor
creature down headlong into the water.
Then It was the work Of a few mo-
ments to rid his hands and clothes OF
! the evidences Of his crime, as water was
plentiful. and he would go away, per-
haps never to return
Which he did, and the queer house
| and its occupants still remained on the
knoll on the hill for many years.
No one asked any questions; if they
did, all they got for their trouble was:
'.Quien sabe''-and one by one the
servants dropped out, and the old house
and grounds went to ruin.
But belated farmers, passing by there
at night, say the air is rent with a
woman's screams. and the voices Of two
men in deadly combat then a silence.
| a splash. and ali is dark as before
Does Donna Ramon come back from
| the great beyond, and is the tragedy all
enacted over again2
The taxes on the grounds are always
paid BY some one unknown, to this day
although no one knows who If they do,
silence is golden.
| There had been some talk of drag
cling the cistern, and one night a light
! was seen near; the next day disclosed
evidences Of some one having been
there. What did they do? What Gid
they find?
| Echo answers what! : Overland
| Monthly.