The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1911-02-05


city and crowds of people from Granada
began to gather daily before the Tower
of the Pr ncesses to listen to the strains
of music which Jacinta called forth.
1t soon became known throughout An
dalusia that in, the Tower of the
Princesses was a young woman who
was a musician of surprising genius.
The rich and powerful began to con-
tend with each other for the privilege
of having .Jacinta play and sing ut
tn cir feasts and RECEIPT .ons, offering her
large sums 70 appear. before them and
their guests
Tempted by the money, Fredegonda
| consented to let her niece appear in pub
lie, but wherever Jacinta went there was
Fredesonda at her elbow warning off
with frigid frowns any of the opposite
sex who ventured to pay compliments to
the fair minstrel. The fame of Jacinta's
musical ability spread until nothing else
was talked of in all Andalusia Now,
just at this time very gloomy state Of
affairs prevailed at the Spanish court,
which was then at San .Ildefonso, THAI
royal residence the fountains, gardens,
terraces and avenues of which were de-
signed to eclipse the glories of Versailles.
The hypochondriac Philip, as is we'll
known, was accustomed to Keep to his
bed for weeks, grooming under imaginary
| complaints, while his strong-minded
| Queen managed the affairs of state with
an expert and steady hand. Music had
been found most potent for dispelling
| frOr tha -
crazed monarch, and always at the court
was body of musicians led by the cele-
brated italian singer Farnelli, whose bus
! mess it was to charm away the spectres
| from the royal brain. But just now their
art was powerless. Philip, after a long
| spell of imaginary illness, had died! That
| is, he said he was dead and no one would
be rash enough to dispute the King
Now the Queen and the courtiers would
not have minded this much--in fact it
| would have been a relief to them-if the
King would only have remained In the
quiescent state becoming dead man. But
he wouldn't. H., declared that now he
was dead they must bury him; and as
they rather hesitated to do so he grew
peevish and revied them heartily for their
| iacN VI IeSpect ana ODeQfcnce.
1t was dissraceful, he declared, the way
they refused to give him sepulchre. and
| he began to talk of high treason and
other unpleasant things if they did not
begin with the funeral right away Here
was state of thingsa The Kings word
was law, but still he was not dead really
and however much they might have been
| tempted to comply with his orders and
bury him once and for all. they hesi-
tated. In the midst of this fearful d.
| lemma news reached the court of the
newly discovered musical marvel in An
dsusia, and Jacinta was summoned to
would have upon the monarch 'If your
powers equal your renown," said the
| queen to the maiden when Jacinta ar
rived at San Ildefonso, land thou canst
cast out the evil spirit which possesses
thy sovereign, thy fortune shall be my
care and honors and wealth attend thee"
The Queen, followed by a crowd of
courtiers. took Jacinta to the darkened
room where. with yellow candles burn
ing at his head and feet, Philip lay upon
his bed with crossed hands, reviling the
attendants because they would not bury
him. Seated on a footstool in an obscure
corner, Jacinta struck her lutte and drew
forth such a soft, aerial harmony that
the courtiers could scarcely believe II
mortal. By degrees she varied the theme
and ere long, with voice and Lutte burst
forth in grand old legendary ballad
filled with the sound of trumpets and the
clangor of battle.
I The funeral chamber resounded with
the stirring strains. The King raised his
head and gazed around Then he sat
up and his eyes began to kindle. Then
he leaped from the bed and called for
sword and buckler-the triumph of ia
cinta was complete. At once the windows
were thrown open, the light of day
streamed in and the courtiers tore or
their badges of mourning. All eyes sought
the fair minstrel. The silver Lutte had
fallen from her hand and she was in the
arms of Ruyz de Alarcon! 1t was his
naughty father who had prevented him
from keeping his pledge to come again
1 to the Alhambra-the heart of the page
had been true all the while. But now
that the Queen took Jacinta under hor
special protection and riches and honors
were showered upon the Rose of the
Alhambra, the proud old man-after ex-
amining Jacnta's pedigree and finding It
atisfactory-objected no longer. And
even Fredegonda, through the gift of q
Lucrative post at court, was reconcilea
to her niece becoming the bride Of one
OF the opposite sex.
Next weeks one-page classic will -
Charles O'Malley,' by Charles Lever,