The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-02-07

was not noticed BY her aunt Frede-
gonda. This Tia F~redegonda was one
or the most vigilant of DANES, but
what can even a vigilant duenna do,
even Il with such a name as Frede-
gonda, against the fate which over
takes all Of US when the little god
max es us an object Of his target prac-
tice? F~redegonda had a distrust and
horror Of what h called the oppo-
site SEX which she had nursed
through long years OF single blessed
ness. theugh. as a matter of fact, as
to herself her fears were g~roundIess,
nature having provided her with a
face which furnished a more absolute
safeguard against the wiles of man
than wisdom, piety Or prudence could
have afforded.
Perhaps F~redegonda had come to
realize her safety. for she had taken
her place in the category Of those
women who, secure for themselves.
are yet unselfsh enough to exert a
three-fold Watchfulness over their sis
ters whom nature has not SO album
dainty blessed with security. The old
lady was Of noble blood, and her
niece, Jacinta, was the daughter of &
brave officer who had fallen fighting
for the king. In consideration Of
their rank, and their poverty, perhaps.
that tower Of the Alhambra called the
Tower Of the Princesses had been al
lAiCAIA " liz oI1o
there they existed upon a scanty pen
sion from the royal purse. Jacinta
had been educated in a convent, from
which she had recently come to live
under the care Of her aunt.
Although ~Fredegonda kept her niece
in the strictest seclusiOn. yet even in
that seclusion her loneliness had
caught the public eye. and, with the
poetical turn common to the people
Of Andalusia, the peasantry Of the
n~eighborhoOd had given her the name
Of the Rose of the A1hambra. When
the court came to the Alhambra the
good aunt ~redoubled her watchfulness
and flattered herself that her vigil
ance had been successful.
1t is true that FrcdegOnda was now
and then disturbed by the sound
which came from the 1noonlit groves
beneath the tcWer-the tinkling Of
guitars and the singing of love ditties
by those frivolous people, the cour-
tiers. But whenever such sounds were
heard h would admOnish Jacinta to
! shut her ears against such unholy and
idle minstrelsy, telling her that it was
one Of the best-knoWn arts Of that
abandoned portion OF humanity. The
| Opposite Sex, used by them to lure
| simple maidens to their undoing. But,
in spite Of all her aunt said, Jacinta
could not shut her ears entirely to the
delicious sounds which fiOated UP from
the mooniit groves, and especially at
ter the visit of the handsome page.
So, in spite of>high walls and locked
doors and a watchfu1 duenna. love
found out a way to the heart of the
| Rose Of the ham And now the
day came when the court was to cave
the royal palace and Granada, Philip
departing suddenly with all his train.
1t was with the most intense satlsfac-
ton that F~redeConda watched the
Sp1ondiH npOcncSiOn file ont of the Gate
of Justice and descend the hill; and
When the last banner had disappeared
under the trees which shaded the
avenue leading to the city below, she
took her way back to the Tower Of
the Princesses with an exultant smile.
Had she not triumphed against the
wiles of the enemy and preserved her
charge safe, even with q court eStab-
lished in the palace?
AS F~redegonda approached the
tower she saw to her amazenlent a
light Arabian steed, richly capari-
soned. paving the ground before the
garden wicket She peeked through
the hedge Of roses and saw a sight
which froze her with horror. There,
amid the roses, stood Jacinta, and at
her feet kneeled a youth in splendid
court apparel. At the sound of the
footsteps Of the duenna the youth
sprang to his feet, saluted Jacinta
with a tender kiss Of farewell, and.
leapins lightly to the back Of his steed,
rode away. Fredegonda at first could
not speak, so great We're her astonish-
ment and indignation. But the tender
Jacinta, forgetting in her grief even
the wrath of her aunt, threw herself
upon the old lady's bosom and broke
forth in sob II tears.
"Oh he is gone:' she cried; lay di
me, he is gone-and I shall never see
him again.. Gone" gasped Frede-
gonda. 'sWho is gone? What-who
was the youth that-I saw at your feet?
Speak. unhappy child-speak-What
means this? Who was he? The vi
peri" "a queens page, aunt" sobbed
Jacinta. who came to say goodbye
to me-" "a queens page!" cried the
aunt: "a queens page! And how in
~. of oil thnt &c roo SOI,ah1a did