Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-04-30
= discharged him with

obanoin, amnlovers: he served now
dissIpated hidaIgo, then an IN
intriguing actress then an agea lsper'
tine whose daughter In gra1ituue i"l
aiding her TO win back her recreaht
lover Don Luis Pacheco, give nun
hundred pistoles, and, on her Ia
theirs death, got him place win sun
another aged roue, Don Gonza'eS'
whose dressing operations, wheh ne
arose at noon, reminded him Oh tiN
resurrection Of Lazarus.
Here again he acted as intermeui-
airy in ldee affair, but when ne toiu
his infatuated employer that ne was
being duped, he was turned OIL though
given a recommendation to the MAT
onesa de Chaves, reputed the clever
est woman in Madrid, because she was
as solemn as an owl, and rarely spoke
Her salon, called "the Fashionable In
stitution for Literature, Taste ana SCI
ence," was the resort for the wits ana
notables of Madrid.
getting into trouble about a girl, was
compelled to leave the city. On his
way to Toledo he rescued young no
bleman, named Don Alfonso, from ar
rest. They sbecame friends and after
Don Alfonso reached home, he ana
his father became Gil Bias patrons,
placing him as secretary to their hla-
tive, the archbishop of Granada, who
was Unfortunately vain and as broad as
he was long.
Gil Bias praised his sermons and
was regarded as young man Of ex-
cellent Judgment until after the prel-
ate's mind was affected by ap0plexy
and his homilles became discordant
rawlings. Gil Bias obeyed the arch
bishops command to tell him If he
fell short In his preaching and was
ANONYMOUSLY packed off. Reduced
to extremities once more, he passed as
the brother of disreputable actress
and thus secured the position as Sec
rotary to a Portuguese grandee, the
Marquis de Marialva. The trick was
discovered. He returned to Madrid
and after many amusing and not al
ways creditable adventures, was ap-
pointed under secretary to the duke
Of Lerma, prime minister to the king.
His duties may be gagged by his com
ment: zone makes merit OF any
dirty work in the service of the great"
His experiences with the upper and
The lover world, with actors, poets
libertinCs, physicians, bandits, adven-
turers, and hidalgos and their serv-
ants, had sharpened his wits, and his
native ability and smattering of edu-
cation gave him growing influence. He
was courted, fattered and bribed; his
conceit and avarice became colossal.
He declared that "a court had all
the soporific virtues of Lethe in tha
case of poor relations" and confessed
that "every trace of his former gay
and generous temper had disap-
peared."
Pride came before fall. Having
been employed to procure a question
able mistress for the heir-apparent,
he was arrested by the kings orders
and thrown into the dungeon of Sc
govia. The prince interviewed, but he
was exiled from the two CASTLES. All
his property was seized and his mer-
cenary engagement to wealthy jew
eler's daughter was broken.
Then his friend, Don Alfonso, whom
he had got appointed as governor OF
Valencia presented him with q small
estate near that city.
On his way thither he stopped at
his birthplace and found his uncle
mental wreck and his mother worn out
in caring for his dying father He
gave his father pompous funeral,
and settled an annuity on his mother,
but the towns people were SO indlg-
nant with him for his neglect of his
family that they threatened to mob
him.
Glad to escape with his life, he
reached Valencia, where he was re-
ceived at his new home by seven or
eight servants provided by Don AL
fonso. He got rid of most of them
and lived frugally marrying Antonio,
daughter of his farmer, Don Basilio.
But his idyllic happiness ended with
the death of his wife in childbirth.
Soon afterward the crown princes
Gaze to the throne and offered him
place of high responsibility. Gil Bias
who had learned wisdom, replied that
"all he wanted was a good situation.
where there was no inducement TO vio-
late his conscience, and where the ia
vors of his prince were not likely to
be hartered for filthy lucre"
He was made confidant to the
prime minister, who entrusted him
with the education of his illegitimate
son and heir. This brought him
title.
After some years when the duke lost
the kings favor, Gil BlSs followed him
into retirement, and on his death was
remembered with bequest of l0'OVO
pistoles. He returned to his beauti-
full estate, made second marriage
and lived, happy and respected, tram
Ing his children wisely and confiding
to his memoirs all his errors, crimes
lows and sorrows. together with MS