104 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 



April 



abruptly change the subject. The maiu- 

 eu's disdaiu of her lover's pleading!?, 

 however, ruerely added fuel to the pas- 

 eiou that flamed in the heart of the 

 joung ruiJler. 



"Margarida," he said to her oue day, 

 "if thou vvilt uot marry me, 1 shall 

 have to die a bachelor." 



"There are plenty of girls, Simon." 



"And see thee become another's!" 

 cried the lad, with tens in his eyes. "I 

 don't know what I should do — it would 

 kill me !" 



And was Margarida so cruel as really 

 to despise the love of her childhood's 

 friend and playfellow? Wait awhile; 

 we shall soon see how far a woman's 

 love and devotion can go. 



At the time of which we write war 

 had just broken out between the follow- 

 ers of Dom Pedro and Dom Miguel. 

 When the terrifying news reached the 

 village, the mothers shuddered as they 

 looked upon their sons, returning weary 

 from the pl^w. 



"Nobody knows the number killed," 

 said the messenger. "It is the end of the 

 world!" 



The next day a squad of soldiers en- 

 tered the village, and, marching to Euze- 

 bio's mill, drew up line, while the oflS- 

 cer in command, with a couple of pri- 

 vates, entered. A few minutes later the 

 horror stricken neighbors saw them 

 inarch away with Simon in their midst, 

 with bound arms like a felon appre- 

 hended of justice. The father tried to 

 follow them, but age and weakness held 

 him back. Hearing the cries of the peo- 

 ple, Maigarida came running to the 

 spot, and when they told her that Simon 

 had been impressed into the service of 

 Dom Pedro, she fell I'ainting in ICnze- 

 bio's arms. 



A week later shots were heard in tht 

 distance and the bugle calls of a bat 

 talion. A skirmish was evidently taking 

 place near by. At midday a column of 

 troopers passed through the village, and 

 all pressed forward to see if Simon were 

 among them. Yes, there he was, but 

 how changed ! Breathless and exhausted, 

 covered with dust, his shoes in holes and 

 clothing torn, they saw him march by, 

 bending wearily beneath the weight of 

 his knapsack. As he passed them he nod- 

 ded to his acquaintances, while his eyes 

 searched eagerly for a glimpse of Mar- 

 garida or his father, but in va in ! Ar^^ 



so, with a heavy heart, he passed on. 



When Margarida was told that her 

 lover had just gone by, she wanted to 

 run ahead and catch up with the bat- 

 talion. 



"And mingle with the rough sol- 

 diers!" cried an ancient dame. "God 

 save us, child I Dost thou know what 

 thou art saying?" 



"Is not Simon a soldier, Aunt Joa- 

 quina?" asked the girl tearfully. 



At uigiitfall a melancholy procession 

 neared the village. A file of soldiers 

 led the way. Behind them came a slow 

 moving line of farm wagons, make- 

 shift ambulances, filled with the wound- 

 ed. There they lay, heaped together, 

 the dead among the dying. Oh, it was 

 a pitiful sight ! The sobbing women 

 ran from cart to cart, searching for the 

 face of some loved oue. 



Suddenly, from amid the cloud of 

 dust surrounding oue of the ambulances, 

 a faint cry was heard : 



"Fii-therl Mar-ga-rida! I am dying!" 



And oue of the wounded men was 

 seen to let his head fall forward upon 

 his breast, while from the edge of the 

 wagon his left arm hung limply. 



The soldier leading the horses of this 

 ambulance shook his head as Margarida 

 came running toward him, asking for 

 her lover. The rumble of the cart wheels 

 droned her words. Sorrowfully she 

 turned away, but as the cart passed her 

 the arm extended from its side caught 

 her eye, and springing forward she 

 seized the hand in hers, and examining 

 with intentness a ring the dead man 

 wore fell back into the arms of her 

 friends, with the cry of a breaking 

 heart ; 



"Oh, Simon, my love! Dead! Dead!" 



When a neighbor went to Euzebio's 

 house to tell him of his son's death, he 

 found the old man seated on the edge of 

 his bed, praying, with his eyes fixed on 

 a crucifix he held in his hand. 



"Pray for his soul," said the friend 

 sadly. 



The old miller, who had become very 

 deaf, raised his head and asked in 

 alarm, "What is it?" putting his hand 

 to his ear. 



"Dead," shouted the other. 



Euzebio rose to his feet, and, with 

 pale face and set eyes, made his way to 

 the head of the bed, and took down an 



old musket, f.ha<-..haitu/ tKoiio 



