Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1860-11-22

Tarragona since the Don Juan de ii Vega
had come there to live? by no means.
The impartial historian must admit that
strangers to the sDot had alone fallen vic
Tins at the pass OF Balaguer 50 that less
heed was taken Of the matter than there
would have otherwise been. At length it
came to pass that critics noted some strange
points in connection with these murders
Each victim fell precisely on the same
spot, and had been killed in exactly the
same way, by bullet passing through the
middle Of the forehead right into the brain.
Moreover, each corpse when discovered
was found lying on the back, decently laid
out, arms and legs straight, eyes closed
and, still more strange to say, having a
crucifx on his breast There seemed to be
something supernatural in all this. People
did not care to inquire too narrowly into
the causes of it. Balaguer came to be re-
garded as haunted spot Travellers who
could, avoided the path, and those who
could noL, took care to go in company for
it happened that none but lonely travellers
had ever been known to tall in the pass of
Bala@uer. To examine the spot from afar
was not an easy thing, on account Of It's
being so much hemmcd in with rocks
However, herdsman once upon q time
testified to having heard the report of a
gun, and, looking towards the spot whence
the report came, saw a monster of gigantic
stature, enveloped in fame, rush down
along the crags, approach a certain spot,
and, STOPPING down, place a murdered trav-
eler on his back, arrange his limbs, kneel
down close to him, apparently engaged in
prayer, finally lay crucifX upon the body,
and escape back to the mountain as abrupt
ly as he came.
At length the mystery was solved \
sort OF Punch and judy show, with pup
pets the size Of life, takes place in Spain
during Lent, sacred subjects being repres-
ented. Well, it so happened that a certain
proprietor of wooden puppets for Lent per
formances, and Of great cleverness, had
been starring it at Barcelona, under the
proprictorship Of a certain little man, whom
we will call Pepe Morales Pepe having
drawn crowded audiences at Barcelona,
wished to 90 to Valencia, and, all the bad
repute of Balaguer notwithstanding, he de
termined On the following route Pepe
Morales amongst his puppets had one of
extraordinary cleverness, and the clever
ness Of it, must hasten to explain, was in
the part where the cleverness ought to be,
[ mean in the head. That head could open
its eyes, shut its eyes, laugh, bow-and in
short, do most things except think, and
speak outright. Such a clever head had
never been made before; no wonder Pepe
Morales set great store upon it. But clev-
cr as the cabeza was, Pepe Morales had the
notion that his own proper head was more
clever still, and that he would be block
head indeed, if, the choice being forced on
him, he did not sacrifice the wooden cabe-
"a for a cabeza full of brains, So, remem-
bering that he had to traverse the iL-star-
red mountain path of Balagucr, remember
ing that travellers were often murdered
there each by bullet through the head
Pepe bethought himself Of an expedient
which you reader, if of thoughtful turn
Of mind, will have guessed already.
Safety often comes of putting two heads
together, you know, the proverb says;
and so said Pepe Morales. So, mounting
his mule, wrapping his capa or Spanish
cloak about him, closing it at the neck,
quite over his own head, allowing his nose
to poke out little, whereby he could
breathe, the intrepid Pepe Morales got
friend to stick the wooden head on the
top Of his own head and the cabeza being
surmounted by jaunty sombrero, the get
up looked human enough, | dare say, es-
pecially at twilight, the hour when he elec
ted to pass the defle Of Balaguer The
better to try conclusions, Pepe desired his
companions (for there were many in his
tra;n), to remain some distance in the rear,
concealed in the turn of the path, whilst
he passed on; telling them that, on hear
ing the report of gun, they should quick
ly pass to the spot. Merrily Pepe trotted
along, a fine looking fellow enough, thanks
to the cabeza Step by step the spot fatal
TO many was reached. Crack is heard
the discharge of the carbine. Up goes
Pepe's hand to the head off he falls in
true artistic style, just like man killed
outright Pepe was not killed, however,
but tightly grasped knife under his
coat.
Very vice awake, though you might not
have 'thought it, Pepe looked about him,
and perceived, as the herdsman had before
perceived, somebody clambering down the
rocks-with these variations, however the
clamberer was not monstrous in size, nor
Was he enveloped in flame lie vas sim
ply man, not particularly ill-looking.
He approaches stealthily, he lays hold
of Pepe's leg, and, much. quicker than
can rccite it to you, Pepe jerks away his
wooden head, casts aside his cloak, and
cuts with his knife right and left at the
stranger.
The latter screamed with yigor. lie
did not get much wounded, and Pepe was
a little man but Senior Don Juan Lfor It