Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-04-20
lQlurtestcr 4allp Spp,
Am UNHOLY BROTHERHoOn.

lnquIstlon performed perhaps its only praise
worthy act.
There is no record of TIE period at which
the secret society of Despenadores was first
instituted; bu', from the name, it is to be in
TERED 1t was of some antiquity for, though
the Spanish language yet owns the verb active,
deSpanor (not TO be contounded with despcnnor
winch latter means the act OF throwing from a
rock or other elevation precipitating,) with
the ,lgnhcatOn Ito ease to alleviate, to relieve
from pain or cares" it has long fallen into dis
use and may be looked upon as nearly Obso
lete.
On the evening of certain day, in the year
1888, in a darkened and noiseess apartment in
the town of Ocana, i'll Old Castillo, worthy
and respected citizen lay suffering under dis
ease of long standing at the tester OF his bed
was fixed the customary pia, or little open
s3earthenware vessel, containing holy water,
; 9smouuted by painting Of his patron saint
at the foot of the bed Il table of a small kind of
altar bearing couple Of lighted tapers flank
a wooden etfigy OF our Saviour extended on
the cross, on which tae sick mans eyes were
rivited implolingy, gave unmistakablc signs
that the patient was considered in danger. He
was yet but middle aged man, unmarried,
wellto do in the world, OF excellent character
and notable for his dcvoul habits and rigid OBJ.
servance of the forms and ceremonies of his
church. His only relative was sister, who,
WIN TWO dOmestlcs, constituted his household
lhese had now Withdrawn from the sick cham
Der, 10 make way for his friend, the parish
priest-tortunatey, a plain, sensible, straight
minded man,-who, at the patients IT quest,
had been sent for to hear his confession and
administer the last rights of dissolution and
extreme junction. And now that these cere-
monies llad Deen performed, the clergyman,
who had long known and held the patient III
much esteem, remained alone by his side,
praying with ana eXhortng him. The sick
man ala not exactly fear to meet death,
nor ina ne murmur at the decree OF his Max
er, yet ne nevertheless exhibited extreme regret
at being called from tins world so soon. There
lore his friend, the priest sought somewhat TO
cheer him, by observing, THAT although these
acts he had complied with the duty OF good
christian III preparing himself for the worst,
he ought by no means TO despair of the posi-.
blllty of the Divine mercy being even yet ex.
tended to him in this world, as there were nu.
merouS instances OF persons recovering from a
far more precarlous state than he was yet i'll"
This reawakened some hope in the patients
mind and he seemed TO gather strength and
energy.
But, slight noise in the room occasioning
him suddenly to cast his eyes towards the
door, the patient was seized with Il cOnvulsiye
tIemor, his countenance betrayed signs of the
most intense horror, and Il cold sweat burst
from him, as in agonized whispers he said TO
the priest, "There is no hope, no escape, Tor
me; now, indeed, my life is circumscribed TO
few minutes, and 1t must terminate when
you leave me; my death is now certainly and
inevitably at hand" The good priest feared
thot sudden delirium had seized the sick
man, yet thought it well to argue with him,
and inquire If any change in his sensations III
duced nm to make so fatal prognoSuc No,
he felt no increase i'll the symptoms OF his dis
ease /; but he mus die, he mnst die almost I'M
medlately. AS he repeated this often and co.
herently, and always IN the same whispered
tone, the priest insisted upon being told the
reason ; and at last, the patient with great
trembling and secrecy, pointed his attention to
two persons who had entered and who stood in
conversation at the farther end OF the room, as
though unwilling to lhtrude on his spiritual
conference with his adviser they were stad,
sober, anu respected men OF the same town,
wearing the sad c0lored garments that denoted
their being beat0s, or devotees, and they were
acquainted both with the patient and priest;
they had come to inquire the state OF their
departing friend, and, II 1t mustbe to take their
farewell OF hlm, The SICK man, with lncreas-
edagItauoh, whispered, They are OF us they
are my companions. They are Despenadores.
by their hands shall lie as soon as you quit
me and they and are alone" With this, his
thin hands seized and held the priests arm
with almost supernatural force.
What was the meaning of those words
What were Despenadores Why should his
fate depend upon them! These were ques-
tons the priest was quite unable to solve; but
he determined as tar as possible TO tranquze
the poor wretch by assuring that he would not
leave his side until desired by himself to do so.
This in some measure relieved the sick mans
fright. There the priest sat for hours, during
which the two visitors more than once drew
near the bedside, nquirng Of the patient (who
shuddered atresh at each approach) the state
of his body and mind, considerably observing
that the Senior ParrocO must be wcaried by
hs long attendance, and Offering to relieve
Inn in waiting upon and praying by the dying
man. But the priest, warned by the clutch Of
his Friends hand, declined to accept their pro.
posal and finally finding no pretcXt for
longer stay at that time, they had to withdraw.
Percelving that there was a mystery he
could not for the present trace, and that the
confict OF terror and hope rendered the pa
tent for the time incapable OF clearing it up,
the clergyman resolved on staying by him
UNI his latest hour, should his disorder finally
take fatal turn; and he gave strict injunc
tons that no one whomsoeVer but the medical
Attendants should be admitted into the sick
room; his clerical presence being sufficient
excuse to any others who might seek entrance.
Nm the succeeding day he was gratted by
Warming that the crisis OF the disorder had
PISSED, and that the patients condition was
more hopeful. AS soon as he found nm sui
heenty tranquil and treasured to revert to
n thu mysterious subject, the priest urged him
NRdisclose everything relating to llls strange
nintS OF tile preceding night Oiulnately lie
drew from MN, thou8h WIN much dilnculty,
tins acknowledgement; NAT thefe existed a
secret brotherhood OF which he was a mem