Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1874-10-21
Author OF Don QuixOte.

The river Henares, leaving the pur.
pie hills to gladden. with greenness a
broad plain, winds like hem of silver
around the ruinous walls, palaces, and
converts OF the dreamy old town in
Spain called Alcala. On a narrow side
street, called the Calle de Cervantes,
there is placed in the gardenwall q
tablet bearing the modest inscription
Here was born Miguel de Cervantes
Saavedra, author of Don Quixote. By
his fame and genius he belongs to the
civilized world by his cradle to Alcala
de Henares."
The night of superstition had hung
long and heavily over Europe, but it
was into the dawn of the modern world
that Cervantes was ushered in 1547.
The silver throated chimes of Alcala
rang no louder on that memorable
autumn day only the sombre gloom
of the 'season of falling leaves" fore
Swallowed the sorrows of that life on
which no Joy was waiting, save that
which comes from "noble, earnest
work"
Brought up in the shabby privation
of a poor gentleman's family, the bright
eyed young Miguel was little thought
of then in Alcala. We may imagine
that he and his brother built many an
air-castle while strolling on the banks
of the niusically-howing Henares, and
doubtless they often longed to see the
wide world lying beyond the distant
hills. Now and then, troops of soldiers,
in their crimson and blue uniforms,
glittering with shining arms, would
dash through the quiet town. This
was Cervantes's first glimpse of chiv-
alrv.
While still young, the brilliant tai.
ents of Miguel attracted the attention
of Lord Aquavia, the Papal Legate,
who took him to Rome. But the high
spirited youth could not endure the
inglorious ease of the Cardinals ser
vice; so he left it to enlist in the sea
war against the Turks. Now the adven-
lures of his romantic life commence in
earnest. He fought bravely at Lepanto.
Three times he was wounded, and his
left hand was crippled.
Going home for promotion, our hero
was loaded with praise and kind letters
from the generous Don Juan, of Austria.
Those were happy days for Cervantes.
Youth, hope, and valor were his COM
panions. The haven of honor glittered
before his raptured sight. But, most
unfortunately, he and his brother were
captured by the Moors. Five wretched
years he spent in slavery, never for an
instant submitting to his fate. A dozen
desperate attempts he headed at flight
and insurrection and doubtless the
Moors would have killed him had they
not thought that man who bore letters
from prince would one day bring a
good ransom. But the cold-hearted
tyrant whom Cervantes had so gallantly
served paid no heed to the pleadings of
his comrades, and refused to do any
thing for his redemption. So his poor
father, Don Roderick, sold his estate,
and his sisters gave up their dowry, to
buy the freedom of their captive
brothers.
Still young enough to be light-hearted
and fond of glory, the brothers soon
joined the army agaiL. and served in
the war against Portugal. The elder
brother made his way up and got some
little promotion, but Miguel, who was
gay and handsome, married, left the
army, and so gave up all hopes of
entering the haven of honor in that
direction.
By writing verses and plays he now
earned a meagre living, but kept his
accounts badly, was too honest to steal,
so fell into Jail, and every year grew
"poorer, and wittier, and better"
In his old age, while his heart was
the dreadful abode of care" this
remarkable man commenced "Don
Quixote," book which has kept the
world laughing even until now.
The first part of ''Don Quixote" was
published in 1905. In 1905, being then
nearly sixty years old, Cervantes went
to Madrid. Although now so old, and
although oppressed by neglect and
poverty. his cheerful spirit would not
be crushed down, but bore all misfor-
tunes IS bravely as in his youthful
campaigning days, feeling sure that
the light of true merit would glimmer
through even the rents and crannies of
poverty. In 1910 the Lord of Lenos
granted him a small pension, which he
received with gratitude more generous
than the gift. 1t is said that only kind
words to disguised princes were ever so
magnifcently rewarded as this young
mobiles pension to the old genius.
From this time forth he dedicated all
his works to the Lord of Lenos, and
they form ga garland more brilliant and
enduring than the crown of Spain.
Like many an artist, he has left us
his portrait, painted by himself, and it
is pleasant one to study. "He whom
you see there with the aquilline face,
chestnut hair, a smooth and open brow,
merry eyes, a nose curved but well pro-
portioned, a beard of silver-which
twenty years ago was of gold this is
the face of the author of "Don Quixote
de la Mancha," and other works which
are straying about without the name OF
the owner; he is commonly called
Miguel Cervantes Saavedra."
Cervantes had now reached an ad-
vanced age. In some respects he was
disappointed man, and having enjoyed
so little happiness in this life he began
to work earnestly to secure the perfect
peace and Joy of better world. In
the year 1918 he retired from society
for devotion. His only child, Isabel de
Saavedra, had entered the Convent of
the Trinitarian nuns, and it is related
as touching fact that although in the
last four years of his lifee1tremepoverty
compelled him to move through no less
than six streets, they we're all within
small half circle, whose centre was the
cell of his child. He futtered about
the little Convent like gaunt old eagle
about the cage which guards its callow
young.
Feeling the terrible hand of disease
upon him, he grew no less merry or
cheerful, but wrote on faster than ever,
to make up for the lost years of his
youth. While his heart was breaking
in death, he finished, with gay, spark
ling merriment, the adventures of "Don
Quixote," and gave the last touches to
his long cherished "Persiles.
"With one foot in the stirrup," this
brave, noble man wrote farewell full
of touching gratitude to the Viceroy of
Naples, and on the 23d of April, 1915,