The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-03-14
NUMBER 6.
PERICO THE SAD:
T HE FAMILY OF ALVAREDA.
From the spanish. |
tConcluded.)

CHAPTER NIX.
Heavily passed the hours Of the succeeding
day to the idle guests of Ell Cuervo All
Perco's representations and prayers had failed
to dissuade Diego from his impious design.
Diego would never turn back and this stupid
tenacity in pursuing course which he knew
to be wrong, had cost him respect and honor,
and was still to cost him liberty and life 1t
had, moreover, at the instigation of the CON-
vict, forced Perico, who had at last resolved
to leave the band, to accompany it iris
atrocious expedition-that vile man suggesting
to Diego that there was no other means Of pre-
venting the saint from denouneing them.
All mounted and at midnight reached the
ruined castle of Alcala. Diego whistled three
times. Directly after, the gypsy, holding a
dark lantern, emerged from one of the vaults
which open at the base of the castle. They
dismounted and followed.
Perico would have escaped by fght from
the evil pass in which he found himself but his
companions surrounded him and dragged him
with them whittier the woman led She, aftsr
saluting the robbers in a fawning voice,
opened with picklock the door of q rude
court filled with rubbish and timbers. From
the court postern leads into the vestry, and
through this the sacrlegious band entered the
church, not without dread and trembling even
at the sound of their own footsteps.
What a sublime and tremen dous spectacle
a deserted temple in the dead of night! Under
it's influence even the purest and most pious
souls sink in profound awe and devotion and
no amount of incredulity is sufficient to sus-
tain the heart of him who presumes to violate
it.
How immense appeared those shadowy
paves! How far above them the corbels, which,
upheld by giants of stone, seemed almost lost
in the mysterious gloom of u sky without
stars! There in deep ard lonesome niche,
stretched PROSTATE and mute, slept q cold
etigy upon q sepulchre. Its outlines were
hardly discernible, bat the very obscurity
seemed to lend them motion.
The high altar, still perfumed with the
Covers and incense of the morning, cleaned
through the darkness. The altar, centre OF
faith, throne of charity, refuge of hope, shelter
of the defenceless, exhaustless source of con-
solutions, attracting ell eyes, all steps, all
hearts. Before the tabernacle burned the
lamp, solitary guardian of the sacrariEm-
burned only to light it, for light is the know
ledge of God.
Holy and Mysterious lamp continual holo-
tranquil like hope-Silent, like
like cbarity-and enduring
like eternal mercy. The CLEANS aud reflections
of this light caught and relieved the promi-
nent points of the carvings and mouldings of
the gilded altar piece, giving them the look of
eyes keeping religious watch. There was
nothing to distract the mind the perfect fixed
ness, the unbroken stiffness, effected as it were
q suspens of life-which was not death, but
the peacefalness of the one and the deep
of the other.
Such was the interior of the church of AloalS
when the spoilers entered, lighted by the
Eipsy's lantern aud dragging with them, by
main force, the unfortunate Perico.
LET him go and lock that door" said Diego.
"He will shout and betray u.s." said the
others.
"Let him go, say" retOrted the captain.
u What can he dor
"He can shriek," answered Leon. who, as
listed by the gypsy, was stripping the high
altar of the silver furniture which adorned it.
"Guard him, then" said the captain. Two
If the men approached Perico.
"Oh with your hats, for you are in Code
house," he cried.
"Gag him." commanded the captain. Re-
,stauce was useless. They instantly stopped .
ais mouth with a handkerchief.
But notwithstanding the handkerchief,
which sufocated him, when Perico saw that
leon and the gipsy were breaking open the ga