The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-07-16

= ~ vi [h'LtLOf n hta1t
portunity of visiting the magnificent
cathedral there, which, it is well
known, lie superior in size. costliness
and architectural splendor. TO any
other religious edifce upon the Wes'
tern hemisphere.
After having spent several hours
in wandering about the interior, un-
der the guidance of q ~bare-footed
friar, who was privileged as one OF
the exhibitors Of the place, aad whom
Ibad propitiated at the outset by Q
douceur Of four reals (instead of two,
his usual perquisite). | was passing
out into the piazza-still uuder his
guidance, for / wished TO ask him
some more questions concerning the
numerous statues ranged about the
esplanade- when my attention was
attracted by a large, fat tagging
stone, scanned across by a zigzag
fracture, with a rude inscription I'M
derneath the wides; crack-"H Ia
do del BraU0.r
That was the purport ofthe inserip-
ton that Tread on the stone, bending
down to do so-for it was nearly eff
faced by the action of the weather,
and perhaps the friction of thousands
of feet that had passed and repassed
over it since it was rudely chiseled
there-and / then turned On iDquiring
glance upon my guide.
AT Hddo del Brdco," / repeated.
f'That means in English, The Doom
OF the Brave. And pray, good padre,
what may that refer to-"
"Ah, senor," said he, smiling, "the
ominous stone lettering is so much
worn now that few visitors find occa-
sion to ask its meaning, but there is
an old muleteer, accustomed to loiter
hereabouts on the piazza at about
this time of day, whom, perhaps it
would be well for you 10 meet. He
not only inscribed this as you see it,
many, many years age, but would be
moro than willing, for a real OF two,
to give you its history, which is a
terrible one in its way. There be is,
now he added, indicating an old,
decrepit, and miserably ragged man,
who was lounging with an austere
but purposless air, at the shady side
of a public fountain not far away, IL
company with q large group of mule
teers, er..csrriers, fruit vendors, and
others, apparently as lazy and con-
tented as himself. "Shall | call him
hither, senior? Oh" he added, again
smiling as be noticed my hesitation,
al will only leave you with old. Gas
CO half an hour, and then return to
finish the task for which the senior has
already paid me so literally"
/ then signifed nv assent, and the
padre straightway summoned the old
Mexican, who came with a great
deal Of alacrity, when he had been
given to understand that it would be
worth his while.
"Si, senior; it was my own hand
that cut those words in the stone
there" said be, when we were left
alone. But the sun fairly biisters
here; pray come into the shadow Of
those aloes yonder, whence we can
see the front of the cathedral just as
well, and | will tell you story Ca.
rdmba! but it burns even here,n he
added, when / had followed him TO
the shelter indicated. "Ah, if | on
ly had the wherewithal for some Gig
arettes, how it would refresh my mem.
ory now But we muleteers are so
poor"
| fastened to supply him with
some tobacco and paper for smoking,
and then rendered him with a real,
together with the intimation that he
should have another il be gave me
this story in detail, and without ex.
aygeration.
Nothing else was needed to set
him going with the regulation of q
m~usic-box, and between the twisting
and the lighting Of his Everlasting
cigarettes, there was scarcely an IN
tsrruption TO the old fellows nara
tive, which was as follows:
"My name is Raphael Gasco, Sc u
or. You'd hardly suspect it to lool
at me now, in my rags and tatters
and with this skin of mine, which
more resembles smoked parchment
than real human skin, but it is never
theless true that on the 18th of April
just forty-six years ago, / was a
handsome, hearty aud devil-may
care a young caballero as would b,
likely to meet in a days ride. POI
dos! / was all that; and in spite O
having passed three of the best year,
of my life in the convict silver mine.
of Chihuahua.
got Sent up there, together will
q fellow convict, an ancient conrad,
of mine, named Pedro Valdemar. fol
having engaged in q sort of individ
ually revolutionary movement, which
the authorities were stupid enough
to misconstrue into a highway rob
berry. But, cGrambai we don't spill
hairs about it at this late day. Pc
dro and / were rivals as well a,
friends. That is, we were both il
love with Carmen Cores, a beautiful
Mexicana, whose father used TO keer
apretty posada onthe Vera Cruz road
was the more fortunate, and Car
men and | were one day married.
81 was arrested so soon after NV
marriage as at FIRST to make me sus.
psct that Pedro had given informa
ton against me out of jealousy anC
pique, FOR he had been my only com
rade in the revolutionary affair thai
was proving so troublesome.
But when be was also arrested
and We were both subsequently con
victed and sent to the mines together
1 thought that / wronged bin in nv
thoughts. and we shook hands cordi.
ally over our shackles, and became
chunls as of old-hoping, despairing,
groaning and suffering together
through thick and thin, as miserable
~convicts will.
at was only after we had tried tc
escape together that ] became con
WINGED of his treschery-convinced
that he had even shared my penalty
for the iiendish pleasure of seeing me
suffer at HE side.
we had been fling at our letters
secretly for many days, SO that at
last q sturdy wrench would break
the links and bod exoJ "