Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-03-16
From the Springfield Republican,
THE DEVIL'S CROSS.

Spaniard of the lower class loves to tell
IN 8 hushed and solemn voice on the
night of Good Friday on on All-hal-
lowe'en.
Believer is very small hamlet on the
banks of the Segre, not far from Urgel
In Catalonia. 1t stands on the brow of
a hill, behind which rises the snowy dim
outline of the Pyrenees, like the steps of
acolossal amphitheaterof granite. White
houses are scattered here and there over
the undulating green plain like flock of
doves stopped to quench their thirst at
the waters of the river. A bold and
naked rock rises into the air, at the foot
of which curves the river and on the
summit of which are the ruins of an old
castle, evidently destroyed by fire. To
the right of this ancient ruin stands
dismal black cross, popularity known as
'sLA CRUZ DEL DIABIO.
The shaft and the arms are of iron; the
round base is of marble, but there is a
split, rusty appearance about it, as of
having been struck by lightning Be-
tween the crevices plants have sprungup
and nearly crowned it, while an ancient
rugged oak hangs over it like canopy.
1t is a gruesome spot and has a grue-
some legend. In centuries gone by,
while the Moors still occupied the
greater part of Spain and called the
Spanish kings counts" the villages
and hamlets swore fealty to certain
lords, who, in their turn, did homage to
other lords still more powerful The
village of Believer and few others
formed part of the patrimony of
baron whose castle for many centuries
had reared its battlements upon that bare
rock. This baron was bold in wicked
ness. His cruelty made his vassals de-
test him; his vices we're so terrible that
the king would not admit him to court,
nor his neighbors into their houses.
Whether from choice or necessity. no
man can tell, he shut himself up
alone with his bad temper and his re-
cestors had perched their nest of stone,
and racked his brains to discover some
fresh amusement in harmony with his
character. This was difficult to find, as
he had got tired of waging war with his
neighbors, hanging bis subjects and
beating his servants. A happy thought
came into his head. He determined to
go to Palestine with the christians of
other lands and wrest the holy sepulcher
from the hands of the infdels.
Perhaps he imagined that shedding
his blood in so sacred cause might
atone In some measure for his sins. At
any rate whatever his object, he decided
to depart. It was a hard task to collect
money enough for his journey, but hav-
ing promised his vassals total exemp-
ton from fealty tax in the future, he
managed by pinching and scraping to
get together the sum required; and re-
serving only his barren rock and castle,
he suddenly disappeared. Great was
the Joy of his subjects. The whole coun-
try breathed again. They could now
enjoy their liberty unrestrained. There
was peace throughout the land; no more
men were found hanging from the trees;
the maidens of the village no longer
feared to go to the mountain with their
pitchers; the shepherds were not driven
to seek in sequestered spots pasture for
their hocks. Several years passed tran
gully away and the memory of the
'Ewicked cabalero," as he was called,
became tradition. Grandmothers told
the story with bated breath to the little
ones III the long winter evenings, and
threatened naughty babies with the in
slant return of the '' Baron of the Segre. y
One day, one awful day, he reap
peared among his vassals; whether fall
en- from the skies or come up from the
Internal regions no one could tell, but
there ne was in flesh and blood. The
effects of this disagreeable surprise can
be better imagined than described, and
bad as ne was IN character when he left
fc.% y, e.. l.
returned. In material goods he was
none the better, for he went away with
his pockets full but he came back with
nothing save his lance, his idleness and
half dozen of followers as wicked and
abandoned as himself. He began by
exacting from his vassals the back fealty
taxes, and wnen the villagers resisted
the baron set fire to their properties and
farm-houses. The simple peasants APP
pealed for justice to their king, but the
baron laughed to scorn the expostula-
tions of his brother peers, disregared
the royal and papal mandates, nailed
them up on the towers of the castle and
hung the bearers to the oaks. Exasper-
ated beyond endurance and seeing nc
other way of rescue, the whole village
recommended itself to God, and took to
arms; but the baron collected his follow.
ers, called upon the devil for aid, shut
himself up In his stronghold and pre-
pared for battle. A sanguinary warfare
ensued. They fought with fire anl
sword, in mountain and in plain, by day
and by night But at last the cause o.
light and justice prevailed On one
fearfuily dark, still night, SO dark tha
not star shone III the heavens, and 81
still that not sound was to be heard OF
the earth, the lords of the castle were
carousing after recent victory, and il
the midst of their wild and noisy orgie,
sang sacrilegious songs in honor of thei
patron. Nothing was to be heard out
side the castle save the echo of thei
blasphenies which rang out into the still
air and resounded far and wide over tn,
plain. The tired sentinels, having turned
their eyes several times toward tn
silent village below, and finding all quie
gave way at last to natures demand fol