Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-11-29

don. His face was frightened and pale as
death itself.
"The armor has gone" he said, in tremu-
lous tones.
The crowd stood paralyZed, and thealcalde
went on to say:
"I had always believed this story of the
armor to be fable invented to protect some
noble ofhigh rank, who, for reasons of state,
could not be punished. Under this impress
sion, made up my mind to watch the ar
NOR, and surprise some one getting into it.
Night after night, I crept down noiselessly
to the cell door, and listened at the keyhole,
but not sound was to be heard. In vain |
looked through little hole near the door.
The armor remained on the straw where it
had been flung. Last night, not being able
to convince myself that | was wrong in my
surmises, litmy lantern, unbolted the door
of the prisons, carefully shutting them be-
hind me, and crept to the cell, determined
to touch the armor and convince myself that
it was empty. was fumbling for the key,
when the cell door was thrown open, and a
gauntleted hand dashed me forcibly back
against the wall. Heavy footsteps, accom-
panied by clank of spurs, died away in the
distance. Then / lost consciousness"
When the alcalde had finished, the people
shrieked with disappointment and rage and
could hardly be restrained from tearing the
author Of this new misfortune to pieces.
But knowing the prayer by which the Cap
tain could be recaptured, it was not very
difficult to get him once more into their
hands. This time they nailed the pieces Of
armor separately on the gallows, where they
kept vigilant guard over them. But all in
vain. A black cloud was seen scuddlng
across the sky. 1t increased until it was di-
rectly over the gallows, and, descending in
the shape Of a huge arm of light, lifted the
armor down and was gone, scattering and
killing the unfortunate people who were
standing close by.
The unhappy peasants again had recourse
to their friend, the hermit who commanded
a general fasting for three days. Atthe end
of that time, he told them to melt down the
armor, and with some pieces Of wood from
the castle, shape it into cross.
Horror accumulated. When the armor
was put into the smelling furnace, piercing
shrieks and cries came from it. The pieces
writhed as though they felt the flames:
Strong men tainted, andyoung ngheads turned
white Showers of sparks danced before
their eyes, and twisted and struggled like
legion of devils, to free their master from
his torment.
But the operation of forming the molten
mass into the cross was the most terrible of
all. Twenty strong men hammered at the
metal, which gave great groans at every
stroke. AS often as they got the arms Of
the cross ready and began forming the shaft,
the heated mass writhed again in q horrible
convulsion, and twisting around the bodies
of the unfortunate workmen, (who strug-
gIed to disengage themselves from its dead
~ grasp,) it curled in rings like snake, and
darted like lightning.
BY dint of relays of men, of constant pray
ers and sprinkling of holy water, the infer
nal spirit was conquered at last, and the
cross raised. And there it stands, on the
banks of the Segre, accursed, gaunt and
grim.
Wolves collected under it's shadow in the
winter, and descended in packs upon the
valleys. Robbers there wait for unwary
travellers; lightning plays around its sum
nit, and split the steps of it's pedestal. 1t
is stunned by all, and held in horror, and is
rightly named the DEVILS Cross.