Arizona silver belt. [volume] (Globe City, Pinal County, Ariz.) 1878-19??, 1886-12-25

the most populous, the most central part
Of the city, il is what we may call an
aristecfadc street
Nevertheless, its aspect Is dreary hy
day, ana Us night lugubrious, The great
zaguans (Styeet-doorsl Of ancient carved
wood seem the entrances ia castles; OH
tho high waits of the buildings are pro.
jected, IN most singular manner, the
lights and the alternate shades OF the
streetIamps, and from the Churriguer-
esquc corniccs Of the balconies phantoms
appear TO detach themselves, which now
blend and hide in the zaguans, now
ascend 70 the roof cornioe, and there
peep and laugh, showing 6eformed and
fantastic shapes 60 the people who pass,
Thus to my imagination appeared one
dark night cold and windy, the street
Of Don Juan Manuel. a dear friend Of
mine was dying that night aud had ~
Sd IN search Of good priest, to hest0w
the last benediction which tbs Christian
Graves on che day he departs this lifa
forever.
That night, at intervals, gusts Of icy
wind blew from Off the volcanoes, and
now and then great rainadrops fell,
which the wind beat and dashed against
the dark panes within the balconies; in
the whole street there Was no liying
creature but a lean black dog, gnawing
4 hone thrown out by some servant
The ojl-lanps cast shadows rather than
hight, and tbs small reddish flame trem-
BLEED sinisterly in the black tin holder,
The watchman slept at the corner,
wrapped in his dark blue mantle, and
the echo Of footsteps on thc flags Of the
walk rcsoundei along the whole extent
Of the street, at once dismal and
majestic, and broke the silence, now
and then disturbed also by the croak 81
some i;ighthud
This IS the historic legend 81 the street
Of Don Juan Manuel;
In the year 1896 The street was not IN
the condition that wayfarers now be-
hold IL McSico was already, as Il
were, planned and arranged but the
streets. with few exceptions, were not
finished. Thera were largo, iine houses
close beside others Of poor and detective
construction some had high, wellmado
fences protesting their gardens, while in
Others, IN tliG Celada (now the street Of
San Bernardo and IA that Of which we
speak, there were scattered among
houses many vacant groand plots, fenced
in only With wood, or alooesy on dry
dry Thorn, brush.
The owner Of tho houses and grounds
in that road was cavalier called Don
Juan Maunel. lie was q parsonage sur
rounded Ia ell directions by shadows
and mysteries which never let him be
seen in al the true reality. at night h1
would enter the palace IL tie viceroy,
mutled 10 tile eyes in long black
cloak, and there he would remain fox
hours, eonyeH;ng. None would see him
come forth, and some who. from curl
osity, watched aim 50 in, declared that
before Knocking at the private door Of
the palace, Don Juan Manuel would UNI.
mutlle himself, cross himself thrice,
and. drawing 4 silver,r,andled napier, he
would test il, examine its point, and
then return il to thr sheath. And they
who cav tins feared that the viceroy
some morning would be found murdered
in his bed
Don Juan Manuel was very charita-
bic man. 1t was told Of him that he
was once visited BY widow who had
two charming daughters, young ard
fair. Don Juan Manuel bestowed S., 900
upon each 81 the girls and refused even
to see them
Don Juan Manuel was Of jealous
nature IT was said that his wife was
an illustFious lady Of rare beauty, but
none had ever seen her, for SHE remained
shut within the house and only left II
10 70 10 mass at o'clock or a morning,
wrapped in d great black wooden cloak,
No one visited the house, and none en-
tered there save She confessor, who now
and then went to drink chocolate there
after mass.
DON Juan Manuel was brave. One
night six robbers set upon him, armed
with daggers lie drew his sword Of
the fashion Cid Ruy Diaz and setting
ms back against s zasuan door, lie let
none OF them approach him until q
patrol came to the rescue, who after
ward found She trails az blood made by
the assailants, all wounded by the one
man.
Den Juan Manuel wag not good
man, but pi0us; 10 confessed and took
the sacrament every week he disciplined
himself every night az the nearest
church; he relieved many az the poor,
assisted at tie fea5ts Of the Virgin, and
paid for tapers and lamps which burned
day and night in the churches,
All this was told Of Don Juan Manuel,
but ia reality ho was most mysterious
man, Of whom it might be assumed that
all knew him. and none knew him truly.
If asked 10 describe him, one said he was
tall Of stature, very straight and stately,
with a face pale and almost jaundiced, d
thick, black beard, aud black, sparkling,
deep-set eyes Others, Oh the
contrary, averred that lie was
but Of ordinary height, with
mild aud charitable countenance,
with eyes expressive and full Of sweet.
ncss, aud only a short inastache
Neither could al agree as to his garb,
the best informed concuFring lii that he
wore always black, while others had
acted his elegant hoodless cloaks; but
Le greatest number were unanimous III
.lg that at night he might be met III
he darkest streets, going III and out 81
ean-;ppearing houses wrapped IN d
Hg cloak
Sach was the gossip Of the vulgar
ien, starting from q foundation 81
iyi p5etizes and reyerses things and
orlas, giving To them the strange, ia-
!ttinite, or mysterious character which
. delights the human imag nation
ihus originates the greater part Of the
legends and traditions 81 every people
Tipc went on and on, and every yea
at1cd sDn5o Darfir14lar sf,yne r,eyy sf,-Ck n