St. Paul daily globe., 1888-02-10
PADRE FRANCIS.

on the west side of ChOrrO valley. 1t
slopes up gradually Oh the south, west
and north sides, and the top is sur
mounted by cOne-shaped pile of rocks.
The cone on the east side has the ap-
pearance of having been cut in two, and
its perpendicular face starts almost out
of the valley. 1t is many hundred feet
from the foot to the top Of the face of
this wall of granite, the surface of
which is broken here and there by
sharp-pOinted cragS. Perched on the
top and pointing over the precipice is a
huge flat-top boulder that seems to
threaten the traveller who passes at the
foot of the mountain.
Several years ago, while jOurneying
in that section, made the ascent of the
natural monument, having for my
guide half-breed Mexican. On the
top of the cliff my eye fell on a small
peculiar flower that blOomed from a
cleft in the rocks. 1t was tiny white
flower, with crimson center shaped
that could be seen there.
| reached out my hand to pluck one of
them to examine it, as it was curiosity
to me, when the half-breed sprang to-
ward me and exclaimed eXcitedly in
Spanish:
''Do not touch it! Do not pull it! 1t
is bad luck. Don't you know? But, no,
you don't. You would rather put your
hand on fiery coal than touch the
drop of blood from the heart of the
holy father. No, you do not know the
story"
Indeed I do not,'' / replied. "Tell
it to me-" And far up there he told me
in his quaint way the tradition of
Chorro mountain and the little white
fioweret with its heart of crimson.
''It was Father JunipOro Sierra, rest to
his soul, who founded the mission of
San Louis ObiSpO. After leaving a
small handful OF soldiers to protect the
went his way and the mission pros
pered.
''At last came another band of mis-
Sionaries from the City of Mexico, and
with them more soldiers. These went
to work with great zeal to make more
converts among the peaceable Indians,
and soon many were set to work and
taught to till the land. They missed
the liberty that they had been used to,
and ere long there was a revolt, which
resulted in great blOOdshed and almost
in the destruction of Mission San Louis
ObispO.
''The leading spirit among the discon-
tented was one named at his baptism
Pedro. He was darker in color, heavier
built and more vicious than any other
man in the colony. His sharp bone dag
ger had more than once been sheathed
in human flesh, and, while the discon-
tented Indians recognized him as their
tnn fyanx oil fnn hi Il,
Padre Francis was one of the most
sincere and Jealous of those who faced
the dangers of the deep to come from
Spain, and the hardshipS and perils of
journey on foot through an uneXplored
region to reach his field of labor.
''ThiS man of God was we'll beloved
by most of the mission Indians because
of his goodness of heart and his kind,
gentle ways. Pedro saw in him his
greatest enemy, as too many loved the
good man to suit his purposes, and he
resolved that Padre Francis must die
before revolt could be successful.
''Padre Francis often took long pill
grimageS into the country, and many
said that he was in search of yellow
gold and shining silver, which even to
this day are believed to be hid in these
great mountains. One day the good
padre went forth.
PEDRO left the mission by stealth
soon after, and did not come back till
late in the day. Padre Francis did not
come back, and inquiry was made by
the other fathers, and the captain of the
soldiers among the Indians. At last
they found Pedro and learned of his
absence and late return, and they found
blood On his hand and on his breech-
cloth.
"'How came it there?' they asked.
"I killed deer" answered Pedro,
sullenly.
"'Where I" is the skin and meat? His
will be red with blood
bring them,' said the captain.
NO fresh blood mark was on the ar
rowheads, and Pedro was put in the
dungeon till the morn.
''At the first break of day body of
soldiers took Pedro and three friendly
Indian trailers and followed the accused
mans tracks. They led to this very
and Pedro became greatly
agitated and had to be dragged along.
Up the tracks led. They find more foot
prints, and see they were made by the
feet of priest. They, too, led
up over bOulderS, through brush, but
ever up and to the top of the noun
tain.
''At last they reach the top and look
around. What is it they see? Hush!
1t is Padre Francis at prayer alone on
the mountain, as near as mortal man
can get to heaven. He kneels beside
the huge boulder, his hands clasped be-
fore him, his head resting on the cold,
hard rock. Do not disturb his holy
meditation and supplications, as his
spirit reaches up to the Father of all.
"But how still ne is! No movement
is detected by the searchers, who stand
with uncovered heads.
1.-The captain approaches reveren-
TALLY, but apprehenSive. What! dead?
No, no, do not say SO! Yes, dead, and
as cold as the rock against which he
kneels.
s'What is this blood? And this? 1t is
a knife, bone dagger. red with the heart
blood of the priest. On, horror! He has
been murdered.
1.-THE Indian Pedro stands trembling
like leaf, and as his eye falls on his
bloody bone dagger, he tears himself
loose from his captOrS and springs for
ward to secure the murderous weapon.
He reaches out his hand, but recoils
with cry of terror. The poisonous
fangs of a rattleSnake that lies quiet
and blind, as they all do in the fall,
nave pierced MS flesh. de bounds
backward step, His foot strikes on
rolling rock, and with shrek he goes
over the dizzy precipice. Wildly grasp
iEg at the empty air as he goes down,
down, down; bounding from crag to
ledge, still he falls.
''Look! Is the murderer shapeless
mass at the foot of the rocks? No; he
strikes on ledge and is held there by
pointed crag half way down the cliff.
And see, the mangled body is lying close
beside the vultures' next. Thus God
avenges the death Of his minister. He
has fed the murderer's carcass to the
vuitures. Tenderly the body of the
dead padre is taken back to the mission
and buried in the garden.
''SenOr, if you will take this rope and
go to the edge of the cliff you can see
the skeleton of Pedro still on the ledge,