The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-05-18
TIE PRIESTS BRIDGE.

There cn be little doubt that tire holes,
,.... Che ~aintiest man, who ever lived in
i,.si,1 ga- Juan d Naya Indeed il would
latarI CD Gul. ia any cline or generation,
.,..rnI.t '. ser condition. cSond OF greater
,-.,y aui self 0bnccatiou. u creature in
vr.,. t,c Gr>l ani i,s con on.taut evils and
re..os were more completely slbjugatod
B., ,le domination OF " serene ond lofty
sDu.
.rlYd- N.va Was a man of gentle birth
,.f ...lu-. bis right 10 the title Of Don
U.. ql. ur. aud heritage, not casual nor
l.r..r, he bad been reared iu g.'luence,
..tf cr.~, advantage Of environment and
.s....r. 0z -tout in hi, day, and hc had some
t..r. attained bis majority when be EN-
ir...I tle.miestl1 calling. lie entered the
,..g aItl cslmrcss, deliberation and sys-
t.n cs la was wont to apply these traits to
..,r- lrt and s.uati,n and none ever knew
rl4t nat.ees impciled him-whethlr strong
RELIGION. convictions and iIres 5t.be spiritual
,.-.u.t.u-s. or the residual bitterness OF
... worldly distress or disappointment
T.. n.t remained, Juan dc Nava made over
Oil .- worldly goods 70 the guild Of MS
...tI0u when he was gowned in Salamanca,
Dbl devoted his life 10 the comforting Of
-.I. auI tle doing of charties Simple, I'm
......r-. retiring as be- was. bis fame spread
,..... and for one OF bis numerous deeds of
,e..r.., herosm bee was decorated 10y the
KIN. ttL tho Gross If Calatreva.
}. ns shortly after this that the whole
rt. u.- una.iectodly heart stricken 10y the
ret.tlat tAe beloved priest had solicited,
o. I.,.r much protest and remonstrance,
I.I Obtained. from his ecclesiastical sal
r....-. permission 10 90 across the seas TO
.utl II New Spain. There was in.
,t..,I.r much conjecture as TO the object or
r... 0t such n departure Some main
t.uI talt the priest boy nature modest. Re
tru- .ai self depreciative, was shocked
aui ntashoi hy the publicity and honors
ts..r had been laid upon him of laie Others,
affl.more romantic faction, asserted that
b. 1.l fo Mexico tO escape contact with one
w.. lal been chiefly concerned in his re-
fuIaa,oI of The world and entrance TO the
r..tlooI Sll others, practical souls, eX
r-.-...l their belief that the good father was
..-.stel -1,elv hv churchly zeal: and surely
t..l opinion seemed o. be justified by the eX-
i..r- conditions TIE conquered MeXicans
v,.. neglected and abused, body and soul,
O., t.-.r cmquerors, who looked upon them
O., ., MANY chaifols FOR profitable service
Moreover. from the clerical standpoint, an
49,. umcnt 90 Mexico was looked upon as
about tue most undesirable Of benches, in
dscI fm,auomt 10 an exile-a penalty.
S.tat hore. ii anywhere in a world Of sor-
rows vnsa G.it VI promise for missionary
i.Uor
Jun. f- Nava crossed the ocean and was
lost p. fN0-e who bad known him, save when
from lu. % time came back reports OF his
SANITY a and Jealous miuistrauons.
M Nerc1 10 soon came 10 pass that this
u4u a.- regarded as almost more than hu-
mau 500 lo.y was bis life that all the pre-
a',, Mexico, deans. canons, the oidores Of
Oh. me ,Iuou. all the magnates confessed TO
hin. 20. what slight ~urb was put upon their
l.a-. .a- the rosult.of his admonition. But
a.tI spiritual miuis.rations ceased Juan
Oh. N..4.s relations with the class which com
yr..l . social equals He lived with and
fo.t-. .olr and l9wly and dwclt among
them A~ bis worldly goods had accrued to
tl.c. s n.ta bis taking # orders, 50 he
tC,.O. anon hi, wrctched charges what
tyerI.,.-cd to him OF fees or fittings, and
Ver, .. 3D.. found himself without penny
t1wlt r0v sion Tor the morrow; aud then
u..l. who 1d been the oucSt Of royalty,
t-ue Isl steps 10 she dwelling Of some citi-
zen ami asked for food like any mendicant,
iaa simplicity
]. wls iu great measure this poverty that
determined bis place OF abode. The Spanish
collleror.. having RACED the Aztec city,
Glu- uD the canals with It's debris, had
maraei out foy themselves q district, out
l.ael rv deep cutting called La Traza,
tle which 49,, spannci by a few bridges
llIuE CD tho OUTLYING quarters, where
du.i t.e milan population. who, for fear of
u..Icrv or insurect,on. were forbidden to
remain uIlu In TgaA alter certain hours
az tlc evening The good priest Juan de
Nlya .ycl beyond the Traza, among the In
daus who were his chief interest; this
pl.tt for the sake of tie influence to be
muuraHei hy constant association, and
partly because OF his extreme poverty, which
p-.nlcd bis dwelling within the city. The
ia,,s--oi the bridge was open TO him az all
hours ull be came and went at midnight
ier.o'v. as be moved through the most
tNl' anu htti4H 't4' 49, 49, - N''
ct,. which had by this time come 70 have
ql.t, uueuvable reputation. The lowest aud
most vicious Of the people bent before him,
ana lau 90 Kiss his hand as hs passed among
tl-m. tan OF reverence for his spirit that
tan. not from their most dreadful or re-
Voting features.
Aai. save tuc light of his own charities
llI I-ro.,m, there was mo- brightness IN the
Ui.oi Juan dc Nava t.ll the day that Beatriz
le q Ian came % him lie stood in "A miry
sr-,, admousnlng with gentle severity an
Indian who had teu beating his donkey,
When tle chill approached, slender, deli
Gaze creature and tiHndly asked an aims.
TIE pr. % looked lOag in her face as he ques-
uouel Ler The story She told. If sad enough,
was simple SIZE lid lived il great city,
different from this, and less ugly. She had
cou. boo great ship, and her mother had
olel on tlc water !.er father had been with
Lei iJr % Time here in scxicO, hut one day
be tad gone away, and she had not been able
TO nlI him Juan dc Nava took the child 10y
tae hand. and led her 10 where simple, whole
some fool was set before her, and when she
had satisfied her bitter hunger, he took her
acro,, tuo Tra1a. to his own poor home, that
should be hers thereafter
There was somewhat Of change came into
life from this day. He spared himself no
moro than # old, but be varied his labors
l. "a