Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-08-10
THE PRIESTS BRIDGE.


Mexico was Juan de Nava Indeed, it would
be hard to find, in any cline or generation,
under whatsoever conditions, a soul of greater
purity and self abnegation, creature in
@hom the flesh and its concomtant evils and
Svanties were more completely subjugated
by the domination of serene and lofty
spirit.
juan sic Nava was man of gentle birth
and breeding; his right TO the title of Don
was absolute and heritage not casual nor
honorary He had been reared in affluence,
with every advaueage of environment and
culture existent in his day; and he had some
years attained his majority wheA he EN-
oraced the priestly calling He ene~red >he
clergy with calmness dcliberation and s,s-
tenn as he was wont to apply these traits to
every act and situation; and none ever knew
what motives impelcd hm-whether strong
religious convictions and irresistible spiritual
promptngs or the residual bitterness Of
some worldly distress or disappointment
The fact remained, Juan de Nava made over
all his worldly goods to the guild of his
election when he was gowned in Salamanca
and devoted his life to the comforting Of
souls and the doing of charities Simple, I'M
assuming, retiring as he was, his fame spread
apace and for one of his numerous deeds Of
generous herosn he was decorated by the
king with the Cross of Calatreva
1t shortly after this that the whole
city was unalfectedly heart stricken by the
news that the beloved priest had solicited.
and after much protest and remonstrance,
had obtained, from his ecclesiastical SUI
Deriors, permission to go across the seas to
ahe capital of New Spain. There was in
evitably much conjecture as to the object or
~ mol
tanned that the priest, by nature modest re-
firing, and self depreciative, was shocked
and abashed by the publicity and honors
that had been laid upon him of laie. Others.
of the more romantic faction asserted that
he fled to Mexico to escape contact with one
who had been chiefly concerned in his re-
nunciation of the world and entrance to the
priesthood. Still others, practical souls, ex-
pressed tner belief that the good father was
actuated solely by churchly zeal; and surely
this opinion seemed to be justified by the ex-
1 lg conditions. The conquered Mexicans
neglected and abused, body and soul
heir cunquerors, who looked upon them
as 70 many chattels for profitable service
Moreover, from the clerical standpoint, an
gnment to Mexico was looked upon as
6 ut the most undesirable of benefces, in
= }, tauainount to an exile-a penalty.
50 chat here, if anywhere in a world of sor-
rows, was q field Of promise for missionary
labor.
Juan he Nava crossed the ocean and was
lost 10 those who had known him, save when
from time to time came back reports of his
{ tly life and Jealous ministrations.
q Mexico it soon came to pass that this
:, was rrrnrded as almost more than hu-
nA So oily was his life that all the pre-
70 N.I"o, deans, canons, the oidores Of
t. ..-. .7.'ion, all the magnates confessed to
I..n. .rh what slight curb was put upon their
,icels. ,,,,, the resultsof his admonition. But
with MS sljS tual ministrations ceased juan
de 'ala's relGr, )ns with the class which com
pri ed his social eqaials. He lived with and
for the poor and lowly, and dwelt among
lhem As his worldly goods had accrued to
the church with his taking of orders, so he
bestowed upon his wretched charges what
aver rover ed 20 him of fees or fittings, and
very often he found himself without penny
Coward provision for the morrow; and then
6, is man. v no lad been the guest of royalty
al la, ters to the dwelling of some citi-
lrd asked ior food like any meudicant,
.,mpicity.
grc1t measure this poverty that
Us place of abode. The Spanish
having RACED the Aztec city,
canals with its debris, had
themselves q district. out
deep cutting called La Traza,
-eh was spanned 10y few bridges
dig 20 the outlying quarters, where
siHclt the Indian population, who, for fear of
~reacLery or Instruction, were forbidden to
eGnlin within la Traza after certain hours
If the evening. The good priest Juan de
MAJ a, lived beyond the Traza, among the In
t1ialis, who were his chief interest; this
yoartly for the sake of the influence to be
xnaintained by constant association, and
partly because of his extreme poverty, Shch
prechded his dwelling within the city. The
pas sage OF the bridge was open to him at all
hours, and ne came and went at midnight
{earlessly, rs he moved through the most
Aisreputablc and dangerous quarters of the
CITY, which had by this time como to have q
quite unenviable reputation. The lowest and
N st vicious of the people bent before him
and ran TO- kiss his haul as he passed among
.hem, fun of reverence for his spirit thai
sshraEk not from their most dreadful or re-
voting features,
and, save the light of his own charitie,
and herosms, there was no brightness in tn,
life Of Juan de Nava till the day that Beatril
de MILAN came to him. He stood in a pliry
blreeti huIhoHlshihB With SehLle severity al
Indian who had been beating his donkey
when the child approached, slender, deli
cate creature, and timidly asked an aims
The priest looked long in her face rs he ques
Saioned her. The story she told, if sad enough
vsss simple. She had lived in a great city
different from this, and less ugly She la,
come In great ship, and her mother ha,
died on the water. Her father had been witt
her for time here in Mexico, but one da
he had gone away, and she had not been adj
to find him. Juan de Nava took the child b.
the hand, and led her to where simple, whole
come food was set before her, and when SD
had satisfied her bitter hunger, he took he
across the Traza, to his own poor home, tina
should be hers thereafte
There was somewhat Of achange came int
bis life from this day. He spared himself II
more tina" f old, but ne varied his labor
lie returned b. his homo at such hours O
wrre most SUI ole for the hearing of lessons
and the tri. n. he gave to Beatrtz was dee