The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1891-07-17
'INEZ

In one of the ancient Moorish
towers near Soria stood a young girl,
gazing forth at the landscape spread
out as a picture before her. Away in
the east were beautiful gardens and
orchards, between whose green foliage
a river was seen winding, like a silver
ribbon, in the distance. In the north
rose the lofty mountains, one point
high above the others, known as the
Spirits mountain, the pride and
delight OF Soria-the source of it's
cool breezes and perpetual freshness,
of its bubbling springs and eve dry
ing brooks-while in the west, behind
the lake, now cleaning like a golden
sea, the sui was setting, the evening
glow covering the entire landscape
like a royal mantle.
AS she stood gazing with enraptured
eyes upon the enchanting scene, her
soul completely subdued by the muir
muring of the crystal fountain upon
the marble paved courtyard, by the
exquisite harmony of the nightingale,
and by ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS of the
roses, she seemed transported to
another world, and half expected to
see the white arm OF some princess
beckon from a neighboring gallery, or
see a pair OF bright eyes flash through
the bars. As she was standing there
lost III reverie a voice suddenly ex-
claimed.
81 regret, cousin, that / am obliged
to break the charm which seems to
hold you, but within a short time the
chapel OF the Temple Knights will ring
to prayer, and then the spirits of the
departed will ring their bell in their
chapel upon the mountain.
"In that ruined chapel? You are try
ing to brighten me-"
mo, my cousin, you are as yet igno-
rant OF what takes place in this coun-
try. as it is not yet a year since you
arrived from foreign lands. On our
homeward journey l will relate the
legend to you"
The girl gave a last, lingering look
on the landscape and, with a deep
sigh, slowly turned away. Did a pro-
phetic feeling at that moment warn
her that this was the last time she
should look upon this beautiful pict-
ture?
They descended by means of a mar
row, circular stairway, but upon this
same stairway hadmany ofthe proud,
naughty kings and queens ascendedto
watch the defeat or the victory of
their army. Suddenly the pair start
ed, for, from II OF the dark hooks in
the wall, flew an owl, ~circling around
their heads with its evll-boding cry,
seeming doubly weird by its gloomy
surroundings.
After passing through the deserted
courtyard they mounted their horses
and proceeded on their journey home
ward. After pointing out some old
towers and houses and relating bits OF
romantic and tragic history attached
to them the young man related the
following legend:
.This mountain, which is called the
spirits mountain, wasformerly owned
the Temple Knights, an order COM
posed of both monks and knights.
Their chapel you see situated on the
shore of wonder river. After Sorla
was taken from the Moors they were
possession OF the country by the
king, with the order to defend it. The
Castilian mobiles were thereby sorely
insulted, as they coulQ as easily de-
fend the country as they had con-
ouered it. Between this new order and
the other noblemen sprang up a deep
hate. The former asserted
their full and exclusive right to this
mountain, where they could hunt, thus
themselves with food and
affording themselves amusement. But
the latter determined to arrange a
great hunt to be held upon the noun
tains, Notwithstanding the strict IN
functions sent out by the monks with
spurs as they were called by their
THE news of this arrangement
spread, and nothing could repress the
energy of one party to arrange tor the
hunt and the endeavors OF the other
to prevent it. The much talked OF
event came at last, though it was not
the wild animals who were to remem-
Der it, but a day not quickly forgotten
by those parents lett to mourn their
sons. 1t was not a hunt, but a
slaughter. The mountain was lett
with cOrpses and the wolves,
Sho we're to have been eXtermlnated,
a bloody feast:
.:The government authorities arrived
at last and separatedthe combatants.
The mountain which had caused so
much trouble was declared to belong
to no one, and the chapel, IN whose
church-yard both friends and Toes
were buried, fell i'll ruins. an
~Since that tire, it is said, on All
Saints night the chapel bell is heard
70 ring and the spirits Of the depart
ed, wrapped in their torn garments;
unsh forward between the rocks and
bushes as they did in the fierce fight.
The deer flee in terror, the wolves