The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-08-06
MADa1D's WONDERFUL PRIEST.
gressive Eco9ntr city.
From the Paris Fiyuro.

From the Paris Fiyuro.
A Madrid correspondent gives the follow
ing account Of the most eccentric, and at
the same time the most charitable and pop
ular priest ia the Spanish capital, who died
last week, leaving all classes of society In
genuine mourning:
1.-THE Able Laforga wns an original type
He was Of humble pareatage, but as soon
as he became priest he created for himself
an exceptional situation, which neither the
bishops Of Madrid nor the court of Rom0
could interfere with. They had either to
burn him alive or take him just as he was
He was character unique in the world.
AT church he was always correct, pious and
solemn but in the city he was a man Of the
world, high liver, a gdnltn de Madrid
He might be seen behind the scenes In the
theaters, at suppers in gay company, and
at bull fights, talking like corporal, chat
ting Familiarity with the nanolds
and shaking hands with aristocrats.
Whenever there was pressing need TO
smooth over and lsgalize a difficult situa-
ton, to baptize a natural child or bury a
mistress, Father Laforga was ever ready TO
perform the duty. He married in haste
more than a thousand couples whose
families had refused their consent HIS
charity had no limit, and he made it his
own particular business to adopt and
educate abandoned children wherever he
could find them. Offering the strange
mixture of q kind and good priest and a
nocturnal bohemian, he passed his days in
the sacristy and his nights in places of
amuseInent. The anecdotes of his life
would fill volumes. Whenever he was sum-
moned before his bishop and threatened
with dismissal, all the poor of his neighbor-
w q "a
with the assurance that he was the model
Of all virtues.
"Oae evening at the Pharmaoie, very
gay club, where, at the close of theaters,
thirty or forty journalists and actors were
in the habit of taking supper, Father La
forga arrived and seated himself at table
While he WAS being served he pulled big
pistol from each pocket in his trousers, and
placed the two formidable weapons in front
Of him. There was roar Of laughter. 1t
was customary to poke fun at the Able
but he defended himself admirably, rspuls-
ing all attacks. At last he announced his
appointment as cure OF the cemetery of the
east, which is six miles from Madrid; but
that made no difference to him. He came
to the city every evening in his own car
riage, which he drove himself, and usually
returned to the cemetery at 9 OF O'Clock in
the morning. The road had bad reputa~
ton. Suppose you are attackedW said
somebody. 20, if that happens said the
Able, IN drop the first fellow that ap-
proaches. Then I'll chuck him into the
carriage and bury him at my house.
Father Laforga invited me to breakfast
the next day. Where? | asked, where
Why, at the East. of course The ide1 of
a breakfast in a cemetery seemed perfectly
horrible, but l accepted, and went there
with two friends to study that fin de steele
drchi-fn de steele, interior, Ny compan-
ions were Alvarez, the dramatic author,
and jose Casares, the well~known composer.
The little house of the good Father Laforga
was very simple but very comfortable. On
the ground floor there was large dining
room, ami on the walls, beside the choice
selections of the able, there were
banderillas, weapons, and big
frame containing some hundreds of
photographs dedicated to the able, with
well-known signatures. There were duch-
esses placed beside fallen women whom be
had brought back to better lives, and states
men surrounded by bull fighters. When
we arrived breakfast was ready, and It was
copious. Suddenly in the midst Of the re-
past. the guardian came to the window and
announced, "A funeralp The able imme-
diately arose. put on his soutane and his
Llack cap, and started off to say prayer
over the coffin. Here a mass or prayer Is
always said for the dead. and they pay the
priest. When he returned, we asked him If
he had made dollar or two by the job.
We'll, no, said he seriously, Iprayed gratis.
They were poor people, and it was who
paii-twenty francs. But let us attack the
champagner
Father Laforga was beloved by all
Madrid, and if the prelates condemned bis
worldly life, they dared not touch such a
popular man.
ION the evening before the time ap-
pointed for the execution of Gen. Villa.
campa the able went to see the ministers.
The grand master Of the palace and the
cardinal of Toledo joined him in their
efforts to save the life of the general, and
when the able thought that all efforts
would be useless he returned to the con-
demned man under tie pretext of hearing
his confession. IF at day break, said he,
the royal pardon does not arrive, you must
put on my soutane and my cap, and give
me your costume. A cure, you know,
passes everywhere, and you will be saved.
Il won't do it, said the general; III go tc
the end of the chapter But you must dc
as / say said the able; you don't know
the man you have to deal with now A
few moments afterward the royal pardon
arrived, and the general and the priest, al
though utterly opposed in politics, remained