The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1892-01-07


base, and no event had ever been
anticipated with more enthusiasm than
Interesting of that silver bell. No one
had seShs Dclfina since the arrival Of
the NEVIS which had broken so many
hearts, and great was the curiosity re-
garding her possible presence at the
ceremony. Universal belief was
against her ever appearing in public,
again; some said that she was dead.
others that she had gone into con-
vent, but few maintained that she
would be lfigh-priestess at the making
of the bell which was to be the symbol
and monument of her lovers gallantry
and death.
The hot sun beat upon the whito
adobe houses of the stately city; at the
upper end of the plaza, bending and
swaying, coquetting and languishing,
were women clad in rich and vivid sat
Ans, their graceful heads and shoulders
draped with black or white mantillas;
caballeros gay in velvet trousers laced
with gold, serabes embroidered with
silver. Eyes green and black and b ne
sparkled above the edge of large black
fans; fiery eyes responded from le-
meath silver-laden sombreros The
populace, in gala attire, crowded 4 e
rest Of the plaza and adjacent stree 8,
chattering and gesticulatlng. But all
looked in vain for Delfina de Capallejs.
Much ceremony went with the melt
ing of the bell. Priests in white robes
stiff with gold chanted prayers above
the silver bubbling in the caldron. A
full-robed choir sang the. TIE Denm,
the regiment to which De la Tore be-
longed fired salutes at intervals, the
crowd sobbed and shouted.
Thunder of cannon, passionate swell
Of voices; the molten oliver was about
10 pour into the mold. The crowd
hnshed and parted Down the way
made for her came Delfina de Capal-
LEILA. Her black hair hung over her
long white gown, her body bent under
the weight of jewels-the jewels OF
generations and the jewels Of trotb.
Her arms hung at her sides In her
eyes was the peace which belongs only
to the dead.
She walked to the caldron, and, tai.
ing heavy go d chain from her neck,
flung it into the silver. 1t swirled likd
snake, then disappeared. One by
one, amidst quivering silence, the mag
nificent jewels followed the chain.
Then, as she took the last bracelet
from her, arm, madness possessed the
breathless crowd. The Indifferent,
self-conscious men, the languid coquet-
ting women, the fat, drowsy old dowa-
gers, rushed. scrambling and scream
ing to the caldron, tore from their
heads and bodies the superb jewels and
ropes of gold with which they were be-
decked, and flung them into the molten
mass, which rose like tide. The cleo
trio current sprang to the people, their
baubles sped like hail through the air.
So great was the excitement thai q
sudden convulsing of the earth was nm
felt When not a jewel was left to
sacrifice, the caldron held enough ele-
ment for five bells, the five sweet
voiced bells which rang in the mission
Of San Gabriel for more than a CEN
fury. ~
! Exhausted with shouting. the multi
tude was silent Delfna de Capalleja.
who had stood with painting chest and
diiating nostrps. turned from the sac
rificial caldron, the crowd parting for
her again, the Lauhate Dominum
| swelling. As she reached the steps OF
| the cathedral, a. man who loved her,
noting a change in her face, sprang to
her side She raised her bewildered
eyes to his and thrust out her hand
! suddenly. .Adios, she said, and fell
!, at his feet, dead. Gertrude Franklin
Anterior, in Lippincott's-