Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-08-24
UNSEIRIYED.

In the City OF Mexico, toward the close
Of the year 1881, Friar Lorenzo, Of the
Monastery Of Los Suspiros dc Jesus, was
making his way homeward to that o8-
tablishmont In the chilly hours of very
early morning. uo had been keeping
vigil, imposed by the regulations OF tho
order, that had taken him TO a chapel in
the parish Of Nuestra Sonora do Ia Solo.
dad, away out beyond the zocalo, that
lay about equidistant between his two
terminals. A very old man was Friar
Lorenzo, md his pace was far from
rapid, 30 that he had been long ON tho
way. by this time no was 80 fatigucd
that his limbs almost refused longer 10
uphold tho spare weight Of his trem.
bling, aged body. Yet he norved him
self to renewed effort as no heard the
second hour hoomod out from the big
timopiccc Of tho cathedral at tho very
moment that he reached the entrance to
the Gale do Olmodo, for tho great fa-
tiguo he felt was yet exceeded and partly
noutralized by q more potent impulse
the squirting thrills Of terror.
Perhaps 1t were unfair TO say TINT
Friar Lorenzo was a coward; the kinder
view were 20 consider that tho seques-
tered conventional life had developed
abnormally an extreme constitutional
timidity. No priest in the monastery
nay, mono In all tho great City OF Mexico
was better, kinder or led lifo moro
godly than that Of Friar Lorenzo. So
neck was he, so holy in his life, that his
superior ofttimes found It ncedful TO re-
buke him for excess Of fasting and pen
nncc, and TO exercise vigilance IN the
way Of seeing that Friar Lorenzo took
aliment enough TO nourish his frail
body, instead Of setting apart his por-
ton for bestowal upon tho swarm Of
bna,,1iasnf- that dali. haunted .l.a -,.,,.s
OF tho monastery.
But In tho active functions Of his office
i'm aught that led him without tho
convent walls. 10 intercourse with his
kind and encounter with tho issues Of
worldly existonce-to all such effort and
contact tho holy man was most roluc-
tant, being ready TO purchase exemption
from such movement at any cost Of
penancc.
The superior Of tho order had strug.
gled long against this iniirmity, and tho
mission on which no had tonight sent
Friar Lorenzo was in the direct way Of
endeayor TO correct the weakness But
alasl tonight the suffering OF tho friar
was greater than evor-so great indeed
Us TO he almost unbearRblc. Tho hour,
tho silence and gloom of the deserted
streets, with their houses that appeared
scaled and lileless, and other like forces
had wrought him up to II very panic Of
abjoct nervous droad--a foar Of some
thing, ho know not what.
IL was not long since all Mexico had
been stirred TO horror and disinay by the
disappearance of tho noble priest, Juan
de Nava, whose fate was not made clear
till many long years after, and many
grisly rumors were still rife concerning
this matter. At that period robbers
abounded in Mexico, audacious and un-
punished--robbers who would murder n
man for the garments lie wore. Stories,
too, were related OF men who killed for
tho ghastly delight of killing-whoso
crimes We're incxplicahle and seemingly
causoless, like those murders committed
in the dreary street of Don Juan Manuel,
the stern motive OF which trunspirod
only long thereafter. Moreover, tho
ready supeutitious credences Of the day
gavo willing heed 20 the legends and
traditions of the conquered MeXicans,
and found in those supernatural causcu
for even vulgar crimes.
Therefore it was no marvel that poor
old Friar Lorenzo was full Of tcrrors in
his night walk.
At tho mouth Of tho Gale do Olmcdo
no halted, for its intensity Of gloom and
silence was oven moro terrible than the
way no had just trnverscd. But this
route meant a saving of many blocks OF
circuit, and after brief hesitation
crossing himself and kissing his cruciiix
which he firmly believed contained d
splinter Of the true cross, tho old mar
entered the dark thoroughfarc, murmur
ing, as he wont, his prayers. lie had
scarcely passed tho corner when h,
started no violently Ms to staggor and al
most loso his footing, for his gowr
brushed and caused 10 rattle slightly tn,
sword Of a man standing silent and mo
tionless in the einbrasuro Of u doorway
Friar Lorenzo shuddered rs he felt III,
eyes Of tho unknown bent pierclngll
npon him, and he quickencd his steps tC
hurry onward.
He had trayorsed half tho block ant
was beginning to breathe more freely
when he heard behind him the duh fal
of footsteps following after-not il
haste, but with the assured, deliberat,
measure that told OF tao pursuer's con
viction that no could oyertake this OBJ
ject of his pursuit without undue OK
ortion. And In truth it was but u mo
ment before the echo of that firm, de
torinined tread sounded close beside th,
shunling, uncertain feet OF the friar
who commended himself TO tho iniinit,
lnorcy of God as no iolt tho presence Of
his pursuer. For some PAGES the tive
walked side by sido in uubroken silence
and tho monk was conscious Of the side
long. scrutinizing looks Of the ether.