The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-11-23
THE CABECILLA.

mass when they brought him the
prisoners. 1t was wild spot among
the Arichulegui mountains A fallen
rock in which fig tree had plunged
its twisted trunk formed a sort of
altar, covered in guise of cloth with
a silver fringed Carlist standard Two
cracked water coolers took the place
OF vases, and when the sacristan
Miguel, who was assisting the priest
at the mass, arose in order to change
the position of the holy books, the
cartridges were heard jingling in his
cartridge box. All around the soldiers
OF Carlos were silently ranged, their
guns siung across their backs and one
knee on the ground upon the white
beret.
The bright sun was concentrating its
dazzling heat in this burning and
sonorous rocky hollow, where the
flight OF blackbird alone, from time
to time, disturbed the psalmody of the
priest and the servant. Higher up on
the Jagged peak sentinels were stand
ing, forming motionless silhouettes
against the sky.
What a singular sight it was-t1lis
priestly commander officiating in the
midst of his soldiersl And how plainly
the double existence of the Cabecilla
showed itself upon his countenance-
the ecstatic air, the hard features.
further accentuated by the bronzed
complexion of the soldier in the field,
and ascetism without pallor in which
was lacking the shadow Of the cloiSter;
small black, very brilliant eyes, the
forehead traverSed by enormous veins
which seemed to bind the thought as
with ropes, to fix it in inextricable OBJ
stinacy.
Every time he turned toward the
spectators with open arms to read the
form beneath the stole, and the butt of
a pistol, the haft of a Catalonian knife
uplifting the rumpled surplice. What
is he going TO do with us?' the prison.
ers asked themselves in terror, and
while awaiting the end of the mass
they recalled all the acts of ferocity
which had been related of the Cabe-
ella and which had won him a. special
renown in the royaliSt army.
By a miracle that morning the father
was in a clement mood. The mass in
the open air, his success of the previous
day, and also the cheerfulness of
Easter, yet felt by this strange priest.
cast upon his face a ray of joy and
kindness. AS soon as the service was
over, while the Sacristan cleared off
the altar. fastening up the sacred
vases in a huge box, which was borne
on the back of mule in the rear of
the expedition, the cure advanced to-
ward the prisoners. They were a
dozen of republican carbineers, ex-
hausted by day of battle and a. night
OF anguish in the straw of the sheep
fold, where they had been penned up
after the action. Yellow with fear.
wan with hunger, thirst and fatigue,
they clustered together like a flock of
sheep in the courtyard of an abattoir.
Their uniforms full of hay, their
belts in disorder, pushed up in the
flight and in sleep. the dust which
wholly covered them from the tufts of
their caps to the point of their yellow
shoes, all contributed well to give
them that sinister look of the van
quished in which moral discourage
ment is betrayed by physical detection.
The Cabecilla glanced >at them for
an instant with a little laugh of tri-
umph. He was not sorry to see the
soldiers of the republic humble, wan
and ragged amid well fed, well
equipped Carlists, Navarro and Basque
mountaineers as brown and hard as
carob beans.
Viva Diosl my children!' said he
to them with a good natured air.
The republic nourishes her defenders
very i'll Why, you are all as thin as
the wolves of the Pyrenees, when the
mountains are covered with snow and
they come into the plain to sniff the
odor of the table by the lights which
shine under the doors Of the houses.
One is treated otherwise in the SER
vice of the good cause Would YOU
like to make a trial of 1t, hermanos?
Cast off those infamous caps and put
on the white beret. AS truly as this
is the holy day of Easter, to those
who will shout, Long live the kingr
will give their lives and the same
campaign food give my other sol
diersr'
Before the good father had finished
all the caps were in the air. and
shouts of Long live King Carlosp'
Long live the Cabecillar' resounded
on the mountain. Poor devilsl They
had been in such great fear of death,
and so tempting were all those good
victuals which they smelled close to
them, about to be broiled in the shell
ter of rocks before the bivouc fires,
pink and bright in the sunlight
believe that never was the pretender
acclaimed with such good will.
Give them something to eat at
once" said the cure, laughing. seWhen
wolves yelp with that strength, it's
because they have sharp teeth"
The carbineers went Off But one
them, the youngest, remained
standing in front of the chief in a
proud and resolved attitude, which
contrasted with his juvenile features
and the fine down, scarcely colored,
his cheeks with a blond
large for him, was wrinl1led at the
back and on the arms, was turned UP
at the sleeves over two slight wrists,
and by its fullness made him look still
and more slender There was
excitement in his long, brilliant eyes
Arab eyes, intensified by Spanish
flame. And this fixed flame annoyed
the Cabecilla
What do you want?" he asked of
him.
Nothing, I am waiting for you to
decide on my fate
Your fate will be that of the others.
named no one. The pardon was for
ALL"
THE others are traitors and cow
ards! [ alone did not shout anythingp'
The Cabecilla gave a start and
looked him full in the face.
What's your name?'
=" Tonic Vidal
whence came you?''
From Puycerda.'
What age?"
Seventeen
'The republic, then, has no more
men, since she is reduced to enrolling
Il was not enrolled. padre. I am
you know. fellow, that have more
than one means of making you shout
Long live the kingp I"
The youth assumed superb look.
I defy you to do sou retorted he.
so you would rather die?"
"a hundred timesr'
Very well, you shall der
Then the cure made a sign, and the