The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-07-30
Carnival of Madrid.

The events Of the story of the Car
nival Of Madrid" which has been hand
ed down through receding generations,
transpired during the close of the six
teenth century.
The scene opens at the Castle Royal
near the city of Madrid, in Spain. Don
de Pareja, the owner and occupant of
the castle, is the last descendant of an
ancient and honored family, noted for
their austerity and tyrannical deci-
sfons in public affairs, and a man
cordially hated and feared. He was
at his time the alcalde or mayor OF
the commune. and also president OF
the house of deputies.
About fortnight preceding the
eventful night of the Carnival of Mad
rid" he has sentenced to death four
Spanish soldiers for a trifling offenss
committed in the district of Navarro
The sentence was based on an illegiti-
mate and entirely ex parte proceeding
secretly held in the chamber of the
coTTes, where the prisoners had been
denied even a hearing-all inStigated
by the infamous Pareja. the president
The people of the entire province be-
came incensed and ouGspoken in their
denunciation of the cruel sentence, that
the cowardly Pareja quadled, and com
the end Of which time the entire popu-
lace appealed to him to pardon the
condemned, but in vain, for upon the
afternoon of the day fixed in his de-
cree for the execution. it took place
in the public square of Madrid, where
the poor fellows met their death brave
ly, amidst the lamentations of the
whole people.
Instead of four victims. however.
there were only three brave soldiers who
gave up their lives to satisfy the wick
ed mandate Of the tyrant. The miss
ing one was Ferdinand CaStrella, a SOL
der of wonderful bravery and the idol
of his comrades, who on the night pre-
ceding the day assigned for the exc
| cution, single-handed. thrOttied the
guard and escaped from the galleys at
Malaga, where he had been chained to
his seat awaiting execution.
He fled to Madrid, remaining in hid
ing several days, and in disguise wit
messed the cruel execution of his be-
loved comrades. The cruelties that
had been imposed upon him and the
horrible sight that he had witnessed
so fired his intrepid heart that he swore
vengeance on Don de Pareia, and at
! once set about it's contamination. Graf
tily communicating with them, he soon
called together several of his com
rades from Navarro and formed a Sc
cret order, each member bound by
oath to avenge their brothers death.
1t was agreed to resort TO bombs, and
in this manner to STAY Pareja and de-
stroy his castle. They selected as the
night for his destruction the evening
! upon which Don de Pareja was to give
in marriage the hand of his lovely
niece, the Princess Savedra, to a
wealthy duke of an adjoining province.
To appropriately celebrate the event,
Don de Pareja had arranged for a.
carnival within a spacious ground adj
| jacent to the castle, and spared Moth
| ing in his endeavors to secure for the
proud event the rarest attractions to
be found in all the realm. But instead
of an evening of merriment, it proved
/ to be one of disaster.
| AS soon as the sports and pastimes
were concluded, and the bridal party
had retired to the saloon of the cas-
| tie, Ferdinand and his band of con-
spirators appeared at the entrance of
the castle. Three bombs were secretly
conveyed into the castle and carefully
placed, and as they are about to ex-
plode Ferdinand is seen rapidly flee
ing from the doomed castle, bearing
CALAMITY the lovely Savedra in his
arms, whom he has seized and borne
away under the very eyes Of her new
husband and stern uncle. AS Ferdinand
and Sevedra make their escape by boat
across the lake and his companions
reach the woods close at hand in safe
ty, there is a frightful explosion; the
| timbers crash amidst the falling walls
and roof of the castle and wicked Pare
| ia dies a, miserable death.