The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1898-09-03
A vlcARlous PENANCE.
Twenty Generations Have Borne
Cross in the Holy Week Procession.

Twenty Generations Have Borne a
Cross in the Holy Week Procession.
In the Century Stephen Bonsal, late
of the American Legation at Madrid.
describes Holy Week In Seville" In
describing The Procession of Silence,
Mr. Bonsal says:
But there is one muffied figure that
bears the heaviest cross, and walks
painfully with unshod and shackled
feet over the uneven stones, who, ow-
Ing to the strange and peculiar pen
ance he performs. cannot hope TO en-
JOY the anonymity of his brother penI.
tents The self-imposed penance OF
the fathers In Seville would seem.
even MS the weight of their sins, TO be
visited upon their children unto the
last generation of their seed. At least.
II is true that the staggering youth be-
fore us Is the twentieth of his name
and line who has done ylcarious pen
ance for the sins of his forefather, a
celebrity OF the sixteenth century, who
looked ION beauty charming with the
eyes of Don Juan Tenodio. He was
finally captured. the legend relates, by
Barbary corsair. and carried prls-
oner 10 Oran, whore, manacled and
chained, he spent many long and
weary day wishing that he We're dead.
But while he pinned hopelessly In prison
he made n solemn VOW that, should he
ever regain his liberty. We would walk
bnrefooted, and hnmbly bearing his
cross. behind the Christ Of the Great
Power In every madrugada or morn.
ing procession; and, further. he vowed
that he would make the annual accom-
pllshment of this vow a charge upon
his estate for all time. by providing
that, should any one of his male de
seendants fail In Its performance, his
portion of the estate should go TO en-
rich the foundation of "A convent.
There have been no defaulters
among the old gallant's heirs; and
though the present bearer OF the proud
name i n perfumed and scented polio,
dude of Seville society, he too did not
shrink from the sacrifice necessary TO
keeping the money In the family. And
| regret TO say that. as he came meekly
along In this strange guIse. his appear
ance excited much amusement among
the other poles whose inheritance
had come to them without 80 unpleas
ant condition; and at the sight Of his
bruised aud bleeding feet much money
was wagered on the question of wheth
or he would be able to lead the cotillon
AT the Duke of Alba's on Easter Mon
day. But perhaps the strangest of all
the array of silent maskers who follow
ed the Christ of the Great Power. was
little girl of some twelve summers.
clothed In her communion robes
weird aud ghostly apparel for this the
dark hour before the dawn. Her eyes
were blindfolded and. unlike the hoods
OF the Nazarenes. there was not left
the smallest aperture through which
she might look 10 choose and pick her
way. She carried golden ehaliee la
one hand, while with the other she
CROPPED and felt her way. Every now
and then. misled by the deceiylng echo
OF the music. she would turn out OF
the way, now to the right. and now TO
the left. once she stumbled and fell
aud when she rose. In her confusion
started 10 walk back the way she had
come; bur the Nazarenes caught her by
/ the hand aud directed her on her way
again. The little girl In the white com.
mnnion dress symbolized that faith
which Is blind.