The Delta independent., 1900-06-01
LA CRUZ.
How Two Lovers Wsss 1sNnitsA
at the Foot Of the Cross.

The light Of day had died from the
foothills of the M~xIcan city Of Jalapa
as ! mingled with the crowd walking
leIsurely toward the Plaza Granda to
hear the Sunday evening band concert.
For a moment the tollity ceaseti US the
brightly dressed senOritns aud the gay
cavaiieros came into the view Of the
wooden cross which rose near the path
leading over the mountain aRainst
whose bosom the little city nestled.
Each uttered . prayer while viewing
the cruciix ~ II stood out against the
moop)tr sky. ..l.r. -..s4rssr j
II cruz was the subject VI. much
comment by the aenoritas as they
walked around the plaza. and likewise
by the men. whose conversatioD was
varied by q few remarks upon . par
sicularly striking mautiila worn by
some young care. c.
why Ia every one % intercstesi 10
abe cross!' aaid to my Mexican com
panion a. We seated ourselves Oh rus-
tic bench.
Have you never heard the story. -
Dorr he inquired.
-Nevcr Asd why are - many
stones piled around tr' ! answesed.
''Tell ne about II"
TT was the custom" he began slow
y, among the lndians % this country
to carry their dead % their backs -
the place q burial and when the bur.
dep bearer sct aside his load that hs
might rest be-. upon continuing his
Journey. planted cross where be last
se6ted the remains. And whoever
passed thst wsy wns destined to cast .
steoe at She Seos Of the cross ~ Q
prayer for the soul Of him whose 0es-
tai remains had rested there"
Music Interrupted him. And. ~ the
last sehoine refratn OF '1.a raloma"
was iosa ID the ossssais atg. sat
gaxing II ~ csuss. na--'. -i is.ai. .I.i
ssauta Masis wfn lssss ystA sssoss.
for your iasersst - the cross" he co.,
finued. revrrentiy crossing himself.
Inclined my head h response. aud be
relatsS 10 me the following story:
Years aeo. wh-u This little city was
hut . village. ther~ LIVED family who
used to raise Vegetables FOR neighbor.
ing town They had but one daughter.
Jesita by name. Across the valley
dweat Q staiwsrt young fellow named
Leon. A frieodship which grew Into
aHectIon arose bet ween the two. Often
In the evening they would wander
through the valley by the sisle Of yOn-
der stream or climb the ssceot snd
watch the settiog Sun. .. ....F. .....'
"One day there passed through the
valley . man bursiened with the weight
Of his dad father. He stopped TO rest
and refresh hinixeif. Urun eontinuing.
he planted that crows On the SIDE Of the
hin. From the door Of her adobe
home Jestsa ha.l observed the burden
bearer make and plant the erosS. 70
when Leon came that evening they
went up the mOuntaIn side 70 the EN-
blem md cast. with reverence. . stone
n its foot"
Herr his story wss interrupted by the
soft strains os music floating through
the ornngr trees and mingling itself
with the srntIc srphyrs heavy with the
fragrancr Of the hlossousing orange.
Just tehind % . httIe seream cisceTtly
sau9 OVER the stones.
The music c-asssD. snd sbe svlateS
roptinuesi:
'Often afser this they wasdervd to
the cru~s and would seat themselves
near ifs psOjrctInR arms. Twas there
Iron told Jesifa Of his love for her.
and tbere he met .irsisa wile.- she told
him shc would bc his life companion
One evening ~ f.ruu ss.rsed through
the valley 10 drive the cattle TO the
corral. lest they ssray into the next
valley during the night. ~ ssopp~d st
J~sisa's home. As I0vrfs win. quar-.
m easu~ti. In the midst Of II Leon ieft
Iesita. sayiwR 20 her ~ he poisted 10
wasvi the crUas: -s---.s
Bruurita Jesisa. the Holy Virgin IN
d,spsresed with ~ for qnarrviing. for
- the dove percbed m the cruss and
hear " Wsourp.'
~0st the sencrtsa stausr-,l bev rrrsty
foot. and her ey~s snsWr-f ss she en-
Swerpd: -. =
Go ysss wsy. s~nor Low
-WisbsssessWerine NJ csntInsp1 %
bis evR0f onottnx Tor the esssDp He
~alke6 ~ -ebe eruss. rssetae SWINE -
NJ foot sod makipe The sign ~ hoii-
sess - ~ eas~rvi. Ie~iss watched him
- hc m brr. thinking NJ might
91s0~~ he~k ~ usual bWs BE- slSA Wcs
As sA~aRsss Ssssv Se~ s-srs .1sasss
NJ ey-s. se6 sbe swrb-A. s-esse ktm
- DsoRR8s,o ss1 TlE- 3 .rssse1sE
-r'vrko~ss ~rrVs iWeo ~ ~sIBey.
sfpAles ese4le1fs19)1a1Qely,e1 -
. ~-ysssoosl NsA6 - MGAsssee 10 s6e
dissssce ~ - % srVvvs~Ssog sasro.
Less - - svssrDsA TIE say gssv
l - q1lsfok fok4Y2,eAs4N1A a
sUsA - - ssoUo essoso - bsoso
0a0 - oesunQad0s0 - - susuuDl