The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-04-02
LEFT EVIL LEGACY
MISFORTUNE BANS TREE PLANT
ED BY BAD MAN.
Superstitious Mexicans Believe I'm
plieitIy in Story Of Misspent Life
and Its Punishment-Tragic
Deaths Have Been Many.

The tree of Tula and the tree Of Sad
Night are known throughout the world
but there is a tree in Mexico which |
has acquired a local reputation some
what shady.
III Arbol Maldito is said to have
been planted by gentleman who had
the misfortune to be swallowed up by
Mother Earth on account OF his crimes
He was known throughout the country
as unhombre muy malo. He never
went to mass, never confessed his
sins, nor did he have the image OF a
saint in his house, wear rosary
around his neck or make the sign OF
the cross as a respectable man should
He never gave a beggar even a centa
gito, and when he met a padrecito OF
the street he did not deign TO remove
his hat
Now 1t was rumored, says Modern
Mexico, that this gentleman was re.
sponsible for many murders and afro
cious crimes of every description, but
he was never confined in jail because
1t was known that he had a compact
with the devil, so that whenever he
invoked his Majesty he was rendered
invisible to the human eye, or at least
so small that he could easily escape
He was Stunned by all, and he had
neither friends nor relatives.
But a peculiar thing about this mar
was that he loved the trees, the birds
and all the animals. He planted a
great many trees and fed a flock Of
birds every morning.
1t was many years ago that the
event of his departure took place, but
is still remembered by the ancient in
habitants of the neighborhood. Every
body on the Haciendita ranch had at
tended the religious services of the
morning, and they were returning
home when a terrific noise was heard
They rushed to the street where II
came from. and there they saw how
the earth had opened up under the
feet of that hombre muy malo. He
was enyeloped by thick flames and
smoke and quickly disappeared be.
meath the surface of the earth.
This was considered a just punish
ment in view of the situation, and
every one was exceedinly pleased
While the faithful had been attending
the services of the church the cursed
one had nothing else to do but place &
burning cigarette between the lips OF
an image on big crucifix, carried by
an altar on the street 1t was theL
that the convenient cavity opened vi
and he was engulfed by the earth.
That very day all the trees which
he had planted, except FL Arbol Nal
ditto, dried up and died-and so die
the birds which he had fed from his
own hand. An attempt was made t.
cut down the tree that did not DRY
up, but the foolish man who made the
attempt dropped dead on stepping un
der the shadow of the foliage. AS nj
one had the temerity to approach anC
remove it the mans body had to b.
left there to be eaten by the crows.
| Since that day many have met |
tragic death under the tree. A pedes
train who went under it for shade or
summer day was bitten by a snak
and died in tow hours. Three men OF
different occasions sought shelter fror
rain under its branches and wer
struck by lightning.
A woman hanging some clothes t
dry from the trunk of the tree was a
tackled by a goat that came from M
body knows where and was never see
again. Three years ago little boz
riding burro, led his animal TO tn
tree. He was thrown off and kicked (
| death.
The last victim of this fatal tire
was a man by the name of Melquiade
Arevalo, who ran under it for she
ter during rainstorm a year ago, ant
like his predecessors. he was struo
by lightning.
The antipathy that the poems hay
for this tree is such that they refuS
to work in the fields for half mi
around it., Some time ago Prosper
/ Garcia, proprietor of the ranch whel
Ell Arbol Maldito grows, resolved
have it blown up with dynamite, b.
! no doubt he has been unable to find
ban brave enough TO venture near
+ tree which shows such symptoms
a haunted life.