The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-12-19
GREAT LOVE
STORIES
of HISTORY
The Cid and Ximena
By Albert PaySon Terhune
Copyright. ~ tie Author.)

Copyright. ~ tas Auther.l
A Castilian grandee, De Btvar by
name, in the latter half of the eleventh
century was slain by the count of
Oviedo. De Bivar had one son. Rodri-
go Diaz, fiery youth. destined to be-
come the national hero of Spain. Like
many another such hero of olden
times, his real exploits have become
SO tangled with legendary feats that
it is hard to separate the two. Here
is his love story, as told in Spanish
chronicle and song:
To avenge his murdered father,
young Rodrigo sought out the count Of
Oviedo and challenged him to mortal
combat. The challenge was accepted.
The two fought with swords and OWE
do was slain. Rodrigo had but obeyed
the customs of his time in avenging
his fathers death. He considered the
affair now at an end. But Oviedo's
daughter, the beautiful Ximena, rushed
to the king of CASTLE. demanding just
ice and begging that her fathers STAY
er be put to death by torture.
According to some accounts, Rodri-
go had already seen Ximena and
Though unknown to herr had lost his
heart to the lovely girl. Thus it had
been a bitter grief
for Vengeance. devotion forced
him to kill Oviedo and by that deed to
raise so fearful a barrier between
himself and the woman he loved. In
any case. Ximena clamored for his
execution. He was seized and brought
before the judgment seat of the king
to face his fair accuser.
But at sight of the handsome youth
Ximena suddenly lost all longing for
his punishment. She withdrew her
plea that he be slain, and he was &C
cordingly set at liberty upon his ex-
PLANTATION that the killing of Oviedo
had not been a murder, but a matter
of fair fight and an act of vengeance
for the death of Rodrigo's own father.
Ximena could not forget the gallant
young man. When she saw he was
equally attracted by her own charms,
she so far set aside her former hatred
as to come again to the king and ask
that her hand be given In marriage to
Rodrigo. The youth eagerly assented
to the plan. which was to change his
recent enemy to his wife.
For, the father. OF whom I deprived
you." he said. Il offer = you a hus-
band ~ s:s ~ Fl.
The two were accordingly married
But their welded life was destined
to run far from smoothly. Spain was
split up into several minor kingdoms.
Most Of them were more or less fire.
squently at war with one another
in the country. These controlled cities
and whole districts and were nearly
A. powerful as the Spaniards,< with
whom they often clashed. Rodrigo, in
the service Of King Alfonso of CASTLE,
won for himself by bravery the titles
of The Cid" and Eel Campeador"
C'The Lord" and The Conqueror")
and became the foremost general Of
the day. A political clique contrived
his exile from CASTLE. Then his true
career began.
Gathering about him q free lance"
army. the Cid offered his services
first to one Spanish monarch, then to
another. He sided with Christian or
Mahometan alike; burned either
churches or mosQueG, sacked Spanish
or Moorish towns. His sword and his
army were at the call of the highest
bidder. His warlike deeds were in
every mouth. In short, he became
wholesale freebooter.
At length he conquered a goodly dis
trict in Spain and set up a kingdom
ma, who seems to have remained
The Man Who am ~ aa .ooen
Stole a Kingdom. h.,dsh;n 49, a..
aster. His Kingdom" included nearly
all Of Valencia and Murcia Here for
time he ruled wisely and with sur
prising gentleness. But he was grow
ing old. When some of his former
victims took up arms against him, in
1899, he did not go to battle himself,
but sent a trusted lieutenant to lead
his forces. This lieutenant was beaten.
The disgrace of defeat threw old Rod
died. g..
AIueuo 1oI t"O years OeleuOSO val
encia against the foe. proving herself
a brilliant commander At length.
when force of numbers compelled her
to fee. she carried to safety with her
the body of her herohusband, in
whose memory she had waged so vail
ant a war against hopeless odds.
Use Of Flowers for Food.
An interesting development of the
use of flowers for food is recorded in
the daily papers saws the London