The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1917-04-26

''.''... -. 2 - 't.' ~. '....' ..'' o.
HGt are drrire| trow Spanish
sources ant some Of ITS torm> hare Il
distinct Moorish atmosphere.
Somewhere in Vera Cruz, or near II.
there i mass of old iron that it will
be- Well 10 leave untouched if anybody
should hr 50 unfortunate aS Ia find it. II
has made trouble for Spanish aulhuri-
ties and the church. and the last pen-
PIE To- have unprotitnble dealings with
1t were the French soldiers when they
occupied MEXICO.
They tried To east the piece of iron
into cannon, and they did not like
the result. Indeed. brave soldadOs
though they were, they liked the re-
suit So little that they made haste 10
get rid of It. This IS why nobody
knows today whore IL is.
The story of this iron goes back 10
old Spain in the days of chivalry. one
day in that period band of outlaws
and robbers sacked castle near Mad
rid As they were feaStinG in its great
vaultrd banquet hall at dusk. suit of
armor that had been hanging on the
wall suddenly got down and Stalked
into their circle, empty rs it was.
Most of the band Immediately ran
away, urged by commendabl" pfu-
denCe. Some, however, We're drunk
enough To possess n bOldncsS which
would not have been theirs in Il chastc
state of s0bripty. Several among them
even addressed the armUr politely, beg
gnG IL 10 be seated.
There was IL dissolute noblcman
among them. more intelligent than the
rest. He suspected at once that this
was a certain famous armOr that HAD
been forged by the devil himself.
Tempted by the thought, this degraded
cavalier, by name Don Gil de Marcia
dante, bowed low Ia the armOr and Of
fered To sell his soul fer the possession
of il.
Evidently the offer was accepted AT
once, for Don Gil had no trouble what
SOever about getting into the suit OF
mail. Indeed, it seemed Ia his com
To the cavaliers person with celer-
ity that looked suspiciouSly as if in
visible hands were extending excellent
assistance
InCaSed in the satanic armOr, Don
! Gil became the SCOurge of the country.
1t turned swords and axes, and it
seemed that none could overcome the
man. At last, however, Il wise priest
| counSelled the police, and they caught
| the rObber in moose of rope previous
! ly blessed by the church. Tying him
up with painful care, they bore him 10
| Madrid.
There they put him into a strong cell
| high up IN q tall tower. Unfortunate
/ ly they released him from the rope be.
| fore they locked him up. That was the
last that any human eye ever saw of
| Don Gil de Marcadante. When the Jail
ers entered his cell next morning, they
found the empty armor sitting calmly
on the bench, with its arms folded.
Madrid's most learned men were
called together hastily and they fell on
a clever stratagem for Outwitting the
devil. Under their orders the amor
was seized by bold wOrkmen and car
ried to Il smelling furnace.
A wild laugh of diabolic mOckery
came from the acCurScd thing as it was
tossed in. The hotter it grew, the
more did the laughter increase until
finally, when the mass was red and
fluid, the jeerlng and merriment were
so clamorous that all Madrid resourd,
ed with IT.
The learned men, however, smiled
grimly. They were preparing tid-bit
for the devil that was to make laugh
ter choke in his demOniac gullet.
AS soon as the armor was fully melt
ed, they gave the word. The work
men poured the metal into n mold that
stood ready. and instantly the laughter
ceased, to be replaced by bitter cries
of remOnstrance, rage and menaces.
Then came whimpers for mercy
and the next moment, as the metal
chilled, Il scream of intolerance, utter
agony. That was the last sound from
the wicked mass-for the wise mer
had cast it into Il cross. The curse
had been banned.
For many Il generation the cross did
faithful service at n wayside shrine
until its story was forgotten. A new
generation wanted bell for convent
in Madrid, and the bell-fouhdCrs tool
down the cross and melted it into {
beautiful bell. On the very first night
after it was hung Madrid was startled
from sleep by such din from the bel
fry that everybody rushed Out. think
ing that the authorities were ringing
alarm to arouse the citizens.
They found the belfry door locked
The priests brought the key an,
opened il boldly. Nobody was there
but the bell-rOpe was flashing to an,
fro, and the bell above sent out il:
pealS, not ceaSing until cock crow.
Night after night this continued
while the churchmen and scholars helC
council. They traced the history o
the cross from which the bell had beer
made, and ordered that Ii he lowered
10 the ground. After solemn trla
they ordered that its tongue be ton
out. and that 1t be banished to Mexico
The manned bell was carried TO tn