thus adding to their ranks, and in turn placing in captivity the leading Spaniards.
Ere the morning sun shed his first beams on the streets of Dolores, the bells pealed forth melodiously at so early an hour as to cause surprise to all within hearing. Soon the residents of the town and people from the adjacent pueblos were seen gathering around the portals of the church they loved so well. The cura is there, but not to celebrate the mass on this Sunday morning; for the work of revolution has already begun. From the pulpit he addresses that Indian multitude as "My dear children," and urges them to rend asunder the despised yoke of tyranny and to reclaim the property and lands stolen from their ancestors. "To-day we must act! Will you, as patriots, defend your religion and "our rights?" "We will defend them," shouts the crowd. "Viva nuestra Señora de Guadalupe!" and "Death to the bad government Death to the Gachupines!" "Live, then, and follow your cura who has ever watched over your welfare," is the reply of Hidalgo.
The cura of Dolores has addressed his congregation for the last time; and though bravely and resolutely determined to meet the issue without faltering, the thought is a painful one. Heretofore he has warned them to flee from the wrath to come, administered the holy sacrament and signed them with the cross in baptism; henceforward, in this new crusade against oppression and usurpation, he is their leader to victory—or death!
Miguel Hidalgo y Costillo was the second son of his parents, who lived in the province of Guanajuato.
From his early youth he was a close student, and when still quite young he had attained considerable proficiency in philosophy, and also in his theological studies in the College of San Nicolas in Valladolid. He received his degree of bachelor of theology at the capital, and was appointed successively to the curacy of two wealthy parishes in the diocese of Valladolid. The death of his brother was the means of his appointment as cura of Dolores, which gave him a salary of about twelve thousand dollars a year. He became a scien-
