The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1838-04-27

Aenll; from whence he made the best Of
his way home, and revealed with his f.
mliy for a whole fortnight on the profits
Of his two nights work, afler which he
VAS as poor as ever.
tie continued 10 work litile and pray
a good deal. and keep saints days and
holydays from year TO year, while his
family grew up - gaunl and ragged s. .
crew Of gypsies.
rs he was seated one morning at the
donr Of his hoEel. he was accnsied BY
rich old enrmudgeon, who was noted for
owning many houses and being gripping
landlord.
The man Of money eyed him for mo-
mens from beneath . pair Of shaggy eye
brows.
Il am told. friend, that you are very
poor"
"There is no denying the fact. Senior;
il speaks for ITSELF"
presume, then. yOn will be glad Of
= job. and will work cheap"
/" As cheap, my master, as any mason
in Granada"
"Thai's what want. have an old
house fallen TO decay. that costs me more
money than il is worth 10 keep il in re-.
pair. for nobody will live in il; 30 must
eonsriye to patch il mp and keep il toge-
Tier II as small expense as possible"
The mason was accordingly conduct
ed to huge deserted house that seemed
going to ruin. Passing through several
empty halls and chambers, he entered an
inner court where his eye was caught by
an old Moorish fountain.
lie paused for moment. "It seems. !"
said he, "as il had been in this place
before; but il is like dream-pray who
occupied this house formerly"
"a pest upon him." cried the land
lord. alt was an old misery priest, who
cared for nobody but himself. lie was
said to be immensely rich. and having no
relations, il was thought he would leave
all his treasure TO the church. lie died
suddenly, and the priests and friars
thronged TO take possession Of his wealth,
but nothing could they find but few du-
cats, in leathern purse. The worst luck
has fallen OH me; for since his death, the
old fellow continues 10 occupy my house
without paying rent, and there's no TAX
ing the law Of dead man. The people
pretend To hear a, night the clinking OF
| gold all night long in the chamber where
the old prizes, slept. as il he were count
ing over his money, and sometime a
groaning aud moaning is heard about the
court. Whether true or false, these sto-
ries have brought bad name on my
house, and not tenant will remain in
it,"
Enough" said the mason, s:urdily;
"l.et me live in your house rent free I'M
I'll some better tenant presents, and will
engage to put it in repair, and quiet the
troubled spirits that disturb it. am a
good christian and a poor man, and am
not to be daunicd by the devil himself,
even though he come in the shape OF a
| big bag Of money"
The offer Of the honest mason was
gladly accepted; he moved with his Ia
mily into the house. and fulfilled all hi:
engagements. by little and little he re
stored i, to its former state. The clink.
ing of gold was no longer heard at nigh
in the chamber oil the defunci priest, bu
began To be heard by day in the poke
of the living mason. In word, he in
creased rapidly in wealth, to the admira
ton of all his neighbors, and became ont
of the richest men in Granada. lie gave
large sums to the church, by way, NJ
doubt, Of satisfying his conscience, ant
never revealed the secret Of the wealth
until on his death bed, TO his son ant
heir. irving.