Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1839-10-03
VE9SsCeLENsleO9gS.
A TALE OF GRENADA.
BY HAsnISGroS IRVING


the bargain, and Vet he grew poorer and
poorer, and could scarcely earn bread
tor his numerous family. One night he
was aroused! from his first >leeep by a
knock at the door. tie opened il, aud be-
held before him tall measre, cadaverous
looking priest.
"Hark We. honest friend" SAID the siran-
ger, ii have often observed thai you are Il
good Christian, and one TO be trusted; will
you undertake a job this very nIghl :"
With all my hearl, Scnor Padre. on
condition that am paid accordingly"
THAT you shall be, buI you must suffer
yourself:u be blindiUlded."
70 IilIs The ~ tson made no objection :
so being hondwinked, he was led by the
piest through various rough lanes an,'
winding passages, until lie stopped before
The portals OF a house. The priest then
applied key, turned 4 creaking lock. and
opeued what seemed TO he IL pOnderous
'luur. The. quickly entered, The door was
closed, and hullpd, aud the mason was
conducted through an ech"ing corridor
and spacious hall, into the interior part nf
the building. Here the banrlage WAS re.
moved from his eyes, aud he found him
sell in ii portico or cour, dimly lighted
with il single lamp
In the centre was The dry basin Of IN old
Moorish fountain, under which the priest
requested him To fnrm a small vault, bricks
aud mortar being at hand, for that purpose.
lie accordinsl, worked all night, but with
our finishing The vault. just before day
break, the priest puta piece Of gold inIo
hi, hand and having again blinLlolded
him, ':,ldrcr I'd hin back 10 his dwelling.
. Are YOU willing 10 return aud com.
plee your work -
Grady, Senur Padre. provided / am
well paid"
"Well then. tomorrow at midnight
will call again"
he did so. aud The vault was completed.
''NOw, said the priest, .you must help
mr to b. inc forth The buslies that are to be
buried in this vault"
al these words he followed the priest
with trembling steps inro a retired cham
her of the mansion, expecting to behold
some ghaslIy spectacle ofdc.Ih, onl was
relieved on seeing three or four porlIy jars
standing in one corner. They were evil
drn'ly full OF noney, and it WAS with great
difficulty that he and The priest carried,
them to Ihe tomb. The vault was then
closed, The pavement replaced, and all ,ra-
ces of The work obi,erated.
The mason was again hoodwinked aud
led forth ny route different from that by
which he had come. After they had
wandered for a long time through a per.
picked maze OF lanes and alleys, they bal
ted. The priest then pnt two pieces of
gold into lis hand, "Wait here" said
he, until you hear the cathedral bell mII
for mathis. II you presume TO uncover
your eyes before that lime. eviIwill befali
you" So saying, he departed.
The mason waited faithfully. amusing
himself by weighing the gold pieces in his
hand and clinking them against each 9th
er. Hhe moment the bell rumg its maln
peal, he uncovered his eyes, and found
himself on The hanks of the PenI, from
whence he made the best of his way home
and rrvellcd with his family for a whole
fortnight on the profits of his nights work,
after which he was as poor as ever. He
continued TO work little and pray good
deal, TO keep Saints days and holy day,
from year 10 year; while his family grew
up as gaunt and ragged as a crew Of gip-
sizes.
As he was seated one mornin. at the
door of his hovel, he was accosted by a
rich old man, who was noled for owning
rrany houses aud being a gripping land
lord.
The man of money eyed him for mo-
ment from beneath pair of shaggy eye
brows.
Il am told, friend, that thou art very
poor
There is no denying the fact, Senor,
it speaks for itsell."
IL presume then, you will be glad of a
lob, and work cheap?"
"As cheap my master, as any man in
Grenada"
That's what | want. | have an old
house going to decay. that costs me more
than il'sworth To keepitin repair-f,r no
body will live in it; so | must contrive TO
patch il up,and keep it together at as small
an expense as pOssihle.
The mason was accordingly conducted
~ huge. deserted house that seemed 90
ing to ruin. Passing through several emp
" halls and chambers, he entered an in
ncr court. where his eye was caught by an
old Moorish fountain.
alt seems to me- said he. "as if had
been in this place before; but it is like a
dream. Pray who occupied this house
formerly?"
"A pes, upon him" cried The land
lord. "Il was an old miserly priest, who
cared for nobody but himself Ii was
supposed he would leave all his treasures
), to the church. He died suddenly and the
friars ,hronged in to take possession of his
money. hu' nothing could they find but a
J,.,,, ~ , Ioo,bpr nnr,o Tho ,-o,e,