Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-12-14

The mason was again hoodwinked and led forth
by route differed4 from that by which he had
come, After they had wandered for long
time through perplexed maze of lanes and al
leys they halted. The priest then put two
pieces of gold into his hand
| Wait here said he, until you hear the ca
thedral bell toll for mathis. If you presume to
uncover your eyes before that time, evil will be-
fal you : SO saying, he departed. The mason
waited faithfully, amusing himself by weighing
the gold pieces in bis hands, and clinking them
against each other. The moment the cathedral
bell rang its matin peal, he uncovered his eyes,
and found himself on the banks of the Xenil,
from whence ho made thesbest of his way home
and reyelled with his family for whole fort
night on the profits of his two nights work,
after which he was as poor as ever.
Ho continued to work a little and pray good
deal, and kept Saints days and holidays, from
year toasar, while bis family grew up as gaunt
and ragged as1gypsies. As he was seated one
evening at the door Of his hoyei, no wassaeeost-
ed by arich Old .citrmu dgeon, who was. noted
for owning mauy houses, and being a grasping
landlord, The man. of money eyed him fora
moment from beneath q pair of anxious shag-
KY eyebrows
Il am told, friend, that you are very poor.
There is no denying the fact, Senor, it speaks
for ITSELF
4 presume, then, that You will be glad of o
job, and will work cheap
As cheap as any man in Grenada
'That's what want. / have an old hous'
that is fallen into decay, that costs me mor'
money than it is worth to keep it in repair, fol
nobody will live in it; so must contrive tt
patch it up and keep it together at as small al
expense as possible
The mason was accordingly conducted to {
large deserted house that seemed going to ruin
Passing through several empty halls and cham
bers, he entered TN inner court where his eye
were caught by an old Moorish fountain. HI
paused for momeut, for dreaming recollection
Of the place came over him.
Pray, said he, 'who occupied this hous,
formerlyp
"a pest upon him. cried the landlord q
was an old miserly priest, who cared for nobod
but himself. He was said to be immensely rich
and having no relations, it was thought HI
would leave his treasures to the church H
died suddenly, and the priests and friars throng
ed to take possession of his wealth, but nothin,
could they find but few ducats in leathe
purse. The worst luck has fallen upon me, 70
since his death, the old fellow continues to oc
cupy my house without paying rent, and there
no taking tho law on dead men. The peopl
pretend to hear tho blinking of gold all nigh
in the chamber where the old priest slept, as i
he vas counting over his money, and sometime
o gioaning about the court Whether true o
false, these stories have brought bad name o.
my house, and not a tenant well remain in it. !.
g Enough, said the mason. stnrdily; le
me live in your house rent free until some bette
tenant presents, and will engage to put it il
repair, land quiet the troubled spirit that disturb
it. am good Christian and poor man, an
am not to be dauntcd by the deyi! himself, eve
if he should como in the shape Of big bag c
money
Tie offer Of the honest man WAS readily az
cepted; he moved with his family into the hous,
and fulfilled his engagements. By little and Ii
tie he restored it to its former state; the clinl
ing Of gold was no more heard at night in I'll
chamber of the dolunct priest, but began to /
heard by day in the pockets OF the living mt
son. f
In word, he increased rapidly in wealth,
the admiration of all his ueighbors, and becan
one of the richest men in Grenada. He ga,
large sums to the church, by way, no doubt,
satisfying his conscience, and never revealed tt
secret Of the vault until on his death-bed to h
son and heir Washington Iruing.