The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1854-06-28

| e"N WIN liS kUlI6.
"One night last year, guided Pedr,
Barradas, the Cordovan muleteer, to tn,
Posada, when it was dark as pitch. Pc
dro was very old, and half blind, and hac
never been that WY before. A storm
came on, and he desired rue to remain
with him, saying he would pay me well
Old Barradas was rich; he had mad,
money in the war of Independence, and
IN the last civil war between the Carlist.
and Christinos; and had given three sill
yer images to the church of his nativ,
puebla, in Jaen.
-" We supped on bacallao, raisins and
plain bread, for the season was Lent
While we were at supper, in the common
nall OF the Posada, | heard the rain pat,
terIng on the wooden shutters (there is
not glass window in the house) heard
the thunder grumblins among the hills,
and the wind bowling as it swept over
the fields and vineyards Of the Vega. I,
was lonely place for poor boy who
had neither father nor mother. senors
but, then, | was not worth killing, though
many fears fitted through my mind for
MaItln's wife-an ugly and wicked-locK-
ing Basque provincial put some very
alarming questions to old Pedro Barra.
das. She told him that the neighborhood
was infested by bandidos and contraban-
dlstas; and asked il he was a heavy sleep,
er.
"No,' said Barradas, in the war
against Joseph Buonaparte, learned the
art Of sleepiug lightly.
:" But what will you do, If attacked r.
"Ihat is as may lie; but l have only
twenty duros, and so shall sleep soundly
enough
These Ircstions alarmed me very
much visions Of murder and slaughter
came before me. crept close to Barra
das, who, as have said, WAS very old and
very frail but his presence seemed pro.
lection to me for time.
When th- isos- Eo- bod arrtved, 10,
who were the only guests, were some
what imperatively requested to retire to
our rooms by the wife Of Martin Secco.
Barradas saw, perhaps, his danger,
and said that | should sleep in the same
room Win MIN.
But Incz Sccco told him roughly that
he must be content to sleep alone. Then
the poor old man was hali.led and half.
dragged away.-As for ME, was but a
boy J; so they thrust ME into a dark clos
ct, where some straw lay on the floor,
and desiring me to sleep there and be
thankful, LETT me.
"l lay down on the straw, and finding
it wet, arose in horror, fearing that it was
blood and so remained in the dark, pray
ing TO our Lady Of the Seven Sorrows,
and trembling and listening to the how
ling Of the storm for more than an hour,
when all the other sounds in that terrible
Posada died away.
IL was just beginning to doze, when
a ray Of light streamed through the key.
hole ofmy door; l heard il opened, and
10 Martins wife, lnez Sesco, appeared
with a long and sharp cuchiIlo in her
hand. A man accompanied her. He
WAS Juan Roa de Antequera Terror
paralysed me; and she believed me to
be asleep, for she felt all over my clothes
that is, my poor shirt and breeches
pockets, from which she took two quar-
Ier-duros-all possessed in this world and
then, passing the light thrice across my
face, to assure herself that slept, the bag
went away muttering-
Caramba only q balfduro; thi,
little wretch is neither worth lodging mol
killing
Immediately after this, ] heard then
whispering with Martin Secco and ther
they knocked at the door of old Pedro
Barradas, who, like cautious man
had fastened it or the inside.
"'Get up said they, Senor Barrada,
get up, you are wanted
I" But old Barradas either slept like {
top, OF he was too wary 10 open for h
needed them not.
Then | heard Juan and Martin nut
tering curses as they deliberately forcec
open the door; next there came a terri
bic cry Of
"Help! Pedrillo, help! Ayuda po
amor de neustra, Sonora Santissima
"This was followed by sounds like
those made by sheep when the knift
OF the carcinero is in It's throat; and, il
the meantime, Martins two daughter
we're singing as load as they could, an,
dancing bolero in the passage to con
ceal these terrible sounds, which froz
the blood within me-"
Here Pedrillo paused.
"Go on" said Jack Hall, impatient
ly; "and how did you escapef"
II the noble senors would help M
10 refresh my memory"
"Ah, comprehend" said I, tossing
p,seta to him " now fre away, Pedril
| lo." "
you shoald not encourage this youn,
IpicaFc. Senor Cabarello," said the Span
lard, whose face was now darkened b,
a terrible frown; for il Is my belief tha
be was the mere decoy, who led poo
fold Pedro Barradas TO that yillanou
Posada.'s
Instead Of being angry. Pedrllo onl
| lifted up his hands, and prayed ths
Heaven and our Lady Of the Seven sOr