Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1855-01-20
PUBLISHED

sand Plls--al leasl lhey aie seldom heard OF here
You understand, senors?"
| The Spaniard with the patch smiled grimly, and
| played with his knife
Gone night last year guided Pedro Barradas
the Cordovan muleteer, 10 the Posada when il wa:
dark as pitch Pedro was very old and halt blind
and had never been that way before. storm
came on, and he desired me 10 remain with him
saying that he would pay me well old Batrada:
was rich be had money in the war of indepen
dence, and in The last civil war between the Car
lists and The Christians, and had given three silver
images 10 The Church OF his native puebla in Jean
@ We supped on bacallo, rasins and plain bread
for the season was Lent. While we were at sup
per, in The common hall of the Posada, heard the
rain paerng Oh the wooden shutters, (lhere is no
glass window in the house } heard the thunder
grumbling among the hills, and wind howling as
it swept over The fields and vineyards af The Vega
Il was lonely place for poor boy who had nci.
lher father or mother but then | was not worth
killing, though many fears fitted across my mind
for Martins wie-an ugly and wicked looking
Basque provincal-put some alarming questions lo
old Pedro Barradas. She told him that neghbor-
hood was infested with bandidos and conrabandis-
tas, and asked if lie heavy sleeper.
"No," said Barradas, " in The war agains! Jo-
ssph Bonaparte, learned the arl Of sleeping
lightly"
{" But whal will you do if you are attacked p
" That is as may be; but ! have only twenty
duros, and so | shall sleep sounily enough"
These questions alarmed me very much; visions
OF murder and slaughter came before me. | ctept
close TO Barradas, who as have said, was very
old and very frail but his presence seemed to pro.
tect me for lime.
"When The hour for bed had arrived, we who
were the only guests were somewhat mperaively
requested 10 retire 10 our rooms, by the woman.
- Barradas saw his danger, and he said that |
should sleep in the same room with him.
q" But Inez Secco told him roughly that he musI
be content 10 sleep alone. Then the poor old man
was hall led aud half dragged away. As for me,
was but boy so they thrust me into dark
closet, where some straw lay on the floor, and de.
siiing me 10 sleep there and be thankful, they len
me.
{" lay down on The straw, and finding i, wei,
arose in horror, fearing ii was blood; and so re
maned in the dark, praying 10 our Lady of the
Seven Sorrows, and trembling listened to the howl.
ing OF the storm for more than an hour, when all
the other sounds in that Pesala died away.
~ was just beginning to dose, when a ray oil
light sireamed through the key hole oil The door -
heare it opened, and 10! Martins vile, lnez Sec.
CO appeared, With long ard sharp cucillo in her
hand. man accompanied her. He was Juan
Rosa De'Anlquera! Terror paraIyzed me; and she
believed me to be asleep, or she felt all over 10y
clothes that is my poor shirt and breeches pockets
from which she took Two quarter duros--aIl pos
sessed ia this world and then passing the lghtwice
across my face 10 asuEe herself that slept, the hag
muered
Caramba only a half dnro; this little wretch
is neither worth lodging or killing"
Immediately after this, heard them whisper
with Martin Cacco; anI then hey knocked al The
door of old Pedro Baradas, who, like cautious
man, had fastened it on the inside.
L" Get up said they, " Senor Bafradas, You are
wanted"
" Bal old Pedro Batradas either slept like top
CT be was 10 weary 10 open, for he needed them
not
"Then heard Juan and Martin multer curses,
as they deliberately forced open the door, next
there was terrible cry Of
81 H.lp! Peddlo, help Ayula por amor de mes
ira, Sonora Sanrissima!"
"This was followed by sounds like those made
by sheep when The knife of the caTcnero is in
lis throat and, in The meantime, Martins two
daughters were singing and dancing in the passage
to conceal these terrible sounds, whice foze the
blood within me-"
Here Pedrillo paused.
eco on" said Hall, impalien'y /" how did yot
escapei'
"Ir The noble senors would help TO refresh my
memory"
"Ah, I comprehend" said T. tossing peseta lC
him 1" now fire away, PedrlIlo"
"You should not encourage this young picaro
Senor Cabaero" said The Spanard, whose face
was now dalkened by terrible irown q for
IS mY belief that he The mere decoy, wht
led poor old Pedro BaIradas to that viiiainous Po
soda"
Instead of being angry. PedrilIo lifted up his
hands, and prayed that Heaven and our Lady o
the Seven Sorrows, would forgive the speaker so
his vile suspicious.
" | never closed my eyes that night In Iht
morning, was told by Inez,. .lhe PalFona, that ole
Barradeas had departed across the hills OF Ante
guerra without me. Martin Secco asked me how
had slept SAID q like dormouse; and soor
as was Tree, ran like a hare back TO Malaga
and TO make up for he last nights lack OF rest