New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-06-16
A Lnekr Mason.

7g ..
There was once upon time a poor mason or brick
layer in Granada, who kept all the Saints days and
holidays, and st. Monday in the bargain and yet,
with all his devotion, he grew poorer and poorer and
could scarcely bread for his numerous family.
One night he was aroused from his first sleep by
knocking at the door. He opened it, and beheid
before him tall, meagre cadaTerouHlooking priest.
g Hark ye, honest friend" said the stranger
one to be trusted will you undertake JOB this very
with all my heart, Senior Padre, On condition that
/ am paid accordingly"
" That you shall but you must suffer yourself to
be blindfolded.
To this the mason made no objection 80, Being
hoodwinked, be was led by the priest through various
the portal Of house The priest then applied key,
turned creaking lock and opened Whist appeared to
be ponderous door. They entered, the door was
elosed and bolted, and the mason was conducted
through an echoiug corridor, and spacious hail. to
the interior Of the building. Here the bandage was
removed from his eyes, and he found himself IN apa-
no, or court, dnlly lighted BY single lamp. In the
centre was the dry basin Of an old Moorish fountain,
under which the priest requested him to form small
vault bricks and mortar being at hand for the pur-
finishing the job. Just before daybreak The priest
put piece Of gold into bis hand, and having again
I blindfoded him. conducted him back to his dwell
/ ing.
Are you willing; said he, { to return and COM
/ plets yoar work ~
!. Gladly senor Padre provided I am 20 well
! =
Well, then, to-rnorrov. at midnight, I viii call
again. IS 98E SIS S'77
He did so-ana the yaalt was completed.
/ f Now, said the priest, & you must help me to-
bring forth these bodies ae to be buried III this
| vault.
/ The masons hair rose on his head 1T these words
he followed the priest with tremEing steps into re-
tired chamber Of the mansion, expecting to behold
some chastity spectacle Of death. hut was relieved on
seeing three or four porty iars standing in
ner They were evidently full Of money, and It was
! tYntrn nh nif
| forth and consigned them to their tomb The vault
i was then closed. the pavement replaced, and all
traces Of the work oblterated The mason Was again
! hoodwinked and led forth by route different from
that by which he had come. After they had wan
dered for a long time through perpIexed maze Of
lanes and alleys, they halted The priest then put
two pices Of gold into his hand 5
Wait herr. /. said be, { until youshear the cathedral
bell toll for mathis If you presume to uncover your
eyes before that time evil will befalI you; saying,
i be departed. ~
4 The mason waited faithfully, amusing himself BY
weighing the gold pieces in his hand, and chinkng
them against each other. The moment the cathedral
@ found M himself o. tie s Banks of 9eni, from Where be
made the best Of his way home and FeveIed with his
family for whole fortnight the profit Of his two
nights work; after which he was as poor as ever.
He continued to work a and pray good DEAL
!, and keep Saints day and holidays, from year TO
year, while his family grew up as gaunt and rabsd as
oD gyh se sea one o5 #
curmudgeon who was noted for owning many houses,
E and being a gripping landlord. The man Of money
4 eyed him for moment from beneath pair Of anx-
i am told, friend, that you are very poor. Z
There is no denying the fact senor-it speaks for
is itself.n 8
It presume that you will be glad Of and work
As cheap, my master, as any mason in Granada
y g That's what Want. / have old house fallen
into decay, that cost money than IL worth
O. to keep it in repair for no one will live in Il 50
must c0nriye to patch it up at as small an expense
! as possible" I. 35s
O. The mason was accordingly conducted toa large
IN deserted house that seemed going to ruin Passing
through several empty halls and chambers he entered
ra inner court, where his eye was caught by an old
- :. Moorish fountain. He paused for moment, for
fe dreaming recoections to the place very distinctly
as came over him.
tie Pray said he, "Who occupied this house for
4 merly p
Us old misery priest who cared for nobody but himself
at He was said to be immensely rich and having no re-
of lations twas thought he would leave his treasures
Il to the church He died suddenly and the priests and
friers thronged to take possession Of his wealth. but
d nothing could they find but few ducats in eathern
l purse The worst luck has fallen to me- for since his
ed death the old fellow continues to OCCUPY my house
without paying rent and there's taking the law OF
= dead man. The people pretend TO hear the chink
se ing of gold all night in the chamber where the old
ho priest slept as if he were counting over his money
di and sometimes groanng and moaning about the
M court. Whether true false these stories brought
had name on my house, and not tenant will remain
lth in it, s9 tszs55
the Enough" said the mason sturaily g let me ve
ind in your house. rentree until better tenant pre-
sents himself and will put in repair, and quiet the
troubled spirit that lam good Christian
Dc and poor man, and am not to be daunted by th
devil himself even though he should come in tn
en- shape of a bag of money! N s5r54s*
or The offer of the honest mason gladly accepted
he moved with his family into the house and fulhle
ha all his engagements By little and little he restored
ng to its former states the cinldng of gold
on heard at night in the chamber of the deunct priest
buf hayan tn ha nv in tha Tsnf
W. living mason. In word, be increased rapidly il
ty wealth, to the admiration of all his neighbors
all became Of the richest men in Granada; he CAV
red large sum to the church, BY way no doubt Of salts
Of the vault until on his deathbed to his son an
lns heir. III