Smyrna times., 1858-06-03
TRADITIONARY STORY.
THE GHOST OF THE RUINS.
STORY OF TIE BRAZILIAN PAMPAS
By J. wOonRUFF LEWIS.

For four warm, sweltering days said Lieu
tenant John Moore as we sat together, enjoy
ing the mounIight on the deck of the Nj issis-
sppi II had been iourneying over the pam
pas which extended from the Rio de IA Plata to
the Andes on the west side, and the Pacific
ocean the other; and as the sun went down,
found myself passing an old church, that stood
IN the suburbs Ola small town, which possesses
the romantic name Of Los Entos
Il had eaten nothing during the day except
dry biscuit and a small portion OF dried beef,
which was all my pannier contained; and my
appetite prompted me to stopat the first village
came tonne situated within an hundred
yards Of the old ruins alluded to, aud which
was owned by an old Spaniard, Don Miguel
GOlya, vino was Of rather solitary habits, and
lived there alone.
Il rode up to his humble dwelling, and find
ing him at the door, made known my wishes
ere tlsnOunted.
: lie bade me welcome with much cordiality
though he assured me that he could offer me
hut huRlble entertainment. But this was all |
desired just then and hastily disposng of my
horse, to his and MY satisfaction, followed the
Old man in.
y simple meal was soon prepared by his
own hands, and you may rest assured done ii
ample justice.
: In the meantime, as found the old gentle
man in talkative mood, we conversed upon
various subjects; aud among other topics the
old church ruins came under our notice.
Would you like to know wild tradition
connected with it, senior , asked the old man,
after had concluded sentence relating to the
dreary yet sublime appearance it presented.
Il should indeed be pleased with an expla-
nation of the manner in which it gained the
reputation Of being haunted, was my response
And in my mind arose the shadowy outlines O
strange old tradition had listened to year,
before.
Senor, will crafty your desire, said he
somewhat aconically, as a peculiar shade o
sadness appeared upon his tmeworn visage.-
Without another word, he commenced the story
Many years ago, that church was the ren
devious of rullian horde, who, from time Il
time. sailed forth from their headquarters, an,
carried on systematic course of robbery an
pundering of all who dwelt or travelled upoI
the pampas of the western shore.
This clan at length became so bold as {
waylay aud murder some of the most wealth
citizens of Los Entos, and others Of the vicin
ty, who were so unfortunate as to get with
their reach,-at length force of one hundre
ind IN aefn in fha
stronghold the church, and every arrangemer
made for a determined onslaught upon I'll
bloody villains.
The attack succeeded. Made at midnigh
when they were carousing and unsuspecting
the event no resistance could he offered to Il
determined citizcn-sodiery, and they we
nearly all slain. few managed to escap
and crossed the pampas to the half-civilized sc
dement's at the base of the Andes, and fro
whence they never returned.
As events afterwards showed, there was OF
of the gang who remained behInd--remain
for revenge. But none were aware Of this ia,
During the fight he had seen his only broth
cut down by the commander of the invadIi
force, and he then took an oath to revenge |
death ere he eft the precincts of the church
with this resolution uppermost in his mir
he made his way to the vaults of the churc
and there concealed himself, and remained U
ill after the attacking force had retired.
You have probably heard some of the W
rumors respecting the old church, and will 1
therefore wonder that it was regarded, sol
six months after these events with strange
terest. A gloom and desolalion had sett
upon it. and far and near it was known as
haunted church of Los Entos. The inhabita