, 1859-02-25

uueICuI anu ue Tallleu MS cucTBlcS WlIn llle re-
Election, that If he opened the coffin, Saint Es-
carpacio himself well know il was only to find
out what made his bones - heavy there could
be no impiety in that-quite tho contrary His
conscience was by this time somewhat fortified
Interpretations fears gradually grew fainter, and
keeping his eyes steadily fixed upon the lid o
the cotfin-Ao be sure the saint did not stir-hC
slowly and silently took out the first screw. HC
then stopped short; the saint showed no sign:
of anger. . =
"IEnew it." said Perez, going to work mort
boldly upon the second screw, j knew there
was nothing sinful in opening the coffin, for the
sin lies in the intention"
All the screws were soon drawn out, and ia
crafty his curiosity it only remained to raise the
coffin lid, and here his heart beat violently-but
courage-Perez did raise the lid, and, and, he
saw-no saint, but hay-the hay is carefully re.
moved-then strips Of linen-thcy are removed
then hay again, but no saint, nothing like the
bone Of q saint-but a wooden box.
"WeIl, that is odd," thought Perez, "and
what can there be in Il? l must open the box,
but how9 there is no key, what is to be done
Shall l force the lock, or break the cover Of the
box? Either attempt would make a noise
which the passengers or sailors might hear, but
what is to be done? Good Saint Escarpacio
take pity on me, and direct me how to open the
box" whispered Perez, and there was perhaps
little irony in the supplication. r
In feeling among the hay surrounding the box,
Perez found key at one Of its corners secured
by small iron chain. g.
"Ahl hal have it atlast" Perez cried,
"tlle key, the key" and quickly putting it into
the key.hole, he opened the Box--and he saw
what Leathern bags filled to the top, accord
ing to the beautifully written tickets, with gold
pistoles-siver crowns, closely ranged in shining
piles-all in the most perfect order. But what
is this letterl | must read i, exclaimed the
excited Perez-"by your leave, gentle wax,
and he tears the letter open. 1t began thus:
"Father Antonio, Of Cuba, to the reverend
fathers in Cadiz, greeting
AS agreed between US, Most Reverend Faith
ers, | send you three hundred thousand liyres,
in the name, and under the semblance Of Father
Escarpacio, whose bones l am supposed to be
sending to Spain. The annexed memorandum
Of accounts will show that this sum comprises
the whole Of our little gleanings and savings up
to tllis time, for the benefit Of our Holy Order.
You will pardon, am sure, this innocent artiice
on our part, Most Reverend Fathers, as It will
prove a safeguard to the treasure, and avoid
awakening the avarice and cupidity Of the per-
son to whom am obliged to intrust Il.
(Signed) ANTONIO, OF Cuba"
"Three hundred thousand livres there are,
then, three hundred thousand livres" exclaimed
Perez in amazement as he realized that this i'm
mense sum lay in real gold and silver coin be-
fore his cycs Oh, reverend, right reverend and
worthy fellows Of the crafty Ignatiusl you are
indeed cunning foxes! . hundred to one your
trick was not discovered, for who but Jesuit
could have imagined It, and who could have
guessed that the coffin contained money! And
so these bags Of gold arc your holy remains, and
], too, old sea shark as am, to be humbugged
like land lubber, with your procession and your
| am deceived no longer, my
eyes arc opened; and by my patron saint trick
for trick, my pious masters-bones you shall
have, and burn me for hereiic, Il you get any
thing better than bones" and he began to unite
and examine the contents Of the money-bags.
"Iet me consider" said he, 81 want some bones,
and where the devil shall l find them ~ org s'
He was on his knees, his body bent over the
box, with his hands in the open gO!d-hags. His
agitated countenance expressed with energy the
mingled emotions, ofdcsire to keep the rich booty
all to himself and Of fear that in some mysteri
GUS manner it might elude his grasp-but he
must, he must have it . s.-.Tg
"Alucky thought strikes me, " said he; "what
a fool am to give myself any trouble about IT,
What says my bin Of ladinsi Received from
the Reverend Father Antonio, coffin containing
bones, said 10 be those Of Saint Escarpacio.'r A
coffin containing bones, said to be those, &c.-
very good, and have l seen the bones, said to be
delivered TO me- and said to be the saints bones
certainly not, and the coffin might coutain-any
thing clse-the said coffin containing you
please-how should knOwl said to be the bones
Of Saint EscarPacio, " &c, &c. .or1.
In short, Captain Perez began noiselessly and
methodcally to empty the box Of its bags Of gold
and piles Of silver taking care to stow the treas
ure away in chest, to which he alone had access.
lie then filed the box with whatever was at
hand bits Of rusty iron, lead, stones, Shells old
Junk, hay, &C., substituting as nearly as possible
pound for pound in weight IL not in value, con-
scientiously adding some bones which were far