The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-12-28

drowning men had Mt last relaxed Their
hold blades which had struck ice il
Arctic seas, or stirred the long grass il
some tropical creek; charred scrsps which
had hissed in the water as they fell from
a burning ship out in the middle Of the
SEA; thin ribs Of island boats, which had
put in and out for many years, till som,
rough night they had touched the rock
and cracked like eggs.
What bundle Of history the old mar
tied on his back at last-he and it alike
in the last chapter Of the tale! AS ht
crept towards the, thought Of question
ing him about the ruined chapel that wa.
there; perhaps he might know its legend
so, with II general meteorological preface
] asked what he could tell about it, aud
gave him good cut off piece Of Caven
dish had in my pocket, as a retainer.
Sir" said he Il leave out the thanks
and his critiqne on my remarks about the
wcather), 81 um growing an old mar
now, and it's as much as | can do to gel
these few sticks; but | have seen more
things worth picking here than them, IL
my day."
"Such as wrecks!" | suggested.
"Ay, you are right there. sir. Time
was when poor man might get a chance
but now, what with your lighthouses and
llic-b0atS, and coast. guard and police, ci
thcr them as owns the wreck get ashore
all right, and avarici0uS after their things;
or, il so be they don't, faint often you
can get much more than the value ol
these few sticks out of u ship, not even
when she goes to pieces. Why. sir" he
continued, mot lcng ago there was Il
vessel wrecked off Scarlet she was loaded
with flour, Ia French ship She was,) and
that they sold by auction"
All" said sOothingly, times are
changed. But, talking Of the past, can
you tell me how this chapel here came to
he pulled down, and why they don't keep
the pigs from grubbing about among the
graves =
Why, yes he replied, Il can; not
that | saw it alone myself, but there ain't
II house about here where the tale ain'l
told on winter evenings
After little pressing, the old man
slOw y swung his bundle Of Sticks off hi,
back, seated himself on n stone, fixed his
eyes on the ruin, and rccitcd his legend,
which give in my own language.
Many years ago, there was u famous
priest who gave up ali he possessed, and
came to teach Christianity in these parts.
lie was not II Manksman, though he could
talk with the people in their own tongue.
lie lived in a poor home ut Derby uavcn,
but for all that there was not sick OI
needy person near hut what he helped
With medicine and food, as spiritual isl.
vice. Along with kind heart he had Il
kind face and voice; SO that the little
children would run out to laugh and Hiss
his hand when they saw him pass. Fol
Il long time he used To gather the people
toy thrr on the winter evenings in one ol
the largest rooms in the hamlet, willie in
the Sumlncr he would preach to the fish
erIncn and their families on the Sca>horc
After SUIue years OF this intercourse hr
proposed to the men that they should
build small church on the island. St
Michael, he Snid, had appeared to him in
II vision, and pointed ont u chapel on Il
fiat space on the giasS, close to the rocks
he had Srcn it, he said, quite plain in his
dream; the light was shining out Of the
window; he had crcpt up under the wal
and looked in, and, 10! there he saw him
self knecling before n beautiful, costly
altar, and he recognized the congregation
aS themselves.
Now, while they were full Of admira-
| IL l,A N,,II bar I,,,I
them rise up and follow him to the plac,
where they had seemed to see the chapel
and, 10! when they got there they found
the ground marked out where the fOun.
dation Of the chapel now stands, and Il
border drawn some distance around on
which that wall was built, which you car
now trace in the grass, just aS il some one
| hal turned up q iIlrrOw on the bare earth
and then laid carpet Of turf upon it,
And when the men Of the place saw tn,
marvel, and how truly the good fathers
dream had been from heaven, he bad,
them kneel down there at once, while ht
prayed to st. Michael and all angels that
these people would not leave off the good
work till they had built IL chapel to him
Thus they were led to begin, and prom
i$ed to give portion of their time till the
little church should be finished.
There was abundance Of stone close by
and the architecture Of the cditice was n
the simplest kind. lOur plain, thick
walls with a roof, was all they aimed at
Now, this part Of the work was compare
lively easy; but Father Kelly began to b,
sorcly pcrpleXed as it reached completion
as to how he should furnish it within, ,and
so fulfil the dream in providing such Il
costly altar as he was persuaded he ought
to build. The poor people had neither
silver nor gold They had already offered
such as they had-strOng hands and timC
taken from their rest or work. Nigh
after night, Father Kelly would repair tt
the chapel, now rooted in, and pray to ST
Michael to help him in this strait. On,
dark evening, he was there longer thar
usual; he had fallen down with his fac,
upon the ground before the spot on whicl
he hoped to put up the altar. Whil'
thus PROSTATE in prayer, and longing fol
continuation Of his dream, he heart
footsteps close outside Of the chapel walls
Having his face upon the earth, the Soun'
came quite distinctly to his ear. They
stopped, and a voice said This is tn,
chapel. Let us lay them here; It's jus
the place for burial
Very well, replied another; how
does she licy Here goes, mate, by til,
northeast corner
Then came the sound Of digging, ant
pauScs, as if men were stopping down t.
lay something in the mound after that
Father Kelly heard the mound shut back
and some one stamp it down. Though
the church had not been furnished, TIVE
or three funerals had taken place in thu
graveyard, one of which he had hImsel
celebrated only that afternoon.
What could be the object Of thcs,
strange night.visitors? sl&,% had no
disturbed the dcad-thcy did not remain
long enough for that; their work, what
ever it was, seemed to be accomplished il
q quarter Of nm hour, for after that tim,
he heard sapping of hands, rs il SOM
one were cleaning them Of dusty earth
aud voice. saying There, thatis done