The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-02-01
FOUR JARS OF GOLD
BY WASHINGTON IRVING.

FOUR JARS OF GOLD. -
BY WASHINGTON IRVING.
There was once upon time poor macon, or
bricklaysr, in Grenada. who kept oil the Saints
days a. holidays, and Saint 1oaday into the
bargain, and yet, With al his devotion, he grew
poorer, and could scarcely earn bread for his nu.
nerous family One night he was reused from
his sleep by = knocking at the door. He opened
IL, and beheld before him, tall, mesgre, cadav-
erous looking priest. ..a..,.. - AKA. Is
-Hark ye, honest friend" said the stspaser
S Ses to B viii or rad'Ftfts 's this
,"With al my heart. Senior Psdss, en- condi.
ton, that am paid accordingly"
"That you shall BE-; but you must suffer your
self to be blindfolded"
To this the mason made no objection : 10 being
hoodwinked, no was led BY the priest through
various lanes and winding passages, until they
stopped before ths portal Of house. The priest
then applied key, turned the cresking lock,
and opsnded what sounded like ponderous
door. They entered, the door was closed and
bolted, and the .masn wss conducted through an
echoing corridor and spsoimn hall u sn ints-
rior part of the building Here the bandaging
was removed from his syea, and he found him
self In patio, or court, dimly lighted by sim
gle lamp. In the center was dry ioasn of an
old Moorish fountain under which the priest re-
quested him to form a. small vault, bricks and
mortar being at hand for the purpose. He &C.
cordingly worked all night but without finishing
the job. just before daybreak The priest put 8
piece of gold into his hand and having again
blindfolded him, conducted him bach, 70 his
Are yos willing" said he, to return and
complete your work Z"
GLADLY, Senior Pad;e-providsd am 70 well
paid" i.'. r.s4" - .sps"
"Well, then, tomorrow ut midnight will
call again"
He did so-and the vault was completed.
"Now," said the priest, "you must help me
to bring forth the bodies that are to Do buried in
this vault" .a
The poor masons hair rose on his head at
these words he followed the priest with trsm-
bling steps into retired chamber of the mansion,
expecting to behold some CHASTITY spectacle of
death, but was relieved ON perceiving three or
four pOrtly jars standing in one corner. They
were evidently full Of money, and it was with
great difficulty that he and the priest carried
them forth and consigned them to their tomb
The vault was then closed, the pavement replac-
ed, and all traces Of the work obliterated. The
mason was again hoodwinked and led forth by
After they had wandered for a time through q
perplexed maze Of lanes and alleys, they halted
The priest then put two pieces of gold in his
hand Y''t @ 90
"Wsit here" said he, "until You hear the
cathedral bell toll for mathis. II you presume
to uncover yeur eyes before that time, evil will
befall you; = 20 saying he departed,
The messn waited iaithfully, amusing himself
BY y!iyhing the gold piess in his hs,d, and
slinkiIg thea sgsinst aceh osAer. Tia Hsasnt
ths ting o. ssrIsas its NTH ~ ~ unoov:
the Xenil, from whence he made the best Of his
wv lhohS and isSllsl with hiS Anily fsr. =
Whole betniaht q tie proah d ~ to niRhh'
work; after which he was Is poor Is sver.
He continued to work little and pray good
deal, and keep Santa ,days and holidays, from
year to year. while his family grew mp a. guant
and as ragged as a crew Of gypsies. As he was
seated one evening at the door Of his hovel, he
was accostsd BY > rich old cormudgson, who was
noted for owning many homes, and being
gripping landlord. The man of money eyed him
for a moment from beneath pair Of anxious,
shagged syebrowA
IF am told, friend, that yos are very poor."
There is no denying the fact, Senior, it speaks
II presume that you will be glad Of . job, and
work cheap" ,
Gas cheap. my master, Is any mason /. Gren.
ada"
That's what I,waht I have IN old hoIss
falling into decay, that costs me more money ID
keep it in repair than it is worth for nobody will
live in it. l mustscontzivs To- pstoh Il up At a.
small an expense ss possible"
The mason was accordingly conducted to
large deserted house that seemed going to ruin
Passing Through the empty hsHa'and chambers
he entered an inner court, where his eye va
caught by an old Moorish fountain He paused
for a moment, for dreaming rscollse>isnof the
place very distinctly came over AAns
Pray. said he, "who occupied this house
"a pest upon him." Dried the landlord, "it
was an old misery priest, who cared for nobody
but himself He wAs said 70 be immenSSly siAk,
ana having no relations, it was thought that no
would leave all his treasures to the ohnreh. He
died suddenly and the priests and. ffisrs throng-
ed to take possession Of his wealth, but nothing
could they find but few aucats in q leathern
purse. The worst luck has fallen to me, for
since his death, the old fellow continues to oscu-
py my house without paying any rent and there's
no liking the law Of a dead man. The people
pretend to hear the blinking Of gold al night in
tho chamber where thsold priest slept, a. if he
was counting ovet his money, and sometimes .
grooming and moaning about the court. True or
false, these stories have brought bad name on
my house, and not tenant will remain in it,
Enough" said the mason sturdily, "lst me
live in your house, rent free, until some better
tenant presents himself, and will put IL in re-
pair, and quiet the troubled spirit that disturbs
1t. am good christian and 4 poor man, and
am not to be daunted by the devil himself, even
though he should come in the shape Of q big bag
of money!"
The offer OF the honest mason was gladly a.
cepted no moved with his family into the house
aud fulfilled all his enoavements re- Ettle ana