San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-07-07

In mis- nearL
"Bread without meat Is but dry eating"
said the stranger, and, extending his hand
beneath the stone, he drew up a pair Of
plump cartridges, smoking hot, as from a
gridiron. Father Pietro was surprised ut
first, but the brandy had given him feeling
Of recklessness entirely unknown to his sober
senses. So he ate and joked with his strange
entertainer, and was in no way surprised
when he drew a couple of bottles Of wine
and some delicious fruit from the same
strange larder. After much general CONVEX
sation, In the course of which the stranger
had expressed high admiration for Father
Pietro's zeal and learning, he said, carelessly:
"You are well acquainted with this part
of the country, presume, reverend father"
81 have travelled through it several yearsr
was the prompt answer.
"How would you like to leave the priest
hood and become my agentl The work is
easy, the pay is liberal, and you will be pro
vided with a warm home after you have
done. For, by my faith, it pains me to my
heart to see man of your talents and learn
ing working for a beggarly monastery, half
clothed and worse fed. Come with me and
this will all be changed"
81 could not leave the brotherhood" an
SWereu raUner fleCTO.
Then followed long argument between
them; the stranger using every argument in
his power, promising untold wealth, a life of
ease and the qualification Of every passion
The good father persistently refused At
last the stranger rose, and rolling away the
rock, showed Father Pietro an immense mass
of gold and silver underneath, lying: This
shall be yours if you will give DIP your work
and assist me. Do you still refuse1"
81 do" answered Father Pietro, sturdily.
"Then die" cried the stranger, in rage
and grasping his staff as if for a blow. He
suddenly grew in size until he was over sixty
feet high; he swung the terrible club over the
priests head and reared:
"Wm you work for meT
"Neverp
The club was poised for blow. As it came
down Father Pietro grasped his crucifx and
prayed The club fell powerless, and, the
devil losing all power to harm one holding
the crucifix, slid down the side Of the mount
ain, the two walls of rock rising on each side
as he went As he reached the bottom he
thrust his club into the hill opposite, rushed
down the canyon and tore open that pass In
the rocks which is known as 1.-THE DEVILS
Gate"
fedro paused
"What became of Father Pietrosn I In
quired
He at last found his way back 10 the Mis-
sion Dolores, where he spent Che remainder
of his life In fasting and praying as a
penance for having held communication with
the devil"
"Weli, Pedro, do you believe that yarnT
was my next question.
Isl, senior; it was told me by holy priest,
who said that in the same manner was the
devil accustomed to tempt US to this day
first by aattery, then by making us discon-
tented, then by brides, and finally by
threats And, senior, know that to be true.
Moreover, does not the slide, the club and
the gate attest to its truthg' g..
1t was useless to argue with such simple
faith, so crawled into my blanket and went
to sleep. -, F.
The next morning his Satanic majesty
seemed to have got into the fish, for no art on
my part could make them rise to the fly. So,
to the intense delight of Pedro, we packed up
our camp traps and left the place Of which
be had such a horror; which, even in the
bright sunlight, seemed a most appropriate
spot for the devil to choose for an interview.
ALLAN Forman in Pittsburg Bulletin.