The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-12-13
SOME ODD STORIES

VT1ElH Oh tHA& Gl)HuASu uTsaeCs ." hcie
There Is Room for One There Is Room
for Twor--A Queer Tale Told by
Roman Catholic Priest.
Copyright, 1892. by American Press Associa-
tion.]
While sitting on the deck of a steamcf
IN the Pacillr ocean one moonlight night
Dr. Butler IN accomplished Catholic
clergyman f.3ia Melbourne, Australia, told
The followl,. story, which | think is en-
titled to piaee among the odd Stories
am collecting in my trip around the
world:
The Spanish have a saying, "Where
there is roon. for one there is room for
two,n and this is said to be its origin:
A long time ago when hermits were
more common, and perhaps more popular
than at present, a very good old man lived
in cabin by himself In the mountains tc
the west of Madrid. He cultivated patch
of ground, and this with the milk from his
goats enabled him to have an abundance
Of simple necessaries for himself and somc-
thing for the hungry stranger that might
chance along.
One Stormy night he heard a knock at
his cabin door. and on opening it he saw q
venerable looking man outside, who asked
for food AMI lodging from the storm.
"I'll share my fooa with you," said the
hermit; 'butsthe cabin, as you can see, is
verv small. Yet where there is rom for
one there is room for two, so come in, and
welcouae.
side the fgs. where the hermit was prepar
q. <1~,. ~ ord
at TIE door, and on opening it there was
another venerable looking man, who asked
for food and lodging from the storm.
"It is q small place." said the hermit,
aud there is visitor ahead of you, but
whare there's room for one there is room
for two 30 In Gods name come in, and well
come"
The second visitor crowded in. and the
hermit was about to resume his cooking
when he was startled by another knock,
and another man appeared, looking digni-
6ed and venerable, ike the rest. And SO it
continued until there were eleven visitors
Ia the little cabin. where usually there
was only room for one. Yet in some mi
raculous way the place WAS rot crowded,
and although all ate heartily the little
supply Of food was not exhausted.
In the morning when the visitors were
about to leave the first one said:
IT am st. Peter. and my companions are
the other disciples of our Master. We
have tested yonr goodness, and to recon-
peuse you will give yon permission 10
mako wish, and no matter what it may
be II will be at once granted"
Now close by this old hermit's cabin
there lived another old hermit, and these
two hermits at times relieved the solitude
Of their lives with game of cards. The
second hermit, because of greater skill
won nearly every game, and at such times
be would laugh at his brother hermit in a
provoking way and tell him he ought to
practice moonlight nights and odd Sundays
10 as to acquire the art.
All this came into the old mans mind
when he heard St. Peters offer. So, to the
great amusement of that exalted person
the old hermit said:
ST your reverence has no objection. /
should like to be able from this time on to
win every game Of cards that feel Inclined
tor
sAtl right. said st. Peter, and he and
his companions took their departure.
That very night the other old hermit
with q yictor's smile on his face caue down
to his friends cabin and bantered Tim to q
quiet little game of poker or some limo
cent pastime of that kind. Onr own old
particular hermit said, "Al right,
brother" and of course pever pretended
that he had dead sure thing OF it.
With a smile that was particularly
childiike and bland he shufded the cards,
and he played them in a way that took his
friends breath away and made him feel
weak and weary and as if henceforth life
was hardly worth the living. Although
they INDUCED only in religious little bets
that second hermit was completely cleaned
out, and all his belongings were mortgaged
before he went home-a very much per-
picked man.
Now in town near the hermit's abode
there lived young man WIN was dissi-
pated and reckless, and who would have
been called "a plunger" had the word been
in use In Spain in that farof day. 1t was
generally believed that for certain con
sideration this young man had sold his soul
to the devil, and that the time for deliver
ing the goods was about up.
This young man was taken sick and sent
for the hermit to help him out. When the
hermit reached the young mans chamber
the odor of sulphur in the room set him
a-coughing, and the source OF this odor was
a slender man, with a luminous face and
boots.
The hermit soon learned that the man
with the hoofs had come for the young
gambler.
81 gave him the power for seven years to
beat every one at cards, !" said the man
with the boots. To-day, as he cannot beat
ms, he is mine, and he must come along
with me-"
eff he had friend who could beat you
at cards." said the hermit, recalling his
own miraculous power with the paste
boards. wouldn't you, like gentleman,
be willing to give him little timer"
eyes, If such man can be found" said
his majesty.
well, I'll try you for the best three in
five," said the hermit as he produced
well worn pack from his wallet.
The two played, but the devil wasn't in
the game at all. He didn't even get a
trick, and the air grew heavy with the
odor of sulphur as he acknowledged him
self beaten and vanished.
That bad young man then and there tried
to induce the hermit to 60 into partnership
with him, declaring that II they worked
together they could clean out all the gam