The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-12-23

tales of romance In a castle there. The
wife took what little money her husband
had left her and by industry and care
raised her boy and girl 20 such citizen
ship that they became u credit to the old
town rs well as TO their mother faithful
ness. Her confidence In her husband
never faltered and n requiem was said
every year until his letters and bis cruel
fix were placed In her coffin.
The dozing proprietor was sharply
awakened, on the night this story has To
deal with, by two men who entered his
shop and appeared To be in 10 hurry 10
transact some business with him. One
OF the welcome visitors was handsome
mechanic, and the other man that life
bad dealt pretty harshly with, whether
owing TO his own faults or not ID not ma
terial TO us. Old .jacoh, the proprietor
OF the store was soon all business. and
he und.rs ood at once that the mechanic
might desire to make purchase or u
coat for his less fortunate companion. A
mum Der OF garments were shown the two
strangers and finally the bundle was
reached In which was the coat that had
long sought an opportunity to tell Its
story TO man on Christmas eve.
Ths mechanic, in whose veins ran the
warm blood OF Latin race, thought
as he inspected the coat more care
fully that he heard the words
Buy inc. He thought few seconds
and then he said tn the storekeeper II
have u strange fancy for that garment
and / will buy it. It's color seems very
peculiar but give my friend here better
one; in fact, / think you had better give
him the one you just told me you paid so
much for yesterday" good price was
paid for both garments and the purchaser
said TO his companion take the newest
coat and come To my house. i think the
good mother can spare enough from to-
morrow's store to give you good meal,
for the night is a cold one.
Now the storekeeper's landlord was the
public administrator Of tho town and
tne site for the building Of line
business block had never been made use
OF because for century It had been Inn
possible to get good title TO the land.
The last known owner had gone away
and left no agent or heirs, so far as
diiigent searcners could ascertain. Many
q rich man had looked at the old build
iDgs that occupied the site and shook his
head In pity as no thought Of the draw
back to the town the old buildings were.
The mechanic and his friend reached
their destination in good time and the
latter was given n generous welcome and
q meal was spread that showed in one
home at least In the town the real mean
ing Of the season was understood. The
was taken into another room and the wife
of the mechanic was asked by him TO get
scissors and after she had complied with
this request he had her rip off the collar.
This was the work of but minute or so
and when IL was done, between the lin
ings was "a small strip of canvas on which
were n few words Some OF the words on
the canvas were easy enough to decipher
but others time had uimmed. They were all
however, in language that was un-
familiar TO the man and woman who
had Just found them. The visitor had in
the meanwhile finished his supper. for
hungry people eat quickly, and went on
his Journey with some money In his
pocket
There was a long conference between
man and wife as 10 what the words could
mean and finally Marie, the eldest
daughter she whose dark dreamy eyes
told so strongly of her so thern blood,
was awakened from her dreams of Santa
Claus TO read II she could the words that
were incompreheusib BILE to her parents.
Marie had been taught bv her grand
mother, who had died hut a few years De.
fore the language or old Portugal and had
also been made acquainted with the story
OF tho family and heard much about the
man VINO years before had sailed away
never 10 return and she treasured all
knowledge that she obtained. She easily
read the writing on the canvas which
proved to bo simple statement that
Miguel bad few days before beginning
the voyage on which he bad met his death
purchased the land and buildings on c.
street in the town of A---d a. d the deeds
had been placed by him in an old tin nox
in corner OF the cellar, we'll covered with
earth.
why" said Marie, when the reading
was finished. that's the name grandma
told me was that Of her father
II did not take great while 10 find the
box containing the deeds to establish the
fact tnat the wife of the mechanic was
the sole heir Of the man to whom the
deeds had been given.
The donor OF the land 20 the long dead
man had died n few davs after the former
had left the town and the search had been
all tbe time made for his heirs. but they,
as may be inferred, were never found.
Within few months the eye sore In
the town were removed and fine block
now stands in their place, but the value
OF the old coat with a real story to tell
bas been many times given away in
charity. JAMES j. NOLAN, JR.