The times., 1898-05-22
Tam O'ShanterS, lie
THE FOUNDING OF MATANZAS.
An interesting AndaIusian Legend.

An Interesting AndaIusian Legend.
There was once upon a time a man
who led a very merry life, taking no
thought of the morrow: and since to run
in debt without having the means to pay
is the sure road 10 the poorhouse. in a
very short time our hero was left with
nothing he could call his own but thirty
days in the month. and with nothing to
exercise his teeth upon but his nails. So
that little by little he fell into such a
state of detection that he would allow
his wife to beat him and his children to
abuse him when he returned home at
night empty-handed without uttering a
word in protest. Finally he grew tired
of his life. and borrowing a rope from
one of his cronies, he went into a field TO
hang himself.
Having fastened one end of the rope to
an olive tree, he was about to put the 9TH
er around his neck, when there appear
ed before him a dwarf attired in a friar' S
robe and cowl, who said to him quietly:
What is that you are going to do, my
good man?'
Can not your worship see what I am
going to do? To hang myself he an
swered
so you. Christian, are going to do
what Judas did? Stop; that isn't right.
Take this purse, which is never empty.
and relieve your necessities.
Taking the purse from the dwarfs hand.
Uncle Curro, for such was our hero s
name, took a dollar out of 1t, and then
another and another until he saw that
like the words coming out of a women s
mouth there seemed to be no end of them
Seeing which. he united the rope from the
tree. rolled it up, and started for home.
On the road there was tavern which he
entered, and, calling for the best the
house could afford in meat and drink he
paid the score on the spot, for the tavern
keeper, Knowing him of old would not
trust him to so large an amount, and he
ate and ate, and drank and drank, until
finally he fell off his chair and rolled un-
der the table, dead drunk.
The tavern keeper, who had seen that
the purse from which Uncle Curro had
taken the money remained as full as be-
fore, told his wife to make another purse
like 1t, and when this was done he took
Uncle Curro's purse from his pocket and
put in Its place the one his wife had
made.
When Uncle Curro awoke he set out
again for home, where he arrived as mer-
ry as cricket
'Rejoice!'' he cried to his wife and chill
dren. Here is money in plenty: our
days of poverty are over
He put his hand into his pocket and
took it out again-empty; he put It in
again, and again he took it out empty.
When his wife saw this she was so en-
ragged that she gave him a blow that sent
him spinning.
More detected than ever Uncle Curro
again took the rope and went once more
into the field TO hang himself Arrived
at the same spot as before. he was pro-
ceeding to tie the rope to a branch of the
same tree when he heard a voice nearby
saying; ~s.5-
What is that you are going to do.
good man?" and lifting up his eyes he
saw before him a dwarf seated astride
branch of the olive tree
To hang myself, like a string of garlic
from a kitchen rafter." answered Uncle
Curro, when have nothing to eat"
That is your own fault; entirely your
own fault. But never mind. Come here.
Take this tablecloth, and so long as YOU
keep it in your possession you shall never
want for something to eat"
So saving. the dwarf handed to
Uncle Curro tablecloth, and then
disappeared among the branches of
the olive tree. Uncle Curro spread
the tablecloth on the ground which
he had no sooner done than 1t
was covered with the richest viands,
so exquisitely prepared that not the