Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-06-11
MATANZA'S LEGEND.

with nothing he could call his own but
80 days In the month, and with nothing
to exercise his teeth upon but his malta
So that little by little he fell into such
n 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 utter
ing word in protest. Finally he grew
tired of his life, and borrowing rope
from ono Of his cronies he went into
| field to hang himself.
Having fastened one end of the rope
to an olive tree he was about to put the
other around his neck when there APP
peared before him dwarf, attired in
| friar's robe and cowl, who said to him
quietly:
what is that You are going to do,
my good MANI"
Cannot your worship see what | 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 dwarf's
hand, Uncle Curro, for such was our
hero's name, took a dollar out of it,
and then another and another until he
saw that, like the words coming out of
woman's mouth, there seemed to be
no end to them, seeing which be I'M
tied the rope from the tree, rolled it up
and started for home. On the road there
was a tavern, which he entered, and
calling for the best the house could af-
ford in meat and drink he paid the score
on the spot, for the tavern keeper, know
ing 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 under 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
before, told his wife to make another
purse like it, and when this was done
he took Uncle Curro's purse from his
pocket and pat in its place the one his
wife had made
When Uncle Curro awoke he set out
again for home, where he arrived as
merry as cricket.
"Rejoicel' he cried TO his wife and
children. 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 blow that
sent him spinning.
More detected now than ever, Uncle
Curro again took the rope, and went
once more into the field to hang him
self Arrived at the same spot as be-
fore, he was proceeding to- tie the rope
to branch of the same tree when he
heard voice nearby saying, What is
that you are going to do, good MANI"
and lifting up his eyes he saw before
him the dwarf, seated astride branch
of the olive tree.
"To hang myself, like q string of
garlic from u kitchen ratter, answered
Uncle Curro very coolly.
$50 you have lost your patience
aSalus sGAu VIC uWaIAs
land no wonder" replied Uncle
Curro, "when have nothing to eat. T"
"That is your own faulh, entirely
your own fault. But never mind Come
here. Take this tablecloth, aEd so long
as you keep 1t in your possession you
shall never want for something to eat. +"
So saying, the dwarf handed Uncle
Curro tableoloth and them disappear
ed among the branches OF the olive
trees. Uncle Curro spread the table
cloth on the ground, which he had no
sooner done than it was covered with
the richest viands so exquisitely pre-
pared that not the kings cock himself
could have surpassed them. OF course
Uncle Curro ate until he could eat no
longer, and then folding his tableoloth
he put it in his pocket and set out for
home.
Stopping to rest at tfse same inn as
before he was overcome with sleep and
lay down to take nap The innkeeper,
who recognized him at once, suspected
that he had something of value with
him, and cautiously taking the table,
cloth out of his pocket he put in its
stead the soiled cloth from the table of
the inn.
When Uncle Curro reached home, he
cried out to his wife and children:
Come, come and eat and this time
take my word for it there shall be no
disappointment! Then he unfolded the
tableeloth, which, instead Of viands,
was seen to be covered with stains of
all sizes and of every color AT this the
storm broke loose. Wife and children
fell upon him and beat him until they
left him fit subject for the hospital.
Uncle Curro took rope and went
again into the field to hang himself.
This time he persisted in his purpose of
hanging himself, and the dwarf persist
ed in his that he should not At last
the little friar ended the discussion by
giving Uncle Curro a cudgel, telling
him that with that in his hands he
need never be troubled by any one