Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-03-03
HIS SECRET WEALTH.


all the saints days and holidays. and
Saint Monday into the bargain. and yet.
with all his devotion, he grew pnorcr and
pooner and onuld scarcely earn bread for
his numerous family.
One night he was reused from his first
serp 10y a knockingHt his door. lie opCncd
IL aud bchcld before him tall, meIgcr,
eadaVcrnus looking man.
Hank We, honest fricndr' said the
stranger. 4 have observed that you Erc
gpud Christian and one 20 bc trusted.
Will you undertake job this very night"
with all my heart ON condition that
am paid accordingly"
That you shall be; but you must suffer
yourself 10 he blindfulded "
30, his eyes being covered, he was led by
the man through various rough lanes and
winding passages until they stopped be-
fore house. The man then applied KEY,
they entered, the door was closed and bolt
ed, and the mason was conducted, through
an echoing corridor and spacious hail. to
al interior part Of the building.
Here the bandagc was removed from his
eyes and he found himself In paio, or
court, dimly lighted by single lamp.
In the center was the dry basin of an
old Moorish fountain under which the
man requested him To form small vault,
bricks and mortar being at hand for the
purpose. lie accordingly worked all night,
but without finishing the job. Just be-
fore daybrcak the man put n piece of gold
into his hand, and, having again blind
folded him, conducted him back to his
dwelling.
"Tomorrow night will call again.
He did So, and the vault was completed.
"Now, said the man, you must help
me to bring forth the bodies that are to be
buried in this vault"
He followed the man with trembling
steps into II retired chamber Of the man
sion, expecting to behold some CHASTITY
spectacle of death, but was relieved on
seeing three or four portly jars standing
in one corner. They were evidently full
of money, and it was with great labor
that he and the man carried them forth
and consigned them to their tomb. The
vault was then closed the pavement TO-
placed, and all traces of the work were OBJ
liberated
The mason was again blindfoldcd and
led forth by II route different from that by
which he had come After they had wan
dcrcd for long time through pcrplexing
maze Of lanes and alleys they halted. The
man then put two pieces of gold into his
hand.
wait hero, said he, until you hear
the cathedral bell toll for mathis. II you
presume to uncover your eyes before that
time, evil will bcfall you. SO saying he
departed
The mason waited faithfully, amusing
hir,.,lf NV H., to
hand and blinking them against each
other.
The moment the cathedral bell rang its
matin peel he uncovered his eyes and
found himself on the banks Of the Xenil
from whence he made the best Of his way
/ home and rcyelcd with his family for u
whole fortnight on the profits of his two
nights work, after which he was as poor
as ever.
/ He continued to work little and pray
/ 3 good deal and keep holidays and saints
/ days from year to year, while his family
/ grew up as gaunt and ragged rs crew of
gypsics.
As he was seated one morning at the
door Of his hovCl he was accostcd by rich
| old fellow who was noted for owning
many houses and being a gripping land
! lord
The man of money eyed him for mo-
mcnt from beneath "a pair of SHAGGY eye
brows.
Il am told, friend, that you are very
/ poor.
There is no denying tho fact, senior
1t speaks for itself. -
II presume, then, you will DO glad of II
! Job and will work cheap"
AS cheap, my master, as any mason in
| Granada "
THAT what l want. I have an old
house fallen to decay that costs me moro
money than it is worth to keep it in 70
pair, for nobody will live in it, SO l must
contrive to patch it up and keep it together
at as small expense Us possible.
The mason was accordingly conducted
| to q huge deserted house that seemed 60
ing to ruin. Passing through several
empty halls and chambers, he entered an
inner court, where his eye was caught by
an old Moorish fountain.
He paused for q moment. ut seems, 1"
said he, "as If had been in this place be-
! fore, but it is like dream. Pray, who
occupied this house formerly"
"A pest upon HIM" cried the landlord
ut was an old miser, who cared for no.
body but himself He was said to be i'm
mcnsely rich, and, having no relatives, it
was thought he would leave all his treas
ure to the church. He died suddenly, and
the priests and friars throngcd to take pos.
session of his wealth, but nothing could
they find but IL few ducats in q leathern
purse
The worst luck has fallen on me, for,
! since his death tho old follow rpDfiD ;lpa
to occupy my house without paying rent,
and there's no taking the law of q dead
man. The people pretend to hear tho
cllnking of gold all night long in the
chamber where the old man slept, Us if he
were counting over his money, and some
times groaning and moaning about the
court. Not u tenant will remain in it. "
Enough" said the mason sturdily
Let me live in your house rent free until
some better tenant presents and will en-
gage to put it in repair and quiet the trou
bled spirits that disturb it. am good
Christian and poor man and am not to
| be daunted -
The offer of the honest mason was glad
| ly accepted He moved with his family
into the house and fulfilled all his engage
ments. BY little and little he restored it
to its former state. The blinking of gold
was no longer heard Mt night in the cham
Der of the defunct miser but began to be
heard by day in the pocket of the living
mason.
In word, he increased rapidly in
wealth, to the admiration of all his neigh
bors, and became one of the richest men in
| Granada. He gave large sums to the
church, by way no doubt of satisfying his
conscience and never revealed the secret
of the wealth until on his dcathbed to his
sou and hcir.-London News.
Strong Tea.
Ahrrccirin,,n ....l.. Z. L. L. ~.