The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1899-01-20
MATANZA'S LEGEND.

There was once upon 4 time Il mar
who led very merry life. taking nc
thought of the morrow, and since t,
run in debt without having the means
to pay is the sure road to the poorhoust
in Il very short time. oar hero WAS lett
with nothing he could call his own but
80 days in the month. and with nothing
to exercise his teeth upon but his nails
So that little 10y little he fell into such
a state of detection that he would all wv
his wife to beat him and his children
to abuse him when he returned home
1T night empty handed without utter
ing word in protest. Finally he grew
tired of this life. and borrowing a rope
from one of his crones 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 other around his neck when there
appeared before him 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.
Cannot Your Worship see what |
am .cing to do? TO hang myself" he
answered.
$50 you. Il 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 5
hand, Uncle Curro. for such WAS our
hcros name, took Il dollar out of it.
and then another and another, until he
saw that, like the words coming out of
Il woman's mouth, there seemed to be
no end to 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 ali 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 fall
as before. told his wife to make another
purse like it, and when this was done
he took Uncle Curros 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 merry as cricket.
"Rejoice!' he cried to his wife and
children. ''IIere is money in plenty.
Our days Of poverty are over
He put his hand into his pocket, and
took it out again He put it
in again and again. he took it out
empty. When his wife saw this, she
was so cnragcd that she gave him 4
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. Arriving at the same spot as b :
fore, he was proceeding to tie the rope
to a branch of the same tree when he
heard voice nearby saying, "What is
that you are going to do, good man?''
and lifting up his eyes he saw before
him the dwarf, seated astride branch
of the olive tree.
ITO hang myself, like u string of
garlic from kitchen raiter.' answered
Uncle Caro- very coolly.
so You have lost your patience
again." said the dwarf
''And no wonder, replied 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 posses
sion Won shall never want for some
thing to eat.
SO saying, the dwarf handed Uncle
Curro a tablecloth and then disappeared
among the branches Of the olive trees
Uncle Curro spread the tablccloth on
the ground, which h" had no sooner
done than it was covered with the rich
est Wand so eNquisitely prepared that
not the kings cook himself could have
surpassed them. OF course Uncle
Curro ate until he could eat no longer
and then folding his tabIecloth he put
l
Stopping to rest at the 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 Soilcd cloth from the table OF
the inn.
When Uncle Curru reached home
he cried out to his wife and children:
"Come, come and cat and this time
take my word for it there shall be nc
disappointment Then he unfoldcd
the tablrcloth. which, instead Of viands
was seen to be covered with stains OF
all sizes and of every color. At this
tn. storm broke loose. Wife and chill
lrpn fi.il uDDu him and heat him mt i