The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1899-01-07
Matanza'S Legend.


led very merry life, taking no thought Of
the morrow, and since to run in debt with
out having the means to pay Is the sure
road to the poorhouse in Il very short time,
our hero was left 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 by little he
fell into such 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 IA 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 other
around his neck when there appeared be-
fore him dwarf attired in friar 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
going to do? TO hang myself. he an
swered
SO you, Christian, are going to do
what Judas did? Stop, that ism right
Take this purse, which is never empty,
and relieve your necessities. y
Taking the purse from the dwarf ;
hand. Uncle Curro, for such was our hero :
name, took dollar out of it, and then
another aud another. until he saw that,
like the words coming out of woman :
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 read there was a tavern, which he
entered. aud calling for the best the house
could afford in meat and drink he paid the
score cn the spot, for the tavern keeper,
knowing him of old, would not trust him
to - large an amount, and he ate and ate
and drank and drank until finally he fell of
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 be
fore. told his wife to make another purse
ike it. aud 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 be arrived as merry
as Z cricket
Rejoice = be cred to his wife and
children Here is money in plenty
Our DAYS Of poverty are over.
He put his hand into bis pocket, and
took it out again-empty He put it in
again and again, he took il out empty.
When his wife saw this, she was 80 en-
ragged that she gave him a 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 himself Ar
rived a, the same spot as before, he was
proceeding to tie the rope TO branch Of
the same tree when he heard voice nearby
saving. 'tWhat Is that you are going to
de-, GOOD msn and lifting up his eyes he
sas before him the dwarf, seated astride
hFEhch ef the ohhe It%s
To hang myself, ike string Of garlic
from kitchen ratter, answered Uncle
Curro very coolly
So you have lost your patience again?
sand the dwarf
And no wonder, replied Uncle Curro,
when have nothing 10 eat
That is your eva fault, entirely your
own fault But never mind Come here.
Take this tablecloth, and 80 long as you
keep it in your possession YOU shall never
want for something TO eat.
80 saying, the dwarf handed Uncle
Curro a tablecloth and then disappeared
among the branches Of the olive trees
Uncle Curro spread the tablecloth on the
ground, which he had no sooner done than
il was covered with the richest viands 50
exquisirely prepared that not the king 5
cook himself could have surpassed them
Of course Uncle Curro ate until he could
ca, no longer. and then folding his table
cloth he put it in his pocket snd set out
for home
stopping To rcst At the same lnn as be-
fore he was overcome with sleep and lay
down to take nap. The inkeeper, who
recognized him at once, suspected that he
had something Of value with him, and
cautiously taking the ,ahlecloth 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 10 his wife and children
Come, come aud eat and this time take
my word for il there shall be no disap-
pointmeut - Then he unfolded the
tablecloth. which, instead Of viands, was
seen 10 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 lett him fit
subject for the hospital.
Uncle Curro took rope aud went again
into the field TO hang himself, This time
he persisted in his purpose of hanging him
self, and the dwarf persisted in his that he
should not Al last the little friar ended
the discussion by giving Uncle Curro a
eudgel, telling him that with that in his
hands he need never be troubled by any
one again. and that all he had To do was
to say, "Cudgel, lay about you, for every
enc to run away from him and leave him
in peace and quiet,
Uncle Curro took the road home with
his cudgel, as proud as an alcalde with his
wand of office, and the moment he saw his
children coming toward him, asking him
for something to eat with insulting and
abusive words, as they were accustomed to
see their mother do, he said TO his cudgel,
''Cudgel lay about you !! No sooner had
he pronounced the words than the cudgel
began to shower blows to right and left
among the children until they had scarcely
a whole bone left in their bodies His
wife ran to her children assistance. AT
her, cudgel said Uncle Curro; at her,
and with will - And the cudgel be-
labored the wife so numerically that she
died of her injuries.
The authorities being notified, the al
calde, accompanied by his officers, presented
himself upon the scene. ''Cudgel, lay
about YOU p said Uncle Curro, as soon as
they appeared, and the cudgel proceeded
to deal such lusty blows among them that
every blow was worth dollar, so that the
Il. u