Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-04-16
The Story Tsl'er.
THE CHARCOAL BURNER.
A Poems Tale In a Mexican
Market Place.

married and had six very young chill
dren with great appetites. So, all ne
earned they together ate; not always
in peace and the grace OF God, Tor the
moor man sometimes found himself at
night very weary and supperless.
One day the carbonero said to him
self: When I can double my day
earnings and have sufficient money l
am going to eat an entire hen by my
self alone"
. That day so much wished for ar
rived. The man collected his double
wages, bought a hen and put 1T to
cook in a puchero in the depths OF
forest.
Soon a gentleman rode up, dressed
in garments resplendent with gold
and precious stones.
God keep the carbonero," he said.
God be with the caballero," re-
sponded the man.
wilt thou give me bit of the hen
thou art cooking?"
"Diantre! How didst know it?"
Il am fortunate and go all over the
world; take advantage Of this oppor-
tunity."
Thou art Fortune? Well, thou
shalt not eat Of my hen, for l hate
thee. Thou are unjust; to some thou
givest all. and from others takest all
away. Go, and God be with thee
The rider spurred his fiery mare
and disappeared.
In a little while there came an old
man with wrinkled face, dressed In
black and mounted on poor horse
covered with scars.
God keep the carbonero," he said.
God be with the gentleman" re-
piled the charcoal burner.
wilt thou give me little Of the
hen which thou art cooking?"
THE DEVIL All the world knows
that I am cooking a hen, and yet 1
could swear 1 have told it to no one.
Who art thou?"
II am death"
Death art thou? Well, you shall
eat of my hen, for you are justice
herself. Dismount and dine with me-"
me-"
The old man dismounted, seated
himself on the ground with the car
bonero and ate Of the hen, the two
conversing amiably together. When
they had finished, Death said to the
charcoal burner:
ASK Of me what thou wishest and
it will be granted thee for thy good
treatment of me-"
What I need is money"
"Ask for what thou wishest."
."Give my household full Of gold
money"
Granted" said Death.
With a lightness no one would have
suspected in the old man, he mount
ed his nag and disappeared.
The charcoal burner went home,
the door was tightly closed, his wife
and children being away. He tried
to enter, but could not, for the house
was full Of golden money.
He remained on guard at the door
and when his wife and children re-
turned he gave them money enough
to go buy the richest clothing they
could find for him and themselves.
He ordered also a palace to be built
and spent much money in coaches
and servants.
One day when the charcoal burner
was leaving his palace, he met the
old man with wrinkled face. who said
to him:
"Dost thou know me still?"
Perfectly, thou art Death. What
dost thou wish Of me?"
ITO notify thee that thy money will
soon give out, and it will be we'll for
thee to take some position"
What position could take? I can
neither read nor write and am too old
to learn"
Take that of a doctor"
"A doctor? Poor me, who can
neither read nor write!"
Yes, a doctor and I will tell thee
how to manage. When thou goest to
see one sick If thou seest me sitting
at the head Of the bed give him up
for dead; all the resources Of human
knowledge will be in vain. In this
way thou wilt come to thy fortune;
whom the most famous physicians
will have given over"
The old man disappeared.
| So the old charcoal burner offered
himself to the public as great doc
tor and soon became universally IA
nous. When he was called he exam
ined the patient and at once pro-
nounced sentence. He seemed to car
ry with him health or death.
| His wealth increased, for all the
high dignitaries of the kingdom and
the princes called him in for consul
tation.
| One day he was sent for in great
haste to go to the house of a great
man who had suffered an attack of
apoplexy when his family least ex-
pected it, and the unhappy man was
dying. leaving his wife and sons in
profound sorrow, greatly increased
by the fact of his affairs being in COM
plete disorder.
| On entering the house of the pa
tient his eldest son called the charcoal
burner apart, saying:
"Senor doctor, thou art welcome,
give my father health and thou shalt
have nothing to complain Of from
me-"
| I'VE shall see, we shall see," was
all the old carbonero would say.
Then he went to the sick room
where, seeing the old man with the
wrinkled face at the head of the bed.
he at once shook his head and mur-
INJURED:
There is no held for him."
All the family wept. but the eldest
son. more composed than the rest,
tool k the doctor by the arm and con-
Quoting him to his official said:
Thy word. according TO fame is