The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1910-02-26

DENTAL because Spanish churches
as rule are always safely locked up
at night, and the sacristant has gone
home to bed. The happy idea at
once occurred to Mr.. C-M- and
his friend to go in and pass the night
there They entered and looked
around for a. convenient place to
sleep, and finally got into a confess
ional-which 1 cannot think they
would find particularly comfortable,
for I know Spanish confessionals.
However, they composed themselves,
and slumber overlook them. How
long they slept they did not know,
but by-and-by they We're Weakened by
the sound of distant chanting. Nearer
and nearer it came, and at last from
the dim mysterious shadows appeared
long procession of monks with torch
es, bearing in their midst young
nun bound hand and foot, who was
shrieking for~help. Mr.. c. NJ and
his friend peeped out, held their
breath, and watched developments.
One of the monks then raised a
stone slab in the aisle with pickax.
disclosing a yawning, ready-made
grave, in which the screaming victim
was deposited. 1t may be imagined
that two able. bodied Protestant stall
warts, English or Scotch, would have
rushed to the rescue, or anyhow raised
an alarm: But Mr.. c. M and his
friend esteemed discretion the better
part of valor, SO they lay low and
watched, nor did the victims cries for
help move them. When the business
was finished, and the monks had re-
tired after replacing the stone, they
emerged from their hiding place and
at once made bee line for their hotel,
which. curiously enough, they found
without any difficulty this time. Did
they rouse the authorities, call the as
sistance of the guardia civil, or in
form the landlord? Not bit. They
went to bed, and the next morning
after breakfast they sought the
British Consul, to whom they confided
their sad tale. But the British Consul,
having heard it, counselled secrecy.
Never mention what you have SEEM
he said impressively. Leave the coun-
try as soon as possible, and never
breathe a word. Your lives would not
be worth moments purchase if the
Jesuits got to know it,
So the two valiant Evangelicals
quilted the bloody land Of the inqui-
sition in haste, and made tracks for
the land O. cakes, bearing in their
bosoms the materials for melodrama
which was to be a joy for ever to pious
old ladies, and the Chadbands and
Pardiggles of their acquaintance.
The story was just in the height of
it's popularity when the young convert
lady I have mentioned met it's author
at home. She had the courage. to
go up to him in the presence of his
admirers and ask him if it was true.
He looked q little surprised, but said
that it, was. Then the young lady
asked him If he would furnish her with
the name of the town in Spain where
the event had happened, the name of
the English consul, and the date Of the
occurrence rs
The gentleman hummed, hawed, and
looked uncomfortable. He said he was
sorry, but he thought it wisest not to do
SO. Even at home in Scotland ap-
parently he did not consider himself
safe from the vengeance Of the Jesuits.
OF such stuff is Protestant fiction
made the same stuff as dreams, or
rather nightmares, should think. And
IL anybody thinks that a-cock-and
bull story like the one I have related
could not be told to people of ordinary
common sense in the twentieth CEN
fury with the chance of being believed,
all have got to say is they have not
fathomed the depths of the oredulity
of those who talk of the superstitions
of pono