The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-04


 HtSson and amid the ruins of the Al hambra. If he found locality haunted hy the ghost of a legend he changed the ghost into full and tangible form, and if he found the invisible spirit of a legend he materialized the spirit into some winning story. At Sleepy Hollow they will show you, the very spot where the Hessian horseman threw his head at Iehabod Crane, though before Irving 1t is doubtful if single dweller in that region had never heard of the Headless Horseman. And the traveller who visits Granada and explores the ruins of the Alhambra will hear. from the lips of his guide legends of that ancient palace of the Moorish kings which were unknown before Irving dwelt for time amid the deserted courts of Boabdil. Among these legends perhaps he will hear the story of 'The Moors Legacy"
 Ty EDRO GILLs-called Peregil for
 short-was little bandylegged water carrier, sturdy of build and with stn6ng back. who Awelt in poverty in the city of Granada. Being \ water carrier he was of course, Gallego, or native of Gallicia. For, as in France all the bootblacks are Savoy ards and the porters of the hotels all Swiss, so in Spain all water carriers and porters are natives of Gallcia. No body says "call me a porter" but @get me a Gallego." Peregil had begun business with merely a great earthen jar which he carried on his shoulders; but as he rose by degrees In his pro- fession he became the proprietor, at length, of a stout, shaggy haired don key and swung two water jars, in pan niers, on either side of his long cared assistant.
 These he covered with fig leaves to keep off the sun, and no water carrier in all, Granada was merrier or more industrious than Peregil. The streets rang with his cheerful cries as he ped- died his merchandise, shouting musi- cally, Who wants water-water colder than the shows?" And, in fact, the wa ter which Peregil dispensed was of a very superior quality for he drew it from the great Moorish well in one of the courtyards of the Alhambra that fairy palace of the old Moorish kings which looks down from its hill upon the city of Granada and the lovely plain of the Vega.
 But though Peregil seemed always happy he had what many a seemingly happy person has a care and a breeding worrlment deep down in his heart, which kept him secretly troubled. For he had a large family of ragged, hungry ehil- dren, voracous and clamorous as a nest of young swallows, and a helpmate who anything but a help to him. She n had been village beauty when Peregi married her, famous for her dancing of i the bolero and her skill with the easta- nets. And you may be sure the bandy- legged water carrier thought him. - self mighty lucky to get such a prize, and so did all the friends and enemies of the two. However much Peregil, in the light of subsequent events, might have secretly come to the conclusion that he had not drawn so much of prize in the matrimonial lottery, after all the honest fellow kept his conclusions to himself and bore the dispensation of his wife ana children with as meek a spirit as his donkey bore the water jars, and never ventured to openly question the virtues of his spouse.
 Oh, but she was cross to him, though
 
 under requisition to take her on junketing expeditions and parties out in the coun- try on Sundays and Saints days, and those other Spanish holy holidays which are rather more numerous than the days of the week. Then she was sattern and lie7abed, and gossip of the first water, neglecting her house and her chil. dren to idle in tine houses of her gos- sping neighbors. Peregi really loved his children and whenever he could afford tdstake the whole brood forth with him, some tugging at his coat, some in his arms and some trudging at his heels, and treat them to a gambol among the orch- ards of tine Vega while his wife was dancing with her holiday friends in the Angosturas of the ns.ro. N
 One night d delicious moonlight night -affe. d sultry day-Peregil made an un- T usually late trip to, the old Moorish well ill order that he might, by selling water to the people two were all abroad in the streets and groves and squares, ,>indemni- flying themselves from the forced inaction of the day) make a little extra money tor the children. When he reached the well he found it deserted except by a solitary figure in Moorsh costume seated on the edge of the stone bench hard by and looking rather ghostly in the moonlight. Peregil at first regarded the stranger with surprise not unmixed with awe, but the Moor beckoned him to approach and said: ,ssy
 TT am faint and i'll, aid me to return to the city and will pay thee double what thou couldst gain by the jars of water" God forbid" replied the honest little water-carrier, That I should demand fee or reward for doing an act of common humanity"
 So he helped tlie Moor on the donkey and conveyed him down into the city. the . poor Moslem being so weak that Peregil had to hold him fons the donkey to keep him from falling. When they were in the city Peregil asked theSstranser where he should carry him. "Alas," said the Moor faintly, T have neither home nor .habita- ton: suffer me to rest this night beneath thy roof.p Peregil consented, and, in spite of his wife's scoldings, gave the sick stranger a bed in his house--or rather spread a sheepskin for him, which was the only sort of bed the poverty-stricken abode of the water-carrier afforded. The stranger grew weaker, and calling Peregit to him said that he was about to die. Then he handed to him a little box of sandalwood. saying that he bequeathed it