Credulity and Fraud. - Near the town of Ardee stands one of those mounds or tumuli, the object of the erection of which has so puzzled the antiquarian in his researches, that he has surrendered the task of tracing their origin as hopeless. An impostor lately took advantage of the religious awe in which these mounds are held by the peasantry, to convert it into a source of emolument.
He went to the house of a person residing near Ardee, who, he was apprised, had a little money, and told him, in a mysterious manner, that he was specially sent to make his fortune; and that, if he and his wife would come to the mound in question, bringing with them two tin saucepans, with a sovereign in each, they would return with the saucepans filled with gold; they were also to provide a ball of worsted, long enough to girth the mound three times.
Thus equipped, the magician conducted them by moonlight to the place. On arriving within its precincts, he directed his dupes each to hold the ball of worsted, at the same time pronouncing a mystic rhyme, which he took great pains to teach them. Whilst they were thus occupied he was to walk round the mound with the vessels containing the sovereigns, and when they repeated the rhymes a certain number of times the charm would be complete.
The sequel is easily told - the fellow decamped with the money. The person who practised this trick was decently attired. He played a similar cheat upon another man, but only made a half-sovereign by it.
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