Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-09-26
ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE.
THE BERKSHIRE GoiDFINDER.

THE BERKSHIRE GOI.DFINDER.
There appeared one morning, at the Berkshire
Lyceum, very curious specimen of humanity.
He seemed to be man Of some five. land twenty,
and was six feet high, standing on his bare solos,
for shoes he bad none. He was gaunt and slen-
der, and his arms and legs composed the greater
part of bin. His hair, which was long and
blowsy, was naturally Of sorrel color, and still
retained that hue near the roots, but was faded
almost white at a distance from his head. His
heard, which had been unevenly clipped with the
scissors, was somewhat of the same shade. His
nose was short, his chin was long, his mouth was
wide, aud his teeth were snagged. His dress
was linsey .woolsey, originally dyed Of buttS
nut color and seemed to have belonged to his ia
Their The skirt Of his coat came midway to his
calf, while the lappels only reached half way to
the bottom uf his waistcoat. His pantaloons
seemed to be retredting up his legs, his vest was
| without any collar, his shirt was woOtlen, and
his neck was bare. Such was the general ap-
pearance Of the man, and such vere his habiii
men,s. He was natyre OF one o. the noun AIN
| towns in the west part Of Berkshire. and mad
come to the Lyceum, bright and early, on a very
important errand.
.Whereahou,s,' said he, addressing one of the
students. is the head man thereabou's!'
Whom do you mcan?' said the student.
why, the headmost man here among YOU, ,
returned the stranger, what is't you call him
| there-the confessor
sThe professor, you probably mean:' said the
student.
Exactly So returned the natyve. I've got
| thing want to show him.
What sort of a thing!'
| That's what I've come TO ak about. I've
got it in my pocket; but don't trust every bo.
| DIV with the secret, not bv n darned sight, i,'s
worth futin any day. WHY, there Amt none
of Your rocks nor stones here. staring about
upon the minerals in the cabinet--' that's any
touch to IT.
mo? Aud yet we have some valuable speci-
mems here
DO YOU call these valleyable! Why, if you
was only to see what I've got in my coat pocket,
guess you'd open your eyes,
The stuten, now began to feel great curosi-
" about the secret of the strangers pocket. es-
pecally as that skirt Of his coat, where he indi-
Gated the pocket to be, hung down considerably
lower than the other, as il burdened with some
precious weight; which possibly might turn out
to be gold. He therefore pressed the gawk for
a sight Of it,
WELL returned the fellow, seein it's you, l
don't care if L let you have glympse at it. But
you mustn't tell nobody, Eve never showed it TO
nobody I've never showed it to no Twin crit
ter. but dad and mother, and sister Bets, and
two or three Of the neighbours
The student promised to act with all due dis
cretion, declaring the secret would be as safe
With him, as if entrusted to the keeping Of the
whole world. Whereupon the stranger, no long.
| er hestating, stopped to one side little, and
thrusting his hand into his coat pocket, brought
to view a elever-stOnc of a yellowish appear
auce, mixed with red and gray, and which the
student presently perceived was composed partly
Of iron.
srhere!' exclaimed the native, az he showed
the specimen, what do you think of that, hap
That's wonderful! upon my word, said the
student, affecting TO start with admiration.
| Isn't it noos' said the gawk: did you ever
see the like of tina before: ha! How yaller II is.
Don't you think that's the raal stuff"
! No doubt of IT.
so told our folks. Saws J, I'll lay my head
against nogsln of cider, that bit of stone is
nearly all pure gooid. They lated at me-
Well. says l, YOU may laff as much as you please.
BY and BY, you'll tell another guess story; aud
then them may laff that wins. So [ puts it in
my pocket, and off comes this mornin, bright
and airly, to see the confessor here, who. they
say. knows the name of every rock and stone
in Berkshire, to say nothin Of those in Hancock,
and New Lebanon, and them out,of-the-way
towns. But when shall see the confessor?
am all freddy in the no ton of maxim my f0rtin
now; and when that's done. you won't keteh me
maxim brooms and baskets, as | do now. I'll
live like daybo6, then. III warrantit. Ill eat
"a much Goldfish and mince pies as l can stuff
down.
Have you discovered any other specimens Of
this same gold ore?'
Have Faith. Mister, I guess have, more
than you can shakea stick at mean to 60
home and buy the land that bears it, If L have to
mortgage my coat TO pay for it. But where's
the confessors want to make sure that this is
raal goold, before buy the Iand.'
fhe student laughed in his sleeve, and direct
ed the sansuine gold finder to the professor Of
mineralosy lie stalked along into the presence
Of the latter, and finding him in company with
two or three other gentlemen, he asked, (which
I e