Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1854-12-15
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THE CROCK OF GOLD.
ny MARTIN FAReuuAR TuPPEa,
Author Of "Proverbial Philosophy"
CHAPTER Kill.
Tho Discovery.


The Discovery.
Roger Acton had not slept well
had not slept at all till nearly break Of
day. except in the feverish fashion Of
half dream, half reverie. There were
thick-coming fancies about what Ben
Burke had said and done; and more
than once Roger had thought of the
expediency Of getting up, to seek
without delay the realization of the
one idea which now possessed him
a crock Of gold. When he put one
thing and another together, he con-
sidered it almost certain that Ben had
flung away among the lot no mere
honey-pot, but perhaps indeed a mon
ey-pot; Burke hadn't half the cum
ming Of child more fool he, and
maybe so much the better for me.
thought money-bitten selfish Roger
Thus. in the nights hot imaginations,
he resolved to find the spoil to win
was then TO do to DO was then to
conquer. However, Natures sweet
restorcr came at last, and, when he
woke, the idea had sobcred down-last
nights fancies were preposterous. So,
it was with heavy heart he got up
later than usual-no work before him,
nothing to do till after noon, when he
might see Sir John, except it be to dig
bit in his little marshy garden. When
Grace ran to the Hall, Roger was 60
ing forth to dig.
Now, l know quite well that the
reader is as fully aware as am, of
what is about 10 happen but it is
impossible to help tho matter. If the
head of this chapter tells the truth, a
discovery" of some sort is inevitable.
Let us preliminarize a word or two, if
thereby we can hang some shadowy
veil of excuse over IA too naked mys-
terry. FIRST and foremost, truth is
strange, stranger ct cetera and this
ct cetera. pregnant as one of Lyttle-
toms, intends to add the superlatIve
strangest. to the comparative stranger
Of that selGom quoted sentiment. To
every one Of US, in the course Of our
lives, something quite as exLraordina-
ry has befallen more than once. What
shall we say Of omens. warnings, fore
bodings? What Of the most curious
runs Of luck the most whimsical
freaks Of fortune the unascountable
things that happen round us daily,
and no one marvels at them, I'LL he
reads them in print? Even as Mac
pherson. ingenious il not ingenious,
gathered Ossian from the lips of High
land hussiis. and made the world, with
modern Attila to back IL, wonder at
the stores that are hived on old wives
tongues even SO might any other
literary blacksmith hammer from the
orc Of common gossip regular yul'
cans net of supersutous "tacts. -
Never yet was uttered ghost story,
that did not breed four others; every
one ut table is eager torecord his. OF
his aunt's, experiences in that line
and the mass OF queer condolences,
Einexplicable incidents, indubitable see.
.Iings, hearings, doings, and suffcrings
which you and / have heard Of ia this
popular vein of talk, would amply
excuse the widest tictionist Cor The
most extragagant adventure--the more
improbable, the nearer truth. Tall
Of the devil, said our ancestors,-le'
eye ''save us from the consequence
Think Of anything vehemently, ant
it Is sn even chance it happens b'
confident, you conquer; be o5stinat,
in willing, and events shall bend hum
bly, to their lord nay, dream a dream
and if you recollect it in tho morning
; and il bother you next day, and you
cannot get it out of your head for {
week, and the matter positively haun
you. ten to one but it finds itself o.
makes itself true some odd day Of
other. Just SO, doubtless, will il prov,
with Rogers dream. l really canno
} help the matter- ,,,. u ~
Again, it is more man likely tha
the reader is clever, very clever, ant