The North-Carolinian. [volume] (Fayetteville [N.C.]) 1839-1861, 1854-09-09


widow, was the first to give donation in July.
He came running across the street, calling to
me- and on reaching me said, ~ Gu have given
me a great many nice, good tracts to read and
carry home, and here is dollar for you to have
some more made like them to give away; mOth-
err ami mysclf praaed orer 1t before started acith
1t this morning" God be praised for the sue-
cess given.
Yours truly,
WM j. W. CROWDER,
Colporteur Of Americqn Tract Society
for Uvuhc AMI Cumberland countirs, ". G.
RALEIGH, n. c., Sept / 1854.
~~>~~>>~>~>~>~~>~>->~>><-
From the Chicago Journal.
Strange Credulity-A $1,000 sw;naIe.
About two weeks ago gentleman farmer,
living in Madison county, was riding towards
his home, not far distant, he observed man
and woman by the roadside engaged in repair
ing tin ware. \ few days afterwards woman
called at his house, and after some conversation,
asked him if he did not recollect her He re-
piled that he did not. She then told Kim that
she had seen him on the road few days before,
and that his appearance had made such an i'm
preston upon her mind, that she was compelled
to call and see him. She told him that she
was an astrologer, and that she was well ac-
quanted with its mysteries. She saw at once
that he was an extraordinary person. and knew
that lie had been born under particular planet
and that great things might be expected of
him. She took from her apron a book which
seemed to contain number of diagrams figures,
&c, and read from it, in an unknown tongue,
a few "hocus pocus' sentences after which,
closing it and putting it back into its hiding
place she went into the kitchen, bought few
pounds Of butter of the wife of the gentleman
for which she paid literally, and went on her
way.
4 day or two afterwards, the wo,aaf called
| fipf. hat oh had n
first visit the farmer paying but little attention
to what she said, looking upon the whole al f;liy
| as an attempt to humbug him. Not at all dis
couraged, the woman called again the next
I day, and wound up her conversation by saying
that she knew where three hat crowns full Of
gold had been buried Oh his farm, and that, if
he would do as she directed, they could recover
it; but that it was necessary to alay the spirits
that stood guard it that large sum Of
money must be present with them at the incan
tation. She thought five thousand dollars
would be required, but was not sure as to the.
amount; and she proposed if he would go into
it and furnish the money, that she would give
him two-tlirds of the treasure, while she would
reserve the other one-third as her share.
Up to this time, the farmer appears to have
had no confidence in the woman: but as she
took his hand, and traced the mysterious lines
therein, telling him the great things in store
for him, he began to place some confidence in
)
that had occurred in his life, that he supposed
had never been known. About this time, he
sold large lot of cattle, for which he received
in cash about 81 900. The xt day the woman
called again, and said $3, 900 was the amount
required to be present to aI!ay the SPIRITS The
farmer then produced the package Of money We
ceved for the cattle, and the two sat down to a
table, and counted out So coo in bank notes,
excepting four small gold coins. The money
was then folded up, and put i'll handkerchef;
the woman all the time making strange motions,
and talking strange talk. The next da7 and
the day after, the woman called again, each
time counting the money before, ing the
same signs, &c, but leaving the money with the
farmer wrapped up in the handkerchief At
| the next visit, she required him to take solemn
oath, that be would not tell to living soui
the object they were in pursuit of, that she
was going away to be absent short time, he
was not to look at the package of mene7, al
| any time excepting when she was present; aud
after making earnest prayer, she took hold Of
| him while she held the package OF money IN her
| hand, and swung him around, that they
| came together back to back. She then gave
him the handkerchief as he supposed, all right,
and told him that she would return on the 18th,
10th, or 18th of August and then they wond
go in company and secure the hidden treasure.
On the 9Th he hardly expected to meet her,
and was not disappointed that she did not come
On the 10th he sat up late at night expecting
her arrival.
After waiting till near midnight on the
18th, he began to suspect all was not right,
and he feared all this might be trap to rob
him. So strong did this suspicion fasten upon
him that he took up his gun, loaded it, and
went out into the shrubbery surrounding the
house, where he conld see all who approached ),
without being seen, and remained thefe untiE
two O'Clock in the morning. But no one came
AS the time had elapsed that set for his
fair visitor, he considered himself absoIved from
his obligation, never doubling in the least, but
that his money was safely deposited in the
handkerchief Unrollng it carefully whas was
his dlsnlay at seeing, not rolf Of bank bills,
and four pieces of gold as he bad left it, but "a
package of brown paper and four cents, in lien
| thereof. Even the handkerchief had been
| changed; instead of it's being his own, it was
one precisely similar. One of the strangest
| things in all this strange transaction is, that a
counterfeit FIVE dollar bill that was placed IN
| the package of money, was taken out OF 1T, ana
returned in the roll Of brown paper. How this
was done is a mystery cannot solve. fhe
farmer who has been completely bamboozled
] ont of So OOO now seeks to find some remedy
at law.
Strange as this may appear to many, we
have the facts from the most undoubted author
;fv and we have given them just as they oc--
cnrred. We can sympathize with our friend
the farmer, in che loss of his money, for ne Is
not the E.st of the masculinc gender who has
+ L.on .nd alas he is not she last who will bs.