Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1858-10-23
@0S0gaL AMY.
THE MONEY DIGGER.
4 LEGEND.

In retired part ofthe Yorkshire Wilds
stood some years ago, the Castle of Louns-
borough, an ancient scat Of the noble house
OF Cayendish, which had long been in eucb
q state of dcscrtion aud decay, that it has
lately been thought expedcnt to dcmolish
ltaltogether At the commencement of
the great civil war, on Sir Charlcs Ilotham
taking possession of Hull for the Parlia-
ment, it had been, for several years, a place
OF refuge for several wealthy royalists.-
Tor this reason, perhaps, or for some 9th.
crs more valid, n tradition had long pre-
vailed inttke neighboring villages thut ma
ny hiden treasures had been discovered at
differenttimcs, aboutthe house and grounds
OF Lounsborough Castle The noble own.
crs, of course, treated these rumors with
contempt; and never took any steps for
asserting their manorial rights, or investi-
cutting their supposed claims
About the middle Of the last century fbc
charge of the ancient domain was commit
cd toa man of the name of Christopher Hob
son, who, with his wife and two daughters,
constituted its scleoccupants. Thofemales
were employedin keeping the house in de-
cent order whilst Christopher, or as he
was commonly called Sester, busted him
self In the gardens and grounds-so that
IN case of aESunexpectcd visit from the no.
BILE owners, which sometimes happened, the
family were not wholly unpreparcd for their
reception. y.
kester Hobson wasi the habit Of spen-
ding two or three evenings a week at n
email iaal,iie lI.a,se l., u, sho a;aco:.t ,lla4.4
where's a few of the peasants and small far-
mcrs ofthe ncighborhood usually assembled
At the period we are speaking of, many of
the lingering snperstitions of the dark ages
still maintained their ground in various
parts Of the Kingdom and in none did they
keep their hold with greater tchacity tlan
in the villages of the Yorkshire Wolds.---
Attheir fireside meetings the conversation
frequently turned en- various old traditions
respecting Louusborough Castle; and n.
mongst other legends equally ycracious, it
was affirmed that on one occasion towards
the close of the civil war, q baud of round
fRnerittas, under Harrison, ,hayipg suddenly
surprised the c0stlof whete some Baltic
merchants from Hull, OF the kings party.
had taken refuge, the unfortunate cavaliers
had been obliged to- bury their money aud
having afterwards madea desperate resis-
tancc were NIL lkilled IN defence OF their i,re.
cious dcposites. So strong vhowoyer was
the attachmentof of thess worthy traders ia
their beloved wealth. that, even after dcath
their shadowy forms had often been seen
hoysFing round the obscure places Of el;s
castle domain, like tho ghosts al unburie6
heroes on the banks of Styx. Indeed, it
is well known to have been ono of The most
deeP-rcoted opiuions Of The olden time, that
If any person Ind buried money or Jewels
during his life time, his spirit could take
no Tcpose till the treasure was discovered.
II may seem stringe tt6esoino readers that ut
this late period ofbstory, there should have
prevailed Hsuci utter darkness IN the land.
mad such gross ;a.ssFskkssess IN tho people =
but the autller oftlis little narrative "
well assured of theif reality.
These oft repeated aDa mell.attcsscd sto4
ries made deep impression on Roster
init,d; and often when sitting alone Il, iis
chimney corner, ho w6uld mnse on those
nlafyolous circumstances, and reflect wisIs
bisserness On his own nisfortune Ia being
siossseG p iiiitv ils posssty s.IiiSss 4Sl55S