Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-06-26
A BIZ Of Romance.

Some days ago \ little boy who lives In
East Wheeling was wandering along the
east bank of Wheeling creek, just to the
right Of this end Of the Hemp6eld railroad
tunnel. He took notion to Overturu a
large stone that lay underneath wide
spreading tree, and having overturned 1t
he found sod, about foot square, nicely
ly cut and fitted into the ground. On lift.
ing up this sod be saw the mate to It in
the shape Of a square lid to a square box,
and also found that there was string at
tackled to the lid which, on further search,
be found ran under the ground to the root
Of the big tree, On lifting up the lid he
was surprised to End that 1t had long tin
tube fitted to ;ts under side reaching down
about half way to the bottom of the box.
10 this tube was spring and on the up
per side Of the lid was white porcelain
handle, like the knob Of a door bell, which
was pressed down aud concealed by lit
tie slide across the Id Altogether the boy
thought he had found queer box in a
queer place, and he was much puzzled, as
we'll he might be, to know what to do with
It or abOutit. So be put down the lid and
the sod and the stone just as he found
them, and went home and told his father,
who being a loyal man suspected some
thing wrong and communicated the diScov-
cry to Major Darr, the Provost Marshal
As the box was in the vicinity Of q very
suspicious mans residence the Major set a
watch upoH it for several days, In the hopes
Of finding some clue to lie use. For sew.
eral days aud nights the watch was kept
up but no discovery as to the purpose of
the mysterious box was made. So yester.
day he took 1t up aud presented it to US to
be kept 10 our museum (Wbeu We have
oue) as local memenIO of these strange
and unnatural times.
Ono night during the watch man was
diseoyered to come down the bill 10 the
dead Of the night, and Staud upon the stone
and whistle very cautiously and MYSTERIOUS
". This be did two or three times and
each time his whistle WAS corrsSpondiugIy
answered BY some one, not great ways of,
on the hill. Whist enhances the mystery
AudmAksS itS explanation more of puzzle
Is the fact that on the side Of the big tree
alluded to, piece of bark was very nicely
and artlsticalIy cut out, and underneath
this bark again smaller piece Of the tree
itself was cut out, 10 the same manner
both cuts forming double lid to a very
nice oval shaped little vacuum about large
enough TO stuff this newspaper in. Both
these lids were found fitted 10 their places
aud no oHo would have ever suspected any.
thing wrong With the tree.
What all this was done for and what it
meant Is . mystery that has SO far deaed
solution. The box 10 o tea box, lined with
sheet lead and N Ade out Of half inch
poplar. 1t was fitted into the ground
with singular ezac.uess, and not particle
Of dirt was visible in the vicinity Of the
stone which covered It. It cOuId hardly
have been put there for no purpose what.
ever. There was seemingly too much
pains taken and too much skill shown for
such q SuppOSItIou. What then was liz
uGe1 ThAtS the question for the jury
We gtvels up as has every body else who
examined the premises. Perhaps many a
bunch Of reasonable correspondence has
from time to time been deposited 10
the boz. Perhaps 1t Ws8 some lovers
post oflce-the end Of some under ground
ltus. Perhaps some mlSeF had bis treasure
bid there. AZ It was found on or near the
premises Of the late Judge Thompson 1t is
coojectursd that Il may have been some
part Of poetic machine used by the Judge
during that "dHy or two OF frenzy In
which be wrote the "raid Of anarchy
which our readers will recollec. was At
one and tho same time entitled by the late
Judge ian OratOriO Of worship-s dialogue
OF dsVlIS-n satire 90 the North and a pas.
quiuAde on the sOuth"-and 90 on iudeR.
niIeIy. 1t may psrchnncs have been part
oil "the category Of the Infinite" ItIoOkO
precisely like what We suppose that
category would be could II take on shape. |
At all events /! 10 PuIEIs and 30 far has
dsaed any explanation. We cOnuIgu II
herewith to the ingenuity Of tho mystery
loving world to think what they please
about 1t.