The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1865-06-21
Striking Oil.


our extensive country.
The result was the formation OF hundreds
OF companies to embark in the problematc
| speculation which they expected to solve
by boring.in mother earth, and arr wing al
the solution in petroleum. The newspaper
| columns teemed with fabulous statements
in regard to the immense fortunes made by
certain individuals, and immeasurable
quantities of oil that were pouring forth
10 enrich the owners OF wells or certain
companies, until one would oe led 10 be-
! lieve hat the inside of the earth was an
immence deposit of grease, which ''only
needed TO be developed 10 remunerate the
| who had amassed fortune By the lease o.
[ land, devised plan by which he proposed
| TO turn this account by manufacturing soap
! for the whole world, with which he would
wash out the national debt. The peculiar
order attached to petroleum. we have no
doubt, wonld prove favorite o! the snob
ocracy who render themselves offensive by
the use OF musk, and place this soap upon
| 10 ousands of loiIet.tabIes
II was in the midst OF The excitement
that Stephen Harris was attacked By The
Aforementioned disease. How he caught
ii is not definitely known but he was ex
posed in variety of ways, by the eonver-
-ation OF acquaintances who dropped in to
see him at his Office; the exaggerated and
] highly colored accounts in the newspapers;
the veroose advertisements of the various
companies forming, announcing shares Cor
sale, ran gug in value from fifty cents 10
ore hundred dollars; and there was scarcely
day but that he received direct appeals
TO ''lake stock" By circulars which be re-
! ceived through the Post Office.
| These statements figured immenee for
tunes, on paper and showed the prospec
| tive receipts, with all the plausibiliiy and
guessing ability OF sharp Yankee.
They turned many an old head and
should we express any asionishment that
comparatively young man like Stephen
Harris should not have fallen in with the
tide, anj imagined fortune made after the
manner of the creation of fariesl
He was not of his feet, beyond his depth
in the swift running current; his mind was
not foil made Up he hesilsled; he was at
the even balance when The weight Of infiu
ence might turn the scale either way.
II was in Jus, such mood as this that
Stephen Harris lef his office and walked
thoughtfuliy towards his home where his
wife and little boy aud girl were awaiting
his coming 10 partake with them the even
ing meal. He was a man of thirty, engaged
in manufacturing articles of his own inVen-
tion, employing some twenty men, and was
yearly adding 10 a comfortably large capital.
10 some instances, "Ieave the shop behind
you may apply bat Stephen Harris took
pleasure in talking over his place and bust
ness matters with his wife. She was the
daughter of a highly merchant,
and partook from him many exec llenl ideas
of business; and her husband found that he
possessed not only an excellent housekeeper
but good business counselor and as Mr.
Harris resolved the matter in his mind, aud
presented 10 himself the pros and cons he
decided 10 broach the subject 10 his wife,
and let the result of their ''talk" decide
company just forming, that apparently offer
ed extraordinary inducements TO share.hoId
ers.
His thoughts we're so much occupied that
his customary salUtes 10 his vile aud chill
dren were performed with a GOODNESS that
was not his wont. Mrs. Ha iris n oied it,
bit made no remark, being satisfied in her
mind of the subject OF his thoughts The
supper was dispatched without much inter-
rupting conversation, after which Mr Harris
dropped back in mis- C hair, and, strokiag his
beard with one hand, said:
"Wife, Brown and Strong aad half a
dozen others have been in the office this af-
ternoon urging me to take stock in the green
back International Petroleum and Mining
Company. They are quite confident of
success, and are all going to invest. | told |
them | would decide in the morning, and /
want to talk the matter over with you, and
let the result we arrive at decide the ques.
ton. For my part, don't see how can
miss it much when follow the example of
such uniformly successful men as Brown !
and Sirong.p
Then the baIasce tipped down little
toward buying oil stock.
Mrs. Harris smiled. and then her face re-
sumed IFS grave look, showing that she
considered the question of some weight
How much do you thiuk o: Investing,
Stephen ln che asked.
You see have about what want TO con- |
duet my business easy, and something like !
FIVE thousand dollars which | consider |
''loose change"
''Now,p said she, al am goiug to tell you |
-, -; II okort :, " ...-,., -