The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1865-11-09
From the Alta California.
Truth Stranger than Fiction.


came to Californis in 1861 came as
an adyenturer Having exhausted every
thing in which I had embarked ut the
east. | turned towards the setting sun
with the hope of recovering what l had
lost through my own folly and the trick
cry of men who had plucked and then
turned me ont in the cold.
OF ten thousand dollars, which was
placed in my hands on the day | was
twenty one years old barely enough re
mained to bring me TO San francisco,
and keep me at the Oriental for a month.
Two weeks had elapsed since my ar
rival and nothing hal turned up to my
advantage. | was greatly discouraged,
and we'll remember one evening as was
saunterine on Meigos' Wharf, the temp
tation to end my doubts and sorrows, by
dropping into the sea. CaIlfornians
pride themselves on their generosity, but
they have ever been deficient in looking
up and caring for Young men and boys
who comet their shore, in the hope of
helping themselves Some have been
i1indly received, but multitudes have
been utterly neglected, and. friendless
and forinrn, have plunged into vice and
sank into untimely and unhonored
graves.
shudder when think of the narrow
escape | had on the evening = to which al
lusiou has been made.
On the morning after this deliverance.
l left my hotel with heavy heart, and
in wandering through the streets, came
to the place where the Pacific Mail Steam
ship Company was selling at auction a
quantity of forfeited and unclaimed bag
0app n al Inv what was paSSlup
| entered the crowd, and very soon was
impclled to bid on a large box, of foreign
manufacture. The box had not been
opened, was quaint in its fashion, and
srotesque in its trimmings. There was
but little competition, and 1t was knocked
down to me for FIVE dollars. BY the help
of lad, the purchase was transferred
to my room.
was greatly excited over its probable
contents
1t was opened, and nothing appeared
but few half worn garments, that from
the material. evidently belonged to some
German emigrant l closed the lid in
vexation, and cursed the impulsiveness
that had Influenced me upon such an ad
venture. In a multitude of fears as to
what would become of me, | threw my
self upon the bed, and sobbed myself to
sleep. As slept, | was in strange
land; in an antiquated room, heavily
hung with tapestry, and well filled with
oaken furniture. AS l stood by the win
dow, hidden by the massive drapery that
fell about me, looking upon the broad
lawn, upon which the shimmering moon
light fell darkened here and there with
the shadows of venerable oaks, | was
startled by noise at one of the doors of
! the apartment. 1t opened, and there
entered an old man, of weazened face,
long gray locks, and every appearance
of poverty Closing the door carefully,
and looking around furhvely, he loosen
ed one OF the panels of the wainscoting
of the room, and drew from the cavity
box
1t seemed the very box, / had pur-
chased Opening this, the old man, with
restive slances and trembling hands, re-
moved what seemed at first sight to be
the bottom of the trunk or box, and dis
closed secret compartment. From this
he took roll after roll of gold coin, care
fully wrapt in stout cloth, counting each
with greedy satisfaction, and replacing
each roll rs counted in the place from
! which it had been taken. Having finish
ed his work everything was restored to
its original status. and with an uneartaly
groan, the old man silently withdrew
| could hear the echo of his departing
feet along the corridor
Though trembling with fear at my
st-ange position. l ventured from my
hiding place. and walked across the floor
to the wall, whore the panel had been re.
moved STOPPING for examination. |
was startled by a voice shrieking in my
ear. Remember the paper
On becoming conscious of nv where
abouts. | discovered that it was broad
daylight, and that in my sleep, had left
nv bed and stumbled upon the black box
of my yesterdays purchase
/ was now determined to make thoro'
examination of this After an hour :
fruitless search, | fonnd in one of the
corners slight depression Working
upon this in various ways, | succeeded
F in lifting what seemed second lid. be
meath which were what looked like small
rolls of tightly wound old and yellow
canvass. Unrolling one of these with
trem bling fingers, there fell upon the
floor with unmi stakahle ring, ten pieces
of gold, like those / had seen in my
dream There were many of these par
GELS. and their contents would enrich me
beyond anything l had ever hoped.
In one part OF the compartment, l
found closely folded paper, OF which
was traced in nervonsly written charac-
tiers. Make provision for tie Alice =
Hastily closing the box and securing it,
l went below, and after breakfasting,
went to the Companys office to ascer-
tain if anything was known as to the
former ownership of my treasure. All
that / could learn was that it was left by
part payment for his passage from Pana-
ma. to be redeemed at specified time
This period had long passed, and it was
supposed that the owner had died in the
mines. whittier he had gone. Taking his
name, and having made careful dispesi-
ton of nv treasure trove, / first caused
to appear in all the newspapers of San
Francisco notice that would attract the
eve of the man in ques ton. or any of