Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1867-05-29

Then, there's Parsons, suggested
eyes, or he may be the instrument
OF an svenging Nemesis-all the more
: probably if we assume him to have
: met Susie, and TO have been the man
who passed me. Sufficient unto the
day is the evil thereof" I only know
that | wouldn't be in the old fellows
, shoes for much. But all this is not
: what l specially wished to tell you.
Finding l could be of no use,
J walked out OF the back door of the
house to hill which affords an excel
, lent view of the Smith farm, merely
saying to the poor, crushed woman that
would stop and have q little chat
with her before returning to Oleopolis.
"Half-way up the steep ascent, l sat
down in a little nook to smoke pipe
and have a little quiet thought over
the tragedy into which the Atkins i'm
broglio seemed to be crystalizing, rest
ing one arm upon a rock about as large
as a -four barrel, which seemed as tho
intended for lazy mans comfort. To
my surprise, however, the rock yielded
to the slight pressure, tottered, and
disappeared into an oblique cavity from
which gushed blast of ice-cold air.
81 looked into the black and chilly
opening. distinguishing nothing but the
dim outlines of the displaced stone, as
it rested perhaps six feet below me on
what seemed the floor of some natural
passageway.
my match box was still IN my hand,
and suggested an exploration of the
possible wonders within. You will see
them all tomorrow morning; and l
need only tell you now that by the gui-
dence- Of thirty or forty of the little
WALLPAPERS worked my way down the
steep narrow entrance, and along a
horizontal passage higher than my head,
at the end of which slept, in its inky
wealth, Lake of Petroleum.
"You may well look kincredulous, but
it is true. Here is the soundiug-line
to vouch that am neither crazy nor
dreaming;" and with that he drew
ffom his pocket a package whose many
wrappers inelosed piece of ordinary
lawyers tape, all clotted and saturated
with the petroleum of this mysterious
pool.
He had stepped upon q projecting
rock, and BY attaching a pebble to the
tape had ascertained that the lake was
deep one, and that its surface was
only three feet below the passage. OF
its extent he could not judge by the
scanty light at his command: but it
stretched away into interminable dark
ness between the rock walls Of the
widening cavern.
81 hurried out into the building sun
light" continued Aelchior Carefully
concealed the opening with two or
three stones as large as could lift, and
after a moments half-dizzy thought,
resolved that we would buy the proper
ty-three hundred and twenty-six acres,
as you will see by the deed which is
there on the table. Atkins never was 1
8 man to inspire any degree Of gener-
Gus consideration, and the events Of the |
past four days render him yet more
unworthy than before of q magnsnimi-
ty which at my hsnds he neyer shall
receive. he has named his price, six
thousand two hundred dollars for the
farm, which, by the way, he has been
is ready to sign the deed of transfer to
US. say u.s. because you are in equity
entitled to share Of any profits accru-
ing from q discovery made under such
circumstances.
81 have satisfied myself that all the
footslopes of the knoll are upon the
farm. and that the comparatively fat
meadows which surround it are below
the level of this fragrant Pactolus of
ours; so that we shall enjoy an entire
immunity from trespassing claims, IN
addition to an undisputed title. |
~ must have sst IN that lonely nook
by the entrance of the cave a half
hour, building all manner of air-cas=
Ties for Us both, With the Little Kama
wha laughing from long open rift
through the stretches of ripening corn
below me, and the barren cliffs climb
ing. terrace upon terrace. from my very
back toward the eternal stars. At
length, however, Remembered that the
farm Was not ours get, and made my
Ray down the hill to hunt up Atkins.
Il am ashamed to say that forgot,
for the time, my promise TO Susie, who
called to me as ] was passing the house.
"I went in, and finding her rather
more comfortable, did my best to dis
Iuade her from any violent course IN
lesitatingly counsalipg her, however,
20 abandon the bastard who had treat
ID her so Vilely, and take refuge with i!
ome distant connections who live near
her early hone on New River"
His tenderness and dignity of ADVICE ,
o me only q year before left me no !
oom to doubt that a Christian consola- :
ion had gone out to Mrs. Atkins with :
n effectual fervor; and no one incl
lent had ever impressed me with more I
{ genuine reverence foE him than the !;
elicate reserve with which he passed :
ghtly over that conversation, and !
to the events of the afternoon, =
He drove rapidly back to OleopOlis, y
ranged the purchase as has been men, d
ioned, and that some outside inau- &
nee mightprejudice our interests, put 4
stop to Atkins open and garrulous
atisfaction by inducing himto come in a
erson with the note to me, which was 8
post.dated the 2Gth, in \
tead of the 2sth. Atkins furnished L
i'm with such data as were necessary
D the validity Of the new deed, and b
efore nightfall, was on the road to 81
to which place Melchior, u
fter arranging q postponed arbitra- n
on of the Smith case, had followed >.
i'm on Tuesday, so as 70 meet Us. and
Iose the matter at 3 point where no fc
elementcould possibly arise. il
And this little history explains how b.
[elchoir and l happened 10 be sitting Il
1gether in the Union Hotel on We'd q
esday, August 29th. 1866. &C
''By the BY" said he, pulling the bell W
,pe, San absurd condition insisted
pom by the fellow is that should II
tand champagne on the signature of D,
le deed.
The waiter presently made hls Ap. m
aarancs, and was asked to bring the b
inc, glasses and ice, and TO have Mel OF
lior's horse harnessed to the buggy II
Id brought to the door. ar
As the sound of blinking ice came ~
D the stairWay. looked out Of the Al
indoW aud saw Atkins driving to the
DOT; and he was with US almost as Ar
on as the materials Of his ratifyipg "
ink stood on the broad table in the sf
inter of the room. h,
Any outward show ofexcitement W a. dr
ost unusual with Melchior, but now hi
$ voice shook as he indicated the Ia
oper line at the foot of the deed, ne