The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1868-06-03
WIDOW naowN,s OIL YELl
4 TALE OF PETRoLEUA.

| the W idUW Brown, owned ami cultivated
! small farm Of ten acres in little Pennsyl
vania town. The humble homestead cor
responded in size to the farm, being one
story cottage, comprising but three rooms
The land was not very productive. hut Mrs
Brown had only herself to provide for, and
though her income would hardly warrant
her living luxuriously, on the other hand
there was no danger ofthe almshOuse On
the whoe the widow might he considered
comfortably provided for, though her farm
and house together would have been dear
at a thousand dollars.
But Mrs. Anastasia was NOT coDtented.
She was an ambitious women, and bent on
bettering h rself If the opportunity ever
presented. To lady under her circum-
stances second marriage with an eligible
party seemed to be the rCadiest road to
higher station. But the widows personal
advantages were hardly of character to
inspire very lively hopes in that direction.
She was tall and guant, and her share of
the periShable but rather desirable gift ot
beauty had been below the average. Be
sides, she was now forty five, ahd therefore
Of rather doubtful juvehiIity,
1t Glanced that the wealfhiest man in
town was a certain Squire EHen.zcr Pas
gram, who in addition to an excellent farm
II three hundred acres, had a comfortable
sum invested in stocks and bonds. He was
widower, and in the market. His wife
would be the foremost lady in the village.
For this position there was more than one
aspirant, but among them all, none aypar~
emily stood so poor a chance as Mrs Anas
tasia Brown. But none the less the widow
laid her plans to capture the citadel, and
circumstances, aided by her own shrewd-
ness, assisted her to accomplish it.
About this time the petroIe um fever was
at its hight There was wild excitement
general not only in the districts where pa>
troleum had been discovered, but spccula-
tion was rife in the commercial capital, and
with flaming prospectuses were
daily splingng into existence. Farms
which would have been considered dear at
twenty dollars an acre, all at once enhanced
in value fifty, or even an hundred fold, and
the owners, who had hitherto found il dil-
fcult to earn scanty subsistence, all at
once found themselves rich beyond their
widest dreams
Among those who cherished hores Of
wealth from this source was Squire Po-
gram. He saw no reason why his own acres
might not prove to be flowing with oil, and
be instituted some preliminary investiga-
ton which had only resulted in disappolnt-
ment. Though already man oi abund-
ant means, he was ncli4ed to be grasping,
and had no objection to doubling or trebling
his present property. in fact the love Of
money was the ruling passion with the
squire and this was not unknown to his
lOwnsmen.
Mrs. Brown, aware of this fact, dcterm-
med upon a coup d ,etdt, ii we may so call
t, with IA view Of taking by assault the
land OF the Squire for Lis heart she cared
little.
One morning the 3xpressman brought to
Mrs. Browns cottage keg, which was ev
IDENTIFY tull of some liquid.
Fifty cents, wilder" he said, as he
ugged it into the back room, and deposit
d it IN the corner: Its rather hctty."
Yes" said the widow, ''nlolasscs is
heavier most auytfirg else. "
''Molasscs, is il? Wall, now, I reckon
I'll take you mighty long time to use up
Ieg full of molaSses.
I'm fond Of it, said the widow, short
y.
tS, Hul lHtIt AIN | Dut OIlc Oh yea.
Il don't know but shall take boardcr,
" two it. can get Their" said Mrs Brown,
mprov islng fb on the spur Of the nc
nent.
Then you'll have to piece cut your
}ouse, [ reckon"
The widow was glad when the express
nan With his intrusive curiosity was gone
IN the country ii is very common to COM
nent with the utmost freedom upon the
)lans and proceedings of ones neighbors,
md this sometimes has its disadvantages
The widow did not open the keg till the
,cxt day. Then instead of molasses, she
ound the contents to be petroleum oil. 1t
night have been supposed that the snbsti-
utica would have proved vexatiouS, but the
widow took it very coolly. She managed
o get the keg down the cellar stairs, where
he locked it up IN It closet. First how
,ver, she filed q common water pail with
he precious liquid, and going to the well
deliberately poured it down. After this
ather singular proceeding, she looked care
uily up the road until she aaw horse and
,uggy approaching, which she well knew
to Squire poeram who always
.ame over the rond abort that tine, TO visit
Stlldil mousse WHICH HG NdS uuiulHH lDT
enants mile beyond.
The Squire was just abreast Of the cot
age, when the widow ran out and hailed
lin.
80, Squire Pogram," she said, "wont
'ou just drive into the yard minute? The
water in my well tastes so strangely. | 40
believe it's petroleum.
Petroleum." The Squire pritked up
lis ears, and made all haste to do as re-
,uestcd.
"You don't say so, widderp' he exclainl-
ID; when did you notice it tustf,
II didn't really notice 1t much till to-
lay" said Mrs. Brown. II might have
asted little queer maybe, but to-day it's
Tery strong"
Let me taste" said the Squire. 81 can
ell if it's that or something else. 1t may
ome dead critter that's got drowned in the
veil and poisoned the water"
20, hope not, said the widow in
one cf alarm. II wouldn't have my well
piled for good deal "
Except by petroleum." suggested the
squire. Il s'posc you'd be reconciled to
hat"
well, yes" owned the wild low, II
Vouldh' mind that,
By this time they had reached the we'll,
md the Squire had already commenced
owering the bucket.
The widow was quite confident of the re-
ult, the oil having been so recently poured
n. Still she felt +, momentary alarm lest it
hould become so ditfused that the portion
# water drawn up would show scaDt traces
,f admixturc. But when the bucket came
o the top, she was reassured. On the sur
ace of the water was coating Of OIL
That was clear enough.
The Squire looked at it eagerly. His re-
ent experiments qualified him to judge in
he matter. He was silent moment.
swell, Squire Pogram, what do you
hink?" asked Mrs, Brown, eagerly.