The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1868-03-28
From the NashvIla Union and Dispasoh.1
A Stones River Sensation

Some months since, gentlemen residing
not thousand miles from this city, en-
ployed wandering freedman to haul a load
Of sand, to be used ia grading his yard
walks. In due time the sand was delivered
graded, etc, and the 's knight of the saddle
mule wended his way to parts unknown, in
search of other jobs
la lew days there came up a violent rain
storm which, 10 aud behold washed to the
surface Of the sand thousands of minute
golden scales, which quickly arrested the
wandering attention Of the gentleman Of the
graded walks. With these he flied small
vial and during the week following. exhib-
tied the same to several Of his friends as an
object of curiosity. at length, after long
search, a casual acquaintance dropped in
an old California mner-Who; upon seeing
the vial and hearing its history, boldly de-
clared that the load Of sand had been taken
from the vicinity of a rich gold mine, and
that somebody's fortune was as good as
made.
Then ensued a scene impossible to de-
scribe How to keep the secret-how to
lind the place from whence the sand had
been taken, and how to find the negro who
hauled it, we're Of the thousand questions
asked the mostimpOrtaut w thin two days
five persons had been admitted to confidence.
Scouts. were busy day and night seeking for
sand-pits on the hilI sides and sand bars ia
stone river while others wandered over
the country astounding sane people with in
ohefent1nqnlrtes concerning ii lost darkie.
At length the missing teaunster was found.
With four cooked revolgers at his head as
persuaders, he piloted the eold,seelzers at
midnight to q lonely bend on Stone river,
where the sand upon washing yielded up
the glitteFing PARTICLES. Here, with fifty
dollars in greenbaeks and an awful oath to
divulge nothing, he was dismissed and or
dered to clear the country.
FOrdays, with shovels, picks and pans, the
party followed up the traces IN the sand,
until at length, beneath a Steep rocky bank,
they came upon the long sought treasure
Itwas vast bed or deposit of what seemed
TO be almost pure gold, the sight of which
took their breath and caused them to glare
at each other with curious, dangerous eyes
One Of the party was the following day
dispatched to open negotiations for the pur-
chase of the land on which the mine was
l9eated, but was thupderstruck to learn that
ten thousand dollars per acre would be no
temptation. a traitor was in their camp
Then came a week Of 9uarrels, threats of
litigation and personal violence,
But alas fer all human dreams, when the
feelings of the various parties were at fever
beat, the iil@omened face Of the old miner
cstlHt 6ti4d6llIy iuDo lileIE HaluSJ, ana ne Gull
etlg told them itWas ali a sham that be
had had the scales tested, and that they had
turned out to be nothing more than worth
less shale, with not q trace of gold or any
other metal in them.
Pen here fails to depict what followed
Some sWsre, some cried, a few laughed, and
all agreed that they had been a pack Of most
egregious ninnies. Pledging each other to
keep num- they returned home, chap.
fallen company, ipwardly1 vowing never to
Eermib themselves to be 50 taken in again.