The Sweetwater forerunner. [volume] (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1867-1869, 1869-01-07
A Mysterious Cnse.

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wealthy landholder, or rather model
farmer. His prosperity during the past
! twelve years has often been the comment
of his neighbors, and observing ones have
wondered from whence he has obtained
the means with which he has added farm
to farm and acre to acre, until he holds up
waIas IS 90 thousand acres of the best
land Slhe whole State OF Ohio.
Some ten years since, We have lately
been informed, there appeared at the
farmers door young and stalwart youth
who asked, and readily obtained employ
ment. Although ignorant at first of the
duties on farm, he applied himself and
in short time became an adept farmer.
He took as much interest in the affairs of
the farmer who engaged him as did the
farmer himself.
When the month of December came,
the first one after his advent on the farm,
he informed the family that he would all
sent himself during the winter, but would
return in early spring and work another
year. He brought two trunks when he
came there the preceding spring, the con-
tents Of which had never been displayed.
These he left with the farmer, with the
simple precautionary remark, "never al
low them to be disturbed, or, at least, un-
less should be absent two years." If
gone longer they were at liberty to open
them aud appropriate their contents. He
carried nothing away with him except the
suit he had on, nor did he accept his sum-
mer's wages when rendered to him by the
farmer. lie took his note, payable in Eve
years, and left.
April of the following year came, and
the wonder of the family over the youths
strange proceedings was still fresh, when
one pleasant morning they were all gladly
surprised to see their help again. He had
large trunk, similar to ole Of the two
he had left there during the winter. The
ensuing year the young man and the farm
er became greatly attacked. In August
the farmer purchased an adjoining farm
and paid for it in cash.
When the years work was completed,
the incidents of the preceding year were
repeated. The young man took another
note, left his trunk and went away. He
only cautioned the farmers family as be-
fore, regarding his three trunks.
When April came round again, our he
no appeared. In May following the farmer
purchased another adjoining farm of one
hundred acres and paid for it in cash.
This going away and returning continued
for tbs last ten years, up to the present
December. Each year the farmer purchas-
ed more land. Every year III December
the farmers help left him, taking the far
mer's note, and every following April he
returned. lie never took trunk nor bag
gage away, but always brought more when
he returned.
Last week the help, now grown to man
hood, strong and sturdy in mind aud
frame, left the farmer, took away all his
accum ulated baggage, and returned the
several notes the farmer had given him
made present of them to child of the
farmer. The evening before his depart
ure he informed his friends, who had all
learned to love him, of the secret which he
had so long kept to himself. He was a
wealthy orphan. Doctors had told him
at the age of fifteen that he could not live
to become of age. He at once left an
Eastern boarding school, and came out to
the farmers home. He returned and
studied during the winter, became inter-
ested in seeing the farmer increase his do
mains, aud donated the money with which
the additions were made. The trunks
contained the fashionable clothing he wore
during the winter months. Secrecy re-
garding the money received by him had
been enjoined upon the farmer during all
the ten years; now he is released to do or
tell, all or little, as he pleases.
The promised consumptive was saved
the aggrayations Of disease dispelled; and
having grown to be healthy aud robust, he
was satisfied with the ten years effort to
prevent his becoming an invalid for. life.
1t was almost useless for the farmer to
attempt to express his gratitude, unboun-
ded as it was, to our hero. He thinks of
him now as benefactor and son, and looks
on his broad acres and can hardly realize
that they are his. Were we to give the
name of the young man many of our read
ers would ut once become convinced of