Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-08-17
The Money Diggers.
BIZ E. W. d. CANNING.

lake it for granted that even ny yCSn-
ger readers have heard of Captain Kidd, the
noted pirate, who, having been sent oy the
English Government with an armed ship
AGAINST the ~ Buccaneers =" that infested the
Spanish main, turned pirate himself, and,
after a successful career of crime, was at
length arrested in Boston, sent 20 England,
and hung in chains in the year 170l.
Now, one hundred years ago, there was
very prevalent tradition throughout all the
Connecticut river valley, that Kidd bad at
different times sailed up the river and bu-
ried treasures on it's banks, to Tighten his
ship of his ill-gotten plunder- Such story
was believed even far above our northern
state line the natural objection to the Inn
possibility of frigate's calling above Iur-
ner's Falls being met with the assertion
that the powefs Of darkuess whom he served,
aided him to surmount all obstaeles. Many
were the deluded believers who sought to
exchange the Iabors of ordinary life for the
comforts of nabob, by vain search Tor
the freebooter's gold. Prominent among
these was dweller in one of the upper
towns of the yalley-s well-to-do farmer,
whose broad acres covered rich portion OF
the iutervale, and sloped along the highlands
that overlooked the river. Not by virtue OF
ofiee but on account Of his sedate and steady
habits; his neighbors styled him " the Dea-
con - His plenteOue crops, welI-storeo
cellar and granaries, abundant stock ana e4-
cellent management, were the envy OF niS
townsmen, and should, it seemed, have made
him a contented man. But bis house over
looked beautiful island in the river, where
tradition said lay deposit OF the famous
nirate's treasure, of untold value, and a
| iickerish longing therefor grew in the course
/ of wears to be almost a mania upon him
| As he leaned upon his hoe to wipe bis brow
when the summer heat shImmered over his
fields. and his eve caught a view OF that sha-
DIV isle calmly mirrOred in the placid waters,
the money demon seemed TO peer from It's
yerdant iastness and mock his sweltering
toll. Could he only obtain that buried and
useless treasure, he could live ike KING
and sweat and toll no more.
More and more the desire of its possession
grew upon him At length, have it ne mus
but how? The opposition OF iends-per
hans of the devil himself-must be overcome
and were his unaided powers sufficient tt
cone with so formidable an adversary
, In this dilemma happy thought occurred
! to him. There Was the great cooJurol
! Bailou, who had aided him once before-Ir
a matter of vastly less Importance 70 %
sure-but whuse skill might enable MIN u
battle even supernatural foes, and put hlu
, in the way of succers. Yes, he had it t.
, him he would go, and only wnen discourage'
in that quarter would he consent to dV
without tie trial And to him he did go.
On his announcing his intention, the grea
}, magician smiled and said, 1.-The thing 20
5 seek is very easy and yet very difhcuit aye
e difficult because so easy. Let me explain
i The trouble lies in a cause 50 small as 70 o
a ridiculous, and yet not one In million ca
overcome IL. You are the first who has prt
:, posed the attempt; but years ago, whl
casting the horoscope of man destined
n sudden wealth, my guardian genius granite
e me the KEY to unlock the mystery, and piac'
d the whole secret in my possession: IL sna
Is he YOURS for a consideration but first let n
: consult the aspect of the planets, and see
: tbey favor immediate revelation.
= So saying, he assumed the haolilments
- his profession, opened the great black-iet'
4 volume, uttered his incantations, ana pl
"a ceeded TO consult its pages. At length
Of again addressed his wondering client
is favorable. Know, o mortal, that WI
,e the great freebooter committed that treas.
n to the earth, the utmost silence Preval
- throughout the whole TRANSACTION AT
y solemn hour of midnight, beneath an aug
moon. landed that bandit crew with the
Is chest. Deeply they ding its grave, ana d q
I'd II was lowered to the bottom, the neao
Is one of the band was. by the nana ol
IN Inirate chief struck from his snouios
\ and. with the CORY trunk, laid upon