American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-08-17
VOL. NH.

but the chin, was deathly pale. Now an
then he caught glimpse of a pair of kee
eyes, which he thought were both fierc
and threatening.
Il came to consult you," he STAN
mered
The black-covered head nodded. 81
is unnecessary to explain yourself fur
ther Your name is Paul Forbes. Yo1
desire to know by what means you ma,
obtain a certain treasure"
Paul was terrified. The other medium
that he had consulted had never told hin
actual facts.
when do you hold seance ~
"Now" in a hoarse grating voice. &c
need no trumpery tables, nor cards, no
machinery. Do you ask whether l car
see into futuritys You have scar or
your shoulder beneath your clothes, al
unhealed wound below your knee If
can tell you about these things thai
| others eyes cannot see, you can afford tC
trust me for the truth of whatever else ]
may say. Ask what you will and 1 viii
| answer"
"How am 1 to obtain the treasurer
said Paul
"How should l know what treasure
you mean? But pause" The figure moved
her hand slowly to her forehead, mutter
ed for few moments, then slowly took ii
down and looked piercingly at the terri
fed Paul.
1.-THE pot of gold waits for you, enough
to give you fortune and power. Here are
the directions by which you are TO obtain
it." She then placed a small slip of paper
in his hand.
'On these conditions" she said, in a
hollow whisper, that you solve the mys-
terry of this paper alone. You are to re-
ceive no assistance in reading it; if you
do, all is lost. Begone; you are an
swered."
Paul placed his money in her out
stretched hand, and went stumbling down
the stairs under the red lamp.
The next morning by daybreak he was
knocking at the door of his uncle's cham
Der.
"What is this ~ showing him paper
full of figures, lines and diagrams.
Don't read it to me. Only tell me what
sort of puzzle it is"
The Lieutenant raised himself on his
elbow, smotbering yawn. st seems to
be mathematical puzzle, Paul-the de-
scription of some locality, 1 think.
won't interpret it to you. 1t would need
a good Typographical engineer to do that.
Where did you pick it up -
Paul muttered out something and dis
appeared.
A week after the Lieutenant returned
to his regiment He noticed Paul busy
every night with his mathematics and his
slate and pencil. The dream-book was
laid on the shelf.
Several months after, Mrs. Forbes,
writing TO her brother, said:
81 have something to tell you of Paul
which know will please you Much to
my surprise he took the first prize in
mathematics at school last term. Find
ing prize-taking agreeable, presume, he
has devoted himself to all his studies with
renewed assiduity. But mathematics ap-
pear to be passion with the boy. He
told me that he designed studying topo-
graphical engineering, the very profess
sion would have chosen for him. lean
not tell you how thankful l am for his
sudden change"
The Lieutenant laughed, but made no
other sign.
He heard from his sister, but at long
intervals, as he was stationed on the from
tier; but every letter brought accounts of
PauPs incessant, steady labor in the one
direction.
Whether the hope of the treasure still
urged him on, or whether he found that
mathematics were his proper work and
that for which his talents and real tastes
best fitted him, we cannot say. But it is
certain that at the end of three years he
was ready to enter the highest class in
practical surveying of the Polytechnic
College.
A year later, Lieutenant Calderwood
was seated in the door of his tent, when
two or three strangers dashed up, and
stout, bearded, bright-eyed young fellow
jumped off his horse, caught him by the
shoulders, shook him, laughed, and ended
by kissing him like girl
"Paul Forbesl Bless you, boy! Howdid
you come here?"
Paul jumped to his feet, turned red, and
then burst into shout of laughter.
"You were the seeress? 1 know you
werew
The Lieutenant nodded sDo you be.
grudge the dollar for the prophecy" he
said. ''As / look back now, don't quite
approve of my manner of teaching you
your lesson, but you have shown yourself
a better scholar than feared"
''Been appointed Assistant Surveyor of
this Territory, sir. Attached to the ex-
ploratiou party under General Hay I
can't tell you all now, only that Ihave the
position for ten years, at a fine salary,
and mother and Clara are snug and happy
as they were before. What do you think
of that, Uncle Jem?"
Uncle Jem wrung his hand. "Think
Why, that you must have worked hard
to achieve so much, Paul -
Eyes, yes, it took hard work ~ nod
ding Its queer, too, what trifles will
drive fellow on a road, eh?"
Several months after, the Lieutenant
came upon Paul one day, who was look
ing at a bit of yellow paper, covered with
figures and lines.
''Do you know" said he, looking up,
there's puzzle that took me years to
make out p? 1 did it just before l left
home, and 1 found the answer to it
nothing"
The Lieutenant smiled. "Hard, health
full study, good profession and a good
income will not serve for pot of gold,
then, Paul ~ he said with a shrewd
twinkling in his eye.