The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-04-05
THE POT OF GOLD.

Lieut.. Calderwood was at his 81
ter's house on visit, during his tv
weeks furlough. He was sitting wit
her one evening in the parlor, whi
her two children were studying the
lessons at the table in the back room
'' $50 Paul is lazy scholar, eh
said the lieutenant, lowering h
voice.
mo, not at all. He is diligel
enough, provided his studies suit b
fancy. But what are they? yo
lCOk over his shoulder now, YOU
find him poring over some Book (
Dreams, or History of Captain Ky
and his Treasures, instead of Ia
ischool books. The boy is derange
on the subject of growing rich sue
denly, at some bold mastsr-stroke.
wish you would talk to him. YO
are supreme with him just now. ]
may be you could ridicule him out &
his adsurdity; l can not" Z
"But ought he to be ridiculed?'
"James!"
"Well, call Clara in, and I'll g
and talk to him awhile"
Mrs. Forbes beckOned her littl
girl to her, and the lieutenant saun
tered into the back room, and, Ian
sorry to say, lighted a cigar.
| "Well, Paul, my boy, hard at it
What's the book? Latin or algebra :"
Paul colored a little. "Oh, l cal
run over my lessons in the morning
They're so horribly dull! Pm read
ing now"
"Head of your classes, 1 hope
aren't you"
Paul laughed. "No indeed; nearer
he other end. Well, the truth is, "
throwing down his book, and leaning
over confidentially, "I've got it into
my head to make money. Mother
has hard work to get along with Clara
and me-"
"I know, Paul." said the lieuten-
ant, gravely.
Now, what good does this seam
ming of dead languages and pOring
over cube roots do? How much meat
will that put in the pOt?"
"How do you propose to help your
mother?"
"Well, sir" whispered Paul eager
ly-for this was his first patient lis
tener-"if had a large sum of money
that could get all at once, without
any delay-a large sum-then, after
wards, l could make scholar or
what pleased of myself"
The lieutenant drew the book Paul
had been reading toward him. Re
velations by ClairvOyance and Spirit
ualism Regarding Hidden Treasures"
Paul watched him keenly, as he read
the title, but not the vestige of a
smile fitted over the iieutenant's face.
"I'll tell you candidly, uncle, about
it." hitching his chair nearer. Erred
Parker came from Jersey, near where
Kyd buried his treasure. You know
the place?"
"Not precisely; do you?' T
'~''Not the exact spot, but it is near
Burlington. Kyd buried the chest,
and then called on his men to know
who would stand guard over it a
hundred years. So one fellow step
ped out, and stood firm till Kyd shot
him through the heart. So they
buried him standing over the chest,
with his drawn sword in his hand.
You've heard of the incident?"
Yes; but"
"How will find the place? Well"
Paul began to fidget little, turning
over the leaves of the book.
"Perhaps you will laugh at me,
uncle, but L don't see why you
should. The ancients called in the
aid of oracles and dreams. They knew
how to read coming events in the
flight of birds, or by the entrails of
beasts. If we can not do SO, too, it
seems to me it is because we have
lost the power, not because the signs
are not there to read. The wisest
men have not been ashamed to be
superstitious. 1t is only fools who
think there is nothing in the world
but what they can see and handle"
"I quite agree with you with re-
gard to the fools, Paul"
Paul, who had been defiant hither-
to, .blushed with pleasure. II don't
KNOW" he continued, "what credit
to give to spiritual mediums. Fact is,
I've run after them till I'm about
tired. They've got all my last two
quarters allowance, and 1 have had
to go without new cloths all the win
ter. But if l could succeed! If / could
only find the pot or chest! Just
think! 1t would make mother easy
for life"
Every true" said his uncle.
They were both silent for a while,
the lieutenant smoking, and Paul
turning over the leaves of his book
with feverish haste, glancing up,
now and then, furtively, at his uncle.
"What first put this matter in your
head, Paul?
81 don't know. We really need
money so often. And then Fred
Parker told his stories of Kyd's
treasures, and see these clairvoyant
advertisements in the paper every
day''-
"As to those mediums" said Lieut.
'Calderwood, thoughtfully, my opin-
ion is that they will take your money,
and you will get no information in
return. / have never had any inter-
course with them, for l have no be-
lief in their ability to tell you any
thing you do lot already know your
self. A friend Of mine, Capt. Johns,
told me of a woman, fortune-teller,
whom he consulted here as to his
future life, who made some remarka-
BILE predictions, very remarkable, in
deed. She sketched out his whole
career for him."
"Who was she? Where is she to be
found ? cried Paul, forgetting to ask
whether the prophecies proved true
or nOt-and they were most ridicu-
lously absurd and untrue.
"At 81 Poplar Street." said his
uncle, after several moments of hesi-
tation. "She was to be consulted
only at night. But that was several
years ago." Il
"Pl go and see her tomorrow
night" said Paul. He was more
nervous and unsettled than usual
that evening, and sat looking in the
fire for long time.
''The boy is ruined" sighed his
mother. Nothing will ever restore
him to common sense or usefulness"
'''It is q long day until sunset"
said her brother, quoting his favorite
proverb. o-L t-
The next night, Paul put on his
overcoat just after supper, and his
last dollar in his pocket. His uncle
had not been at home during the
afternoon. Paul kissed his mother
good-by once or twice. -.-te4
"Where are you going, my son ?"
"TO make our fortune" he said,
gayly, as he ran out.
No. 81 Poplar Street was soon
found Beside il was q narrow dark