The Hickman courier., 1872-09-07
A MODERN ALADDIN.
Half n Million Of Dollars Man.
uGHctured in Two Months.

rum Lut Gun AEFOulclc
The following story as reported to us
has much of The romance in it, but the
future may demonstrate its truth, revo
lutionize commerce and make the pos
SCISSORS of the marvellous talisman. the
veritahle Midas of the nineteenth centu
ry. tits no less than the discovery of q
chemical process, which. when applied to
base metals, transmutes them into gold
pure, shining, veritable gold The ru
mor of the diamond discoveries in Ari
zona have somewhat precipitated the dis
closure of the facts we are about to re
late. and though az the risk of breaking
faith with our informant, we consider his
statement too important to be withheld
from the public.
THE MODERN MIDAS.
Some three months ago a plain look
ing man, OF American birth, presented
himself at one OF our leading banks and
solicited an interview with the manager
The banker was very much occupied
With his cares, oyerhprden ned withso1Ier-
of paper for discount, aud barrassed with
the prospects of losses on loans for which
he held collateral in the shape of mimi
stocks. seemly descending on his hands
Ile surveyed his supposed customer, and
almost before the first words of sslnts-
ton had fallen from the new comer's lips
he said
No, sir; can't do it. Very sorry
but have gone beyond our limits TO ac-
commodate our own customers. Doing
nothing on the outside to-day. at any
rates"
The stranger made 20 reply, but de
posted leathern valise on the bankers
desk, opened and took from it mass OF
dingy metal, looking half like brass, and
handed it to him. The man of money
looked at it curiousIy, anu returned it.
saying he was no judge of mineral sub
stances and had no time to study this
particular specimen.
A CONFIDENTIAL PERSONS JUDGMENT
The stranger asked him if he would
know gold if he saw it; and, if not,
would he be kind enough to send for
for some confidential person, on whose
Judgment he could rely, to say aud de
termine the quality and value Of his lump
of metal. The proposition was reluct
anily acceded to. One Of our most prom
inent ass 'ye s was summoned. and after
examining the substance aud inquiring
with visible excitement where il cam
from, and receiving no satisfaction. de
parted, taking il with him, promising t.
report On it the next day about one
noon. Puuctually At the appointed tim
the three men met at the bank The as
sayer produced the metal, which had been
run into the form of a bar, aud had all
the appearance Of the ordinary gold in
got a commerce.
"Tha, looks like gold" said IL,
banker
1T is gold, said the assayer, "Dearly
a thousand fne-the purest I have ever
put in a crucble"
ANOTHER SEARCHING TEsT.
The stranger said nothing The 9th
ers piled him with questions concerning
the source from which i; came. lie
civilly bat firmly declined to furnish any
Information. requesting them, as a fur
ther test OF its geuuiueness, to send il 10
the Mint in this city for coinage. To
this they asseDted. and the bar was sent
with other bars, 10 the Mint. 1t was
there again submitted TO the tests usual
in such cases, aud the next day its value
was returned in double eagles-some
thing more ihae eight thousand dollars
which was placed to the credit of the
now decidedly interesting stranger. For
nearly u week morning was seen OF heard
of him The banker was in a fever OF
excitement. II could think of nothing
but the owner Of the gold lie ran oves
all the mining news of the public press
Tor some record Of strike ia the gold
producing districts and, if the truth
must lie told, he waited for some iDtelli
genee of an audacious robbery Of the
treasury box of an up country State OF
of the rifng of some bank or assay Of
fee in which his hew friend should play
prominent part.
SECOND INsTALLMENT.
So we'll satisfied was he of the cor
rectness or this latter conjecture. that he
was ON the point of advertising the pos
session by him. under peculiar circum-
stances of large quantity of refined
gold when the deposition appeared bring
ing with him a much larger piece Of the
same metal as formerly. which. with
>ome ceremony aud dignity. he submit
ted for inspection This was done, aud
then the stranger inquired if the banker
was satisfied Of It's genuineDess.
Perfectly. perfectly" was the answer
1T is gold Where did you get IT'D"
The answer nearly caused him to faint.
lie sat for few memeDts like one in a
tianee His ears were filled with strange
sounds His eyes grew dim. Ills hand.
trembled nervously, aud his heart beat
queer tattoo which alarmed him for his !
personal safety 1t was very brief an |
swer. vet in it were involved the most
mumeutous consequences to commerce.
TO the vast system Of labor and capital
employed in the mining euterpri~eses OF
the State, TO the precious metal basis OF
trade in every land. aud to the mainten-
ance even of government itself. 1t con
laiued revolution within itself
"I MADE IT MYSELF"
1t is no wonder that the amazing dis
closure almost unnamed the listener.
The stranger quietly said
Il made it myself" aud. after pause
ne added: Il can make it By the ton
can freight a ship with it within a
month irom the time have enlarged my
present laboratory, as / am now about
to do
The banker piled him with questions
as to It's locality. and with prayers TO be
permitted to visit the scene OF his mar
velous labors. but to DO purpose. lie
then held up before the discoverer the
power which they could WELD in the
community. the vast possessions which
they might acquire, aud The certainty OF
making together lame unequailed since
the world began# lie represented to
him tile impossibility Of concealment,
except with the aid of one situated like