The Van Buren press., 1873-05-13
The next morning, at the breakfast ia

| asked blessing, ana theu ohly ans S"e'eu
such questions as we asked him. flnal
" nv wife told him she was afraid he
had not slept we'll He smiled and SAID
he had slept very well. saving the spel
of very curious dream which had visit
ed him three separate times during tbs
night Betsey asked him II he would tel
what it was about
at was the old dream OF hidden
wealth, " he said, with solemn look 81
haven't dreamed such a dream before
since by a wonderful dream in South Al
rica led to the discovery OF diamond
mine worth millions of dollars, and II
never pro6ted me u cent But such
wealth is not for me. ! need 1t not My
calling hath higher and holier aims. Ano
vet this poor flesh is sometimes veal
enough to lust after the dross OF gold
and silver.
BY degrees we got from him that he
had dreamed OF silver mine among the
crags Of our hills This mine seemed to
his vision to be utterly exhaustlcss in the
precious metal but he could not locate
il. Betsey, whose curiosity was aroused
would have pushed tho matter, but Mr..
! Meekmorc finally shook his head more
solemnly that ever, and said that ne
would rather forget tho dream If he
could
When tue missionary's horse was at
the door, and the owner was prepared to
start OF, he informed us that he was
bound toward the Canada line and that
he might return that way. Or course we
told him that our door would he always
open to him and he promised that he
would abide with us again il he had the
opportunity.
la two weeks Mr Meckmore came
back. lie had received a summons, he
said, from the Home Board TO return to
Boston aud make immediate preparation
for winter campaign in the West,
The second evening in the society OF the
reverend gentleman we enjoyed more
than we enjoyed the first His fund OF
anccdote and adventure was literally eX-
haustless, and yet an oder ofsanctity and
delicacy peryaded all his speech. We
urged that he should spend few days
with us, but he could not. lie said 1t
would give him great pleasure to do so,
but his call to the new field of labor in
the West was pressing and imperative.
On the next morning, at the breakfast
table, our guest was even moro sedate
and thoughtful than on the previous oc
casion. and when questioned on the mat
ter, he told us that he had been visited
by the same dream again.
This time, ho said, the vision came
with wonderful distinctnsss. l not only
behel1 the vast chambers Of virgin sill
yer, but saw an exact profile Of the
everything territory. 1t was wild desc
late spot, by deep ravine, through
which the SHOWS OF winter seem TO find
release in spring, rushing down a craggy
| hillside to dark, wide stretching swamp
below. This would not Impress me so
seriously were it not that once before a
dream Of the same import proved start
ling reality.
We conversed further on the subject,
and after breakfast, Mr.. Meekmore took
a pencil, and upon the blank leaf Of an
| old atlas he drew picture of the spot lie
had seen in his dream; and he pointed
out where, beneath the roots of an old
stumpy pine tree ho had seen ouicrop'
pings Of the precious metal
lie had drawn tho picture, he told us,
to show us how vivid his dream had
been; but he advised us to think no more
Of it. Even if it were possible that the
dream had substance, the body Of the
mine was far below the surface and,
moreover, the Lord only know where the
spot was located, even allowing that such
spot existed.
For once in my life had allowed Gu
pidity to get tho better Of my outspoken
honesty. allowed the reverend gentle
man to depart, and did no. tell him that
| knew whore there was a spot exactly
tho original of that which he had pictur
cd, even to every rock, shrub, tree and
ravinc And that spot was upon the
wild lot which had been purchased by
John Twist, and which John Twist own
ed still.
That very afternoon, armed With an
old AK and pick, sailed forth to tho
rough outside of the Twist lot. ! knew
exactly where the pictured lot was to be
found, and when dad reached 1t ! was
more than ever struck by the faithfulness
Of Mr.. Meekmore's draft. The accuracy
in detail was wonderful. And when
reflected that this draft had been made by
one who was an utter and absolute stran-
ger to the plaoc--madc from the simple
impression Of dream-is it u marvel
that | was strangely iniluenced1 found
the old tree which the reverend dreamer
had particularly designated and went to
work at its roots
And ere long my labors were reward
ed Beneath one Of the main roots !
found a lump Of pure white metal as large
as a hens egg and upon further chop
ping aud digging, found several more
smaller pieces They bad evidently bcon
taken from molten mass, and upon rub.
bing the dirt found them all pure and
bright.
That night slept but little. could
only lie awake aud think OF tho vast
wealth that lay buried in that bleak hill
side But what could | do1 The lot
was not mine, and should run great
risk il | troubled another mans property.
And moreover IL | made further ex.
ploraiions while the land was not mine,
the secret might be divulged and tho vast
wealth snatched from me. ! must pur-
chase the Twist lot, and had no doubt
could purchase it for mere song.
On the next day ] rode over 70 see my
,o,a;, and v,hon I had sppI.on of tho