The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1873-09-27

From the New York sun.
Wother day, while acranbting out of
the great hole in the ground near the
sun office which the Tribune people
are filling up with costly brick and
granite, rs Il monument tothc founder
OF that paper, we picked up Il piece of
copper ore. The bit of green rock
recalled to mind aa amusing incident
in the life Of the late Mir. Greeley. 1t
occurred many years ago, long before
the late war was begun, and before
even The philosopher OF Spruce street
had dreamed of being the Democratic
candidate for President.
The interior third-Story editorial
room, on Nassau street, so long Occu-
pied by MIR. Greeley, has become OK
ceedingly dingy. It's furniture was in
the last stages Of dilapidation. Nari
Gus propositions to improve it had been
vetoed by the occupant, who feared
that any attempt at change would de-
range the 0rderot ispapers and books
of reference. But one Saturday, while
the sage WAS cAopplng wood at Chap
! paqua, the Duriy engineer, Patrick
| O'Rourkc, came up with II host of
helpers, and pretty soon had every
thing topsey-tmVey, The carpet was
torn up by the roots, and the subsoil
shovcled out from under it. The fur.
niture was hustled aside, the walls
scraped and papercd, the woodwork
painted, new carpet laid, and by
nightlall Patrick, rs he surveyed the
w0ndr0us change, congratulated him
self on tho wondrous achievement.
Next day Mr.. Greeley, coming in
| fpn.l, thn N IinnpnnS nf IN,
Chapin's sermon, was struck with
dumb wondormcnta at the mUtanorpho-
sis. Without a word he slumpcd down
into his easy chair and thrust his feet
under the desk, apparently in fine
mood to do justice to bleeding Kansas
or castigate the rascally free traders,
Hardly had he touched his seat, how
ever when he sprang up as though
stung, and pointing under his desk,
shricked in his squeakiest tones:
"What-thief has stolen my speci-
mems; wn-o-r-c-'s my specimensW
'ihc people from the outer office
rushed in at the row, and pretty soon
Mr.. Greeley was appriZed that Patrick
O'Rourke was the leader of the vail
dals who had despoiled his sanctum.
"Send him up here" yelled Horace,
"send him upw
So Patrick was summoned from the
vaults of the establishment, where he
was engaged like the good Deacon
Smiths partners, in getting up steam
on Sunday for Mondays paper.
O'Rourke came in expecting TO be COM
pimented for his thorough work.
Slowly wiping the persperation from
his forehead on his bare, brawny arm,
he drew up to the editor, his face
wreathed in smiling anticipation. But
the sight of Horace's angry countc-
nance warned poor Patrick that II
storm was imminent.
"What is it Mr.. Greeley" he mildly
queried.
"Pat, where's my specimens"
screamed Horace, pointing to the
vacant spot under his desk,
'Specilnens! Mr.. Greelsy? Speci-
mens!" meekly responded Patrick.
"Ies; the specimens l kept under
there" said Horace.
"Well, Mr.. Greeley" blurted out
Patrick, ~ don't know anything about
yer specimens; but if We name that ould
type box full OF rocks ye KEEP there,
why they only Uttered up the place,
ami | threw 'em into the street,
u
"You damed foolw screamed Horace,
"Didn't you know that box of speci
mems was all | had To show for twenty
thousand dollars worth of copper
stocks?n and the good man sank hys-
terically back 10 his seat-tO ponder on
his misfortunes, while poor Pat, thor
oughly humblcd hurried out 10 recover
what he could Of the lost treasures.
He succeeded in finding some of them,
and put them in the cellar for safe
keeping.
This was long, long ago, and here
now, is solitary fragment of that
time turning up under the laborers'
mattook aud testifying to the generous
nature of one who might have been a
Croesus had he been less credulous;
who might, had he been more worldly
minded, have built inhls own lifetime,
out of his own hard-earned wealth, the
stately structure it was the dream Of
his life to found, but whose erection he
was never destined TO witness. The
dreamer is now dust; the busy life but
a recollection. OF that great fortune
which he won there remains 70 his
children but crumhiing fragment,
comparatively as ineonsiderate as this
bit OF copper ore