New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-02-08

found its weight exactly agreed with its
bulk as marble. ''Baffled again." thought
/ to myself, and was proceeding to put
the column back as carefully as possible,
when popularity about it struck me.
Its weight was not equally distributed.
! In other words, although simply fluted
column of the same diameter throughout
its whole length, it was decidedly heavier
at the top than bottom. OF this there
| could be no doubt.
7 Then l began considering how to sepa-
rate the joint of the column without de-
facing it, for as have before remarked, I
never left sign OF my search behind me.
| l formed two theories. The column was
either joined with cement which might
| resist every effort to dissolve it, or simply
screwed together. In regard to the first
that it was cemented, l did not hold to
this very strongly, in spite of the fact that
1 had already bruised my hands in fruit
! less efforts to unscrew the marble. The
joint was very tight one, and consider
! able force must have been exerted in put
ting the two pieces together. and it would.
OF course, require force to take them
apart.
! Always fertile in expedients since my
| mind had been upon this search, soon,
! 10y the aid of table cover, napkin and
! stick OF wood, had rugged what the sailors
I call "a purchase or lever, and applied it
I to the column. But the exertion of my
! whole strength in tremendous strain
! tailed to show any results, and / sat me
down to ponder out another theory.
''No.' said |, sit must be joined by
screw. 1t was Chancels intention, no
doubt, one day to use this money, there
tore he would wish to put it away in such
a manner that he could draw upon it at
Will end III sums to suit his needs 1t
would have been playing indeed fools
part for him to have SO placed it, as he
Will have to destroy the receptacle to get
possession Of it," SO saying, suddenly
gave my lever powerful wrench
When. 10. the column turned There
was screw. And as slowly and toll
lngly turned it my heart almost stopped
beating and my eyes grew sightless 1t |
was screw cut into the marble itself, the |
upper part fitting over the lower for at |
least four inches, and had been partially |
glued together with some weak kind of |
cement. The column was followed out |
both above and below the joint. And each !
piece filled with gold coin and unmounted |
jewels. Chancel as ! know, was a man
OF science and had exactly suited the
weight OF the filling with the specific gray
lty OF the marble, so that the greater part
OF each cavity was occupied by jewels, and
and their value was immense.
satisfied myself with taking out the
contents OF the one I had unscrewed, for
why should disturb the rest? The secret
hos resisted seach for forty years, and /
can get the money at will. Safer there
than in bank-far safer. Besides, it was
important that should conceal from every
one the discovery. Each piece of coin
must be changed by stealth, each Jewel
sold afar off, SO as not to excite suspicion.
l calculated from the contents of the
column opened that the eleven fire places,
with their twenty-five columns, would give
me over $4,000, 600. This could not be an |
over estimate, as all the world had believed |
Chancel to be worth S2O,0OOOOO when he
died, although only about S7,O0O,O 900 had !,
been realized from his estate by his heirs
Now, allowing that Chancel's fortune was ,,
largely over estimated, still my sum would {
not be too large. At all events l pre-
erred remaining uncertain as to it's ex- i
ent TO running the risk consequent upon c
urther disturbance Of the places of de- t
)osit.
nat ali occurred seven years ago. and | l.
lever until to-day were the other columns +
disturbed. Nor could l manage, without e
xciting curiosity, TO realize currency p
pon my jewelry or gold coin. So have t
'een stinted for money almost all the r
ime. could not write for a living with q
7ealth untold all around me, nor could I :;
blink even, for my blood would go cours- ~
ng through my veins at the slightest hint o.
+ Chancels hidden treasure, which all d
he world has amused themselves talking 6;
bout for the last forty-seven years. ii
But to-day, my wife, during my absence CT
ito the town, called in her eldest son. 81
nd, breaking down all the columns, e.
lassed the treasure in heap and thus .,
4 1t await my coming. dropped into a CO
Toon at the sight. Il
She had discovered my secret years ago, ju
he says, from my rawlings while asleep, 81
1d had lost patience at suffering poverty b.
hlle actually in the possession of wealth. az
be is bold, rash woman, and that may ~
Try her through in keeping the treasure. ct
ut have received my death blow, That n,
st shock has upset me. 1t will never do d
e any good now. co