The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-06-04

II AlG S11Ns iEOiAA tlC DOAi0 ~ 1
turn to Boston and make immediat
preparations for winter campaign i
= the West.
"The secoud evening of the societ,
of the reverend gentleman was enjoy
o ed more than we enjoyed the first
Ais fund of anecdote and adVentur
was litererally exhaustless, and yet al
air of sanetlty aud delicacy pervadet
all his speech. We urged that h,
should spend few days with us, bu
he could not He said it would Civ,
him great pleasure to do so, but hi
: call to the new field of labor in thl
, West was pressing and imperitive.
Son the next morning. at the break
fast table, our guest was even more
E sedate and thoughtful than on the pre-
vious occasion, and when questioned
on the matter he told us that he ha6
been visited by the same dream again
, "sThis time said he, 'the vision
came with wonderful distinctness.
not only beheld the vast chambers o.
: virgin silver, but l saw an exact pro
file OF the overlying territory. It was
a wild cesoIate spot by deep ravine
through which the SHOWS of winter
seemed to find release in spring, rush,
! ing down the 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 startling
reality
"We conversed further on the SUBJ
ject, and after breakfast Mr.. Meek
more took a. pencil, aud upon the
blank leaf of an old atlas. he drew q
picture of the spot he had seen in his
dream and he pointed out where, be-
meath the roots of an old pine tree, he
had seen some of the precious metal.
'iHe had drawn the picture, he told
US, to show us how vivid his dream
had been /; but he advised us to think
no more about it. Even if it were
possible the dream had substance, the
body of mine was far below the sur
face and, moreover, the Lord only
knew where the spot was located, ev-
en- allowing that such spot ever ex-
listed.
tsFor once in my life allowed cupid
! ity to get the better of my outspoken
honesty. l allowed the reverend gem
theman to depart, and did not tell him
] that knew where there was a spot
the exact original of that which he had
pictured, even to every rock, shrub,
tree and raviue. And the spot was
upon the wild lot which had been par-
chased by John Twist, and which
John Twist owned still.
''Fhat very afternoon, armed with
an old axe and pick, | saillied forth to
| the rough outside of the Twist lot. /
knew exactly where the pictured spot
was to be found, and when [ reached
it was more than ever struck by the
laithfulness of Mr.. Meekmore's draft.
The accuracy in detail was wonderful.
And when remembering that this
draft had been made by an utter and
absolute stranger to the place-made
by the simple impression of a dream
lis it marvel that l was strangely
influenced? ? [ found. the old tree
which the reverend gentleman had
particularly designated, and went to
work.
ssAnd ere fofig my labors were re-
warded. Beneath one of the main
roots l found lump of pure white
metal as large as hens egg; and up
on further chipping and digging, l
found several more smaller pieces.
They had evidently been taken from
molten mass.
''That night / slept but little, / could
Jill l1O 6H ohCi 6ANA Au4nA VI NuO NhcL
wealth buried in that hillside. But
what could l do? The lot was not
mine and | should run great risk if l
troubled another mans property.
son the next day 1 rode over to see
my cousin; he informed me that not
only that lot but number of others
would be sold at auction in few
weeks.
''On the appointed day / went over
to the settlement where the land was
to be sold. It was put up in hundred
acre lots, and sold by the original
plans of the Whitney purchase. Lot
number one was put up first, and sold
for one quarter of cent an acre,
s.The next lot was the Twist Lot
so called, and heard that iron and
copper had been discovered upon it.
A stranger in jockey clothes started
it at fifty cents an acre. Another
stranger bid seveRty-fve.
"The man in the jockey suit said he
had positive assurance that pure iron
ore had been found in some of the
gulches, and he bid one dollar per
acre. At this point entered the
contest, and bid one twenty-five. Up
-up-up, twenty cents at a time,
till at length I had bid ten dollars an
acre. People called me crazy. But /
held my bid, and kept my own coun-
sci.
"And the Twist lot was knocked
down to me for just one thousand
dollars. [ told them to made out the
deed while I went home after the
money. emptied my old stocking of
gold and silver, and found nine hun
dred and fifty dollars. / borrowed
the other fifty dollars without trouble
at the settlement, and straightway
proceeded to the Office of Squire Sim
kins, where the deed had been made.
The instrument had been duly signed
and sealed, and when the Squire had
assured me that the payment of the
money would make all fast and safe,
handed over the gold and silver.
81 observed that the name of John
Twist had been recently signed, and
asked Simkins if Mr.. Twist was pres
ent.
"'He was present a few minutes
ago. said Simkins, and will be back
again for his money
''Half an hour afterward l called at
the Squire's again, and Mr.. Twist had
just gone out with his money.
"sThere he is noW,' said Mr.. Sim
kins.
81 looked out of the window, and at
the door of the inn, was man, in q
bottle green coat, just mounting the
horse. L recognized the horse, and l
recognized the man.
"'Who is that man. said, 'he with
the green coat?'
"'That,' said Mr. Simkins, is John
Twist
an a moment more tho man in the
bottle green coat had ridden away,
and buttoned up within that coat be-
held my reverend guestl 1t rushed
upon me that the Rev. Paul Meekmore
and John Twist were one and the
same personl
A few days after I took my Jumps
OF white metal to man who was
versed in such matters, and asked him
what they were. He took the largest
lump and tested it, and said:
'PeWterp