Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1875-05-29
THAT BOX OF GOLD.
SHEPHERDsrowN, w. Va,

give the following which happened in
the adjoining county, in Terrapin Neck,
a few days ago. We give the names,
OF course, which may as well as the real
ones, suit the purpose. The owner of
saw mill has it rented to Mr. Smith.
A few days since Mr.. Jones, the owner
of the mill, sent large oak log to the
mill, one of the real monarchs of the
forest that had stood the blasts of more
than century-huge, clear of knots,
and one from which much was to be
expected in the way of lumber, but not
so much of trouble and strife as follow
ed. That log contained the possibilities
of many things, just like all logs, but
we doubt if any of its forest companions
ever did, or ever will, prove such
store-house of evils, as this one did.
After one slab had been taken off,
Mr.. Smith, the renter of the mill, dis
covered what he took to be the presence
of iron spikes on one side Of the log,
and as such things though sometimes
found they are quite out of place in
saw logs, so Mr.. Smith very prudently
went to work with chisel and mallet to
cut out whatever it was that had excited
his attention, rather than run the chance
of having his saw ruined by striking
against iron spikes or iron Of any kind.
In cutting out this foreign substance
and offending substance, several augur
holes, years and years old, were brought
to view, aud around them the wood
had grown hard and gristle like-almost
as hard, but not quite iron; and by the
time it had all been removed by the
chisel nice square hole, ten by twelve
inches, was left in the stabbed side of
the log, which in few minutes when
the sap had collected III the surface
looked black and not very much like a
freshly cut hole-but just such an one
as imaginative minds would picture
to be the snug little receptacle of a
tight strong box filed with gold eagles
and other treasures, placed there by
some frightened and prudent owner
during the late unpleasantness, or at
some other time when security demand
ed just such a nice, safe and novel
hiding place.
The owner of the log and Of the mill
happening by, saw the unusual sight
square hole in one of his logs brought
to view by the cutting off the slab
and that tree Just cut down, and where
no hole of the kind would be under any
but the most unusual circumstances,
and being one sees clearly the way to
their own interest, and keen to see and
pursue a chance, at once suspected foul
play, and that from that square hole
something had been taken, and what
that was he set to work to find out, for
it was his log, and what came out Of it
was his too by right of ownership.
With feelings that none but those who
were in his condition have, and suspect
ing Mr.. Smith, the miller, of having
wrongfully defrauded and concealed
from him he asked him what he had
taken out of that square hole in his log.
The reply only confirmed his already
highly excited mind-''If you give me
$4,000, will tell you, aud give you the
half of it. The square hole by this time
looked quite black and old like from
the acid in the sap coming to the sur
face; and Mr.. Jones was bent on find
ing out where the treasure had been
hid by Mr.. Smith. He applied to boy
who helped aboutthe mill, whose smart
hess led him to impose on old Mr..
Jones credulity, and answered che
would tell him where the little box was
if Mr.. Jones would give him $50; which
the old man readily promised to do, and
the owner OF the log left to wait till
night, the time fixed, and in the mean
while to speculate as to the amount Of
gold Mr. Smith had attempted to fitch
from him.
To carry out what now gave promise
of some fun, all hands about the mill
went to work, for to this time none but
the old man had any idea about that
square hole except as hole in a log;
small box was soon filled with iron
enough to make it qdite heavy and val
liable to the feel, and duly hid away
under the ground in the adjoining
woods as though placed there by MIR.
Smith to stay till time gave him
chance to carry it off.
At night the boy conducted Mr. Jones
to the spot for which he was paid $40
crisp greenback. The old man dug,
found the box, and eagerly clutcbing it
in his nervous grasp exclaimed, "Oh
I've got tive got it "-hurriedly car
lied it to his house and then, after Sc
curing all the doors and turning down
the oil lamp-it is supposed to keep the
shine of the gold from hurting his eyes,
he TREMENDOUSLY broke open his treasure
and found-alas, what too often turns
out to our, credulous and grasping treas
ure lovers and seekers,-some worthless
scraps of iron. His disappointment
and chagrin, it is said by those who
were in the secret and were watching
him through the windows, was some
thing dreadful; and yet all Is not done
here, for the old man believes treasure
was got out of that square hole in his
log, and Smith only hid the box to draw
off attention from the one actually got
out of the log, and which he says was
filled with gold-for he knows quanti-
ty OF it was hid during the war by one
of his kinsmen who died before reveal
ing its hiding place.
But the 500 bill he gave the boy he
SAYS he must have back, the boy says
he shant; and so some fuss for the law
yers, as is too often the case, may come