New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-08-08

was a man of large means. regret to say
however, that no. draft accompanied hit
commands. Go to him l must and will
There is a vessel up for Curacoa-she leaves
in week. l would like to sail in her."
| "And give up your occupation here II il
the height OF folly. Have you money
enough for your expensesF
| Hardly. By selling my 'rlDkets, my
watch. will still want $50. Will you lend
| it me?'
| "You may perhaps be useful to your rela
| tive, if such thing as relationship is posi-
BILE. You can have the money. Return it
| at your leisure
| Adrien left for Curacao within the ten
| days. Some three months afterward l re-
ceived kind letter from the young man
inclosing me the borrowed money, and with
1t came the gift of case of native birds
Adrien's letter was fOur.iifths full about
the Sol treasure, and the other fifth was
about Aurelia van Graab.' Until the next
! sugar crop was made. Claes van Crab
would do nothing. It was fully eight
months before any more tidiDgs came from
Curacao; This time the crop had been
sold. The planter was putting in new ma
chinery, and the money was wanted for
| Rlllieux apparatus. Adrien was super
| intendent and general manager, with a
| salary of $500. Little or nothing was said
! about the Sol. A small package came to
me, too, containing a bit Of old gold. was
| instructed by Adrien to have ring made
| with the gold, and Was to have pearl set
in it. The size Of the ring indicated fem
! it was to be returned to Curacao. Adrien
hoped when next he wrote me to be Azure.
| las husband. Adrien sent me, too, 100
weight of chocolate and bag OF very Won
dertul coffee. Claes van Grabs health was
feeble ESQ said the letter., and Adrien had
entire charge of his business.
lost sight of AdrIen for fully five years,
when one day he burst into the office.
Everybody, even the old manager, was
his good looks and his fortunes. Our presi.
dent deigned to patronize him. When we
were alone. he said 70 me, II am here for
machinery"
"More sugar works." inquired.
mo; it is for the Sol business. Aurelia
was an heiress. My poor old father-in.law
must have all his lite put aside large sums
OF money for the purpose Of finding this
Sol treasure. His will, if not positive in re.
gard to this wretched business, at least in
dicates that an effort must be- made"
"The Sol business wretched one Why,
Adrien. you have changed your tone ] con-
graduate you on being less visionary than
you used to be-
"Aurelia is ambitious, and has renewed
the question Of the wreck. She urges the
research. / would to God there had never
been any gold or silver sunk in that treach-
erOus sea. Ny wife dreams of titles, the
purchase Of an old estate in the Neither
lands, believes we have claims to the rank
OF the old Van Grabs, which wealth would
purchase. Colonial life has no charms tor
my wife. We are very rich; no fortune on
the island equals hers" / noticed some.
thing of chagrin in his manner.
''For Gods sake abandon this gold hunt
ing. if it is distasteful to you. Have you no
children
"Alas, none now. The terrible climate
was too much for one poor little child we
had. The loss of our con has changed Inv
wife's character. She is more determined
than ever to find the treasure. My word is
pledged. The engagement ring you had
made for me was beaten out of bit of gold
washed ashore from the wreck. Before we
had married had promised Aurelia to seek
the Sol. IL seems that for two centuries
those Curacao van Grabs have brooded ever
the buccaneers plumber until it has become
family faint. But to business. have
$3.50, to spend. Should we lose it, sugar
will make It up again in a few years. /
have made explorations, personal ones.
Last year a wreckiDg company sent
me some OF their most expert hands,
l went down with them. am fam
iliar with diving apparatus. We have
pretty nearly satisfied ourselves az to he
exact spot. There are traces Of ships tim.
bers, eaten by the worms. A dozen pieces
of gold coin, worn thin by abrasion, re-
warded our toll. Can you doubt now that
the Sol is no myth We have hunted the
old Dutch and Spanish archives. 1t was
not 81 100000 worth OF silver and gold that
wen. down in the Sol, but $4,000, 600. Crop
ing for millions some twenty tathoms under
water is terrible work
81 should think so, Adrien,"I replied.
as in your younger days your
''Pshaw. The Southern climate has re. |
stored me. | am getting used to an am-
phibious lite. If the money is found my |
wife will have her title-as for myself, it |
will be some good work OF charity shall |
found. Now, would you mind, nv old |
friend helping mes My absence from New
York has been so prolonged that am igno-
ant of many things. A life of somewhat
IN indolent character has dulled, perhaps,
ny energy. Will you act for me 1t may
occupy your afternoons. Let me assure
Iou. If do not presume on your kindness,
hat should be glad to offer you any re-
you would think suitable"
The proposal was so kindly made that 7
accepted the position of agent for Adrien,
lachinery was built, a tug was purchased,
nd contract made with company who
we're to send out to Curacao competent per-
ons acquainted with submarine work.
When all was ready and the last bill paid l
ecllned an urgent appeal on the part of
ldrlen to accompany him. The Crab left.
nd my labors ceased when the propeller
Iurelia De G. steamed out of the Narrows.
waited after that for months and months,
he managers of the wrecking company
onld only inform me that the pro.
eller and hands had arrived in
afety at Curacao. At last l received
short note from Adrieu. Usually he wrote
he neatest of hands; now the words
Tere scrawled and difficult to decipAer. II
ead as follows: Found ! have lust nut
Aurelia's feet an ingot of gold. Its
eight is eighteen pounds 1t must have
double that $50 years ago. Poor
urelia l never told you there had been a |
asslng cloud between us. Her love has
turned. The work under the sea is ter
ply trying. dare not trust the men out
my sight. It is delirium of wealth |
hich is like to craze me. l shall write
ou again. Our success is now beyond a
oubt, and only question of time.' It
as with feverish anxiety that watched
r another letter. Most year passed and
} tidiDgs came. At last, in an insignificant 6
swspaper paragraph, among the scantv
agments of news CLEANED from South
merican sources, read this:
" The Sol expedition in search of a treas
eship, after most brilliant opening, has a
a Panama" c
So it ended. The close of this drama can '
better understood by transcribing a let t
: Adrien's wife sent me- f
II am alone now in this world. Adrien ia a
more. Even the poor consolation of t
eing his remains has been denied me. a
yer can have peace again on this earth. Y
10 lngot OF gold he gave me send you Z
iva q crucifiy mazda nf Uy;tL | q