Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-04-29

financiers withal. Then the Judge mildly
intimated he had business to attend to and
Silas took his departure. But when out
side and on his way home, Silas, like the
prodigal son, "came to himself" and he
began to think the investment not so good
one after all. He tried to recall the ar
guments and brilliant promises of the
Judge, but someway he could't remember
them, and the more he tried the more he
forgot, while facing him was very i'm
portant question:
What would Maria say!
Yes, there was the rub! Ard Maria had
q great deal to say when she heard of it,
as her words at the first of this story do in
part testify. But her words could not
bring back the money, and with heavy
heart the poor woman placed the stock
certificates in q bureau drawer, hoping
against hope that something might come
from them after all.
Vain delusion! DAYS ard weeks passed
by, and the "Great Union Petroleum Oil
Company" paid no dividends to its stock
holders-at least, Silas didn't receive any.
In answer to his questions the Judge al
ways talked learnedly about the geological
formation, the various strata to be gone
minuteness the machinery used, until his
bewildered listener thought digging oil
wells very deep business. And SO it
was. Altogether too deep for Silas.
One day in the early autumn Silas came
home with new idea in his head. He
had been talking with the Judge, and that
great man had told him the company were
just on the eve of striking ola story
Slas had frequently heard before, but this
time sudden thought came to him. He
would go to Pennsylvania and look for
himself. He mentioned the project to
Maria, and, to his surprise, she agreed
with him.
81 don't know what made me do it,
either" she said, afterward, talking to a
neighbor when Silas had gone. at is
only throwing good money after'the bad. !"
Nevertheless she did SO agree, and went
hard to work to get her husband in trim
for the journey. He, the meanwhile,
worked steadily to secure money for the
purpose and then, respondent in blue,
brass buttoned swallow-tsil, drab trousers
and tall hat, with the certificates snugly
placed inside 2 breast pocket, departed.
The exact locality Of the we'll he did not
know. He understood it was somewhere
near the city of P, and thitherward he
journeyed, feeling confident that the
Great Union Petroleum Oil Company"
could easily be found.
Silas reached P the next evening
and found it lively place, made up chief
ly of refineries, derricks, oil barrels, and
spectators and, like wise man, he went
Immediately to hotel and ate a hearty
supper and then went to bed. And on the
following morning he was ready for bust
ness; and on that morning, too, came the
tide that led him on to fortune.
When he passed out into the street after
breakfast he found everybody talking
about " the great strike" of the preceding
night. 1t seemed that new company,
composed of Eastern men, had been Dor
ing for oil for some time past, and with no
prospect of success. But just as they were
about giving up, and considering the
money invested as money lost, then it was
fortune smiled upon them. In moment,
Is it occasionally happens, they had struck
the oleaginous fluid, and the despised well
became a flowing fountain of wealth.
And, of course, the company's stock went
leaping up to an enormous distance be-
yond par.
Silas heard all this and his heart and
head at once became light with hopeful
expectation.
Shouldn't wonder q bit if twas our
well" he murmured to himself, "cause
the Judge said we was jest on the pint o.
strikin' somethin'. I'm sure it's our
WE'LL" Then, as man went hurryin by,
he asked: "Say, Mister, is it the Great
Petroleum Company that has struck oil ~
Why, of course it's petroleum CON-
pany," replied the man, fastening on.
Il Jest knew it! Hoorray for Gineral
Jackson!" shouted Silas, throwing his best
hat recklessly into the air, much to the
surprise of the bystanders. Then he hur-
ried back to the hotel, scarcely knowing
whether he stood on his head or heels.
After he reached that place he didn't know
what to do with himself. He walked
around, and then he sat down; then he
got up and walked about again. Present
ly he entered the reading room, and as he
did so he heard q gentleman near one OF
the tables say:
"Well, last night | would have sold my
four shares for fifteen cents on the dollar,
but now hardly know what would take
for them"
Have you got shares in the Great Pc
troleums SO have |" exclaimed Silas,
rushing straight up to the stranger Is If he
were his long lost brother.
Bully, amt it? Hoorah for"
Don't get excited interrupted the
stranger, laughing. Perhaps you are
mistaken. Let me compare your stock
certificates with mine"
AS he spoke he placed his own certih-
Gates on the table, and Silas did the same
with his. The papers certainly bore
general resemblance, but just as the stran-
ger was about to examine them closely
some one came TO the door and called him.
Il can't stop" he said, gathering up
his papers again hastily and placing