The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1876-01-12
The Sunken Treasure.

dren, q handsome old-fashioned room.
with a large, open cupboard at one
end, in which is displayed a magnifi-
cent gold cup, with some other splsn-
did articles Of gold and silver plate.
In another part Of the room, opposite
to tall looking glass, stands our be-
loved chair newly polished, and
adorned with . gorgeous cushion of
crimson velvet, tufted with gold.
In the chair sits a man Of strong
and sturdy frame, whose face has been
roughed by northern tempests, and
blackened by the burning sun Of the
West Indies. lie wears an immense
periwig, flowing down over bis shoul-
ders. His coat has wide embroide-
ry Of golden foliage; and his waist
GOAT, likewise, is all lowered over
and bedizzened with gold. His red,
rough hands, which have done many
a good days work with the hammer
and adze are half covered by the del
icate lace rufisat his wrists. On a
table lies his silver gifted sword, and
in corner Of the room stand his gold
headed cane, made OF beautifully pol
ished West Iudisn wood. Somewhat
such an aspect as this, did Sir William
Phips present, when he sat in grand
fathers chair, after the King had ap.
pointed him Governor Of Massachu-
sets. Truly there was need that the
old chair should be vanished, and
decorated with a crimson cushion, in
order to make it suitable for such
magnificent looking parsonage. .ea
But Sir William Phips bad not al
ways worn a gold embroidered coat,
nor always set 80 much at his ease as
he did now in grandfather's chair. lie
was poor mans son, and was born in
the northern province of Maine, where
he had used to tend sheep upon the
hills, in his boyhood and youth. Un-
til he had grown to be man, he didn't
know even how to read or write. Tired
oi tending sheep, he next apprenticed
himself to ship carpenter, and spent
about four years in hewing the crook.
ed limbs of oak trees into knees of
vessels. N~
In 1878, when he was twenty years
old, he came to Boston, aud soon af.
forwards married to widow lady " no
had property enough to set him up in
business.
1t was not long, however, before he
had lost all the money he had acquired
by his marriage. and became a poor
man again. Still, he was not diseour-
aged. He often told his wife that,
some time or other, he should be very
rich, and would build a "fair brick
house" in the Green Lane of Boston.
Do not suppose. children, he had
ben to fortune tellers to enquire his
,lestin,. 1t was his own energy and
spirit of enterprise, and his resolution
to lead an industrious life that made
aim look forward with so much conf.
to 6etter days. ~
Several years passed away, and
William Phips had not yet gained the
riches he had promised to himself
During this time he had begun to fol.
low the sea for living. In the year
1884, he happened to hear OF a Span.
ish ship which had been cast away
near the Bahama Islands, and which
was supposed to contain great deal
of gold and silver. Mr.. Phips went
to the place in small vessel, hoping
he should be able to recover some O
the treasure from the wreck. He did
not succeed, however. in fishing uI
gold and silver enough to pay the ex'
penses of the voyage. "a ss....,.i 3
But before he returned he was told
| of another Spanish, ship or galleon
that had been cast away near PortC
dele Plata, She had now lain as much
as City years beneath the waves. Thil
old ship had been laden with immens'
wealth and hitherto. nobody haC
thought of the possibility of recover
ing any part of it from the deep sea
which was rolling and tossing it about
But though IL was an old story. anC
the most aged people had forgotten
that such vessel had been wrecked
William Phips resolved that the sunk
en- treasure should again be brough
10 light. 81. ssft5
! He went to London aud obtainel
admittance to King Jamss, who hal
not yet been driven from his throne
He told the King Of the vast wealt
that was lying at the bottom of th
sea. King james listened with atten
ton, and thought this fine opportu
nifty to fill the treasury with SPANS
gold. He appointed William PhiT
Ito be captain of tho vessel, calle
the Rose Algier, carrying sightee
guns, and 95 men. So nov he va
Captsin Phips of the English navy.