The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1879-10-10
A TRUE OIL.ST0RY.

Unromantic as is the name of the oil
regions, unplea.an as they must be to
those not interested in boring, yet some
of the most romantic events on record
have been enacted at the wells, and
true stories are told OF them which put
imagination to shame. One which |
heard the other day haunts me so that
must write it down. A certain man
who had been moderately comfortable
during his lite, having been innoculated
with the oil fever, examined his farm
and fancied that he had discovered to-
kcns of soil" He at once engaged
the proper men, with their machinery,
and set to work at great expense to
bore. He spent all his ready money
first When it was gone, oil had not
been found. However, this was only
because he had not yet touched the
right spot. More boring must be done.
The oil, he felt sure, was there.
Scarcely less hopeful than before, the
oil seeker led from his stable his fine
horses, took his cattle from their sheds
and sold them, and the work went on
still fruitlcssly, but lie could not stop
now. Men were making fortunes about
him every day; he felt sure of ultimate
success. The few fields he possessed
went next. Then his house-his old
homestead. His wife, not one whit be-
hind him in enthusiasm, was the first to
propose selling the furniture, and with
her own hands took from their case her
ear-rings-the only valuable jewels she
possessed.
The great machine, prodding away
amongst the rocks, swallowed all. The
family who once lived comfortably and
even elegantly, now lodged and fed as
day laborers might; the wife earned
bread for them by washing or sewing
for her neighbors; but she took long
Journey on foot, sought out her father,
a very old man, and begged him on her
knees to give her, then and there, the
portion which she knew he had left her
in his will. The father yielded. The
money-it was not much-was brought
back to her husband by the faithful
wife, and went as the rest had gone.
One afternoon, the once comfortable
farmer stood penniless. lie had neither
house nor lands, nor cattle; no other
clothes than the shabby trousers and
hickory shirt upon his back. lie was
almost barefoot. and had not credit foi
n loaf OF bread.
He looked at his wife, courageous and
accomplishing, but with starvation in
her ewes, and felt remcrsc too bitter
to endure 1t would be better, he felt
that he should die; then indeed, people
would pity her. Her family would take
her home. She would suffer privatior
no longer.
Walking about the place in listles'
manner, he picked up long strong cord
and his eye fell upon II strong hook il
the empty barn, from whence he saw
in imagination, his own form swinging
cold and stiff and horrible to look upon
4" / hope some of the men will fine
me and keep the sight from her." hi
said. "Poor wife! poor wife she dit
not deserve this, if did"
Then he went slowly down towards
the spot where the man he had hired Il
bore for oil was hard at work amongs
his men.
" Stop thcm," he said in a despairins
voice. Stop them. lowe you none,
that shall never pay you. I've been
fool, but | don't want to be more of
rascal than can help. Stop your men!
For Il moment the throbbing an,
clinking ceased. All was silent. The
looking at his broken down employe
the heart of the great, rough fellow
melted.
"Go to work again. Give him tn
rest of the day." he cried to his men
Its only an hour. There may be luc
for him yet"
Luck for me " sighed the RUNE
man.
He flung himself down upon roc
hard by and buried his face in hi
hands. The word of sympathy, the az
of kindness, had quite unnamed hin
lie had grown so used to sneers. Fo
ten minutes he lay there weeping
though no one knew it.
Then-what was il? Had he gon
mad? A sudden shrcw "a yell "a shou
In that brief space OF time the hare
hearted rock that had stood bctwee
him and fortune had been drille
through, oil had been reached. III
we'll had spurted. That little act
. kindness had saved him.
In an hours time the farm was packe
with people. The well was pronounce
; the finest yet discovered in that regiol
: and the man who at sunrise had been
1 beggar was offered a million for h
? possession.
f 1t is said he sold it for more, aft,
0 having made six hundred thousand dc
[ lars by the well itself, and is now Oi
Q of the most solidly wealthy men in h
D locality.