The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1881-02-24
on the shore. short distance ffoti where

he wan, he started for IL. As he JUMPED
from The rock he saw an iron bar lying
on the ground, partly covered BY the
bushes. that grew in such ptofusioi
about thefe. Il guess I'm on the right
track now" thought Charles, as he
picked up the bar.
As lie expected, the stone moved very
easily, and with little effort he sent It
down from it's position into the water. 4
few feet below, leaving an opening III
about three feet by two. This was the
cave, sure enough, and into tho opening
went Charles. It was large room. par
TALLY natural and rart;all- UT b, man.
The fc..l ali warned Charles MOI to go in
further, and lie at once sought the open
mir and returned to the house to tell
Nellie what he had found.
Both were very much excited oves the
matter. and II Sas az mich Us Charles
could do to dissnade Nellie from going
back with him to explore the cave-a
thing he proposed to do before he slept.
Taking q couple Of lanterns and NJ
much dry wood n. liz could car
~, he returned to the cave and
went in. He found the air mucl,
improved, and SO did not build his fire.
After careful search lie discovered 4
place in the side o. The cave which
looked ms If it might he door. Getting
lis bar, lie soon had large stone re-
another large room. K H pair Il steps led
down somewhere, but Charles could not
see the bottom. The place was damp
and the steps badly rotted, so he did not
attempt the descent. Tying a line Ia
one Of his lanterns, he proceeded to
lower it down into the darkness. About
two yards down it suddenly went ont. He
drew it mp, relighted it, and tried il
again, with the same result.
well, there's bad air enough there, =
said he to himself, as he drew II ip
again. He then proceeded to make a
large fire in the cave, and when we'll
agoing, he took large burning log and
threw it into the inner cave. It burned
4 moment and then went out, but long
enough for him to see the size and depth
Of the room. It seemed about twenty
feet long by fifteen wide, and about
eight feet deep from the door. Another
log was thrown in which burned little
longer, bnt it was fnil hour before lie
got good fire and the air Of the cave
purified
He then went back to the house and
got ladder, and with this decended into
the bottom Of the cave. Here he found
three large iron boxes- They weie not
locked, and opening the boxes he found
what the letter said, the money. Closing
the boxt he went back to the house aud
told Nellie what he had found. Nothing
more was done that night, but the next
morning both Charles and Nellie went
to the cave and examined their treasures.
Besides the money theEc wcfe lots OF
papers, yellow with age, but still in
very fair state Of preservation. Among
other things was large book tightly
sealed, and letter tied to it directed to
1.-The discovery of these boxes. Open
ing the letter Charles read as follows:
''These boxes were placed In this cave In the
ried my wife In January, 1921. and supposed
she loved me, but soon found out my mistake.
1t was my money she Was after, and when
found she did not care for me l left her and
came over to this island, where found this
cave. remained here week, thinking hard
thoughts al tho tims: | went back home and
tried to live with her. Az long rs furnished
her plenty Of money We got along nicely, but il
refused q cent we had ! quarrel. In May OF
the same year came to this island and went to
work upon this cave. did all tho work with
my own hands, and when completed l moved
most of my money here and leftit. did not en-
ter the cave again till the year my sisters child
was born, whom named Nellie. It was at
this time that this letter was written. The
sealed book must go to my neice II she can he
fonnd. In it she will find a daily record of my
life, and take warning from X II she will, and
not make earth 4 perfect hell for her husband.
II abe sells tho island, all tho money must 90
with ii, but this book is for her and her only.
have hoped that the letter left with the deed
OF the island might prove true, and that the
money may all 60 to her and her family. Time
will tell. Hoping whoever finds this may en-
joy life much better than have done, wish
them much JOY. EBESEzER BUDGET"
The boxes contained nearly $500, 900
in gold and silver, which Mr.. Wilson car
ried to the house.
The hook was, rs the letter stated, q
complete history Of the life Of the old
miser, as he was called, though the many
references to the sums given away for
charitable purposes proved him anything
but q miser. Between every two leaves
Of the book was placed a 81 900 note on
the Bank of England These Nellie took
out as she came to them, and found there
was eighty of them.
Charles wrote to Jonathan Budget TO
come on and visit them, as he had bust
ness Of much importance to communicate
to him. The next day brought him, and
Charles told him Of the treasure he had
found. Mr.. Budget refused to touch a
penny Of the money, saying he had all
that his father wished him to have, and
that was enough for him, bnt he would
like many of the papers found in the
boxes, which Charles gave him.
The matter was not noised about at all,
and to this day the people of Cantonville
do not know Of the discovery of the
money Oh the island.
Mr.. and Mrs. Wilson still spend theil
summers on the islnnd, and It Is still q
great place for summer visitors. When
you go there next summer, for Of course
you will recognize the place although the
names are not correct, see if you can fine
the caves.-Sprinaieid Mirror.
Fun In Camp.