Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-02-26
Gales ann Skettbes.
From the Springfield Union.
A QUEER DEED.
AND THE QUEER DISCOVERY THAT CANE
OF IT.
Continued from yesterday. }


The building on the island progressed
finely, and Mr.. Wilson went regularly
TO Boston every Saturday and returned
Monday, till folks began to put this and
that togather and talk about the future
Mrs. Charles Wilson. The gossips all
called ON Mrs. Wilson to inquire about
her son, but they all got the same answer
from her: my son is not one who talks
Of his private affairs to people not inter-
ested, and until he makes his doings pub
lie you will have to wait for your inior-
nation
But the gosips talked just the same and
told each other such stories as they
thought might hit the truth or somewhere
near it.
Matters went on thus till about Christ
mas when Mr.. Wilson and his mother left
for Boston. The day before Christmas
quite number Of Cantonville people re-
ceived invitations to the wedding of Mr..
Charles Wilson and Miss Nellie Arm
strong at the residence OF the brides
father
The wedding was brilliant one and
the young couple left for the south, where
they were TO stay till the next may. On
their return they were to occupy their
house on the island in Cantonville. Mr..
Wilson had furnished it thoroughly, and
a man had been left in charge to see that
nothing was damaged during the winter.
With the first Of May came the young
couple. and quite a good reception was
given them on the island. Every day WAS
occupied in receiving visitors. so that it
was three weeks before Charles had a
chance to call his wife's attention to the
letter accompanying the deed Of the
island. One morning they awoke to find
heavy southeast storm beating upon the
island.
mo visitors to-day. Nellie" said
Charles, As he looked out upon the bay,
'and we can have good chance to look
over that curious letter that came with
the deed of the island
"What do you wish to look at that for,
do you expect to find anything more than
we have already seen"
"Yes Nellie. am tree to confess that
| do. IL has been on my mind ever since
we came to our island home. The first
night we slept on the island | had dream
and in it | saw that letter very plainly,
and something seemed to say study that
letter; there is more in it than You seem
to see And have been waiting
for Il time when you and | could
look at it together"
After breakfast they repaired to the IL
brary and sat down to the table to study
over the letter and see if it contained more
than at first appeared. More than an hour
was spent before anything was found,
when Nellie suddenly said,
~ have it; read the first letter of each
line Find my money in the caves"
'Sure enough" said Charles. but
there are no caves on this island that |
know of. and | have searched it pretty
thoroughly"
There must be, for know Uncle Eben
had lots OF money and no one knew what
he did with it. His son only had about
Sl00. 900. and he was said to be worth five
times that amount"
"Well. perhaps there is something more
in the paper" said Charles. Lets try
the last letter of each line and see il there
is anything in that" So they again took
the paper and read AT same time your
husband
Then they stopped and had hearty
laugh over the matter. The island had
certainly been the means of their marriage
and if it was true in this respect it might
be in the other.
The rain ceased to fall toward night.
and Charles was so impatient to hunt for
the cave. that in spite of the high winds
he assembled the bluff and began to search
for some signs of the cave. He found
nothing there. however. and returned to
the house to get warm and to think the
matter over little. After half an hour
he started out again. This time he started
for the base of the bluff. Arriving there
he began systematic search, pull
ing away the bushes and moving
such flat stones Is seemed to cover
anything that looked like an opening
He finally came to a large stone. weigh
ing perhaps half a ton. which seemed to
move as he jumped upon it. Looking
carefully about it he found it was nicely
balanced on another rock below. and he
thought it would not be much work to
roll it off. If he had lever. Remember
ing a large stick he had seen on the shore.
a short distance from where he was. he
started for it. As he jumped from the
rock. he saw an iron bar lying on the
ground. partly covered by the bushes that
grew in such profuslon about there IL
guess I'm on the right track now. d" thought
Charles. as he picked up the bar
As he expected. the stone moved very
easily, and with little effort he sent it
down from its position into the water. a
few feet below, leaving an opening ofabout
three feet by two. This was the cave,
sure CROUCH and into the opening went
Charles. 1t was large room partially
natural and partially cut by man. The
foul air warned Charles not to go in furth-
er and he at once sought the open air and
returned to the house to tell Nellie what
he had found.
Both were very much excited over the
matter and il was As much as Charles
could do to dissuade Nellie from going
back with him to explore the cave
thing he proposed to do before he slept.
Taking couple of lanterns and as
much dry wood as he could carry. he re-
turned to the cave and went in. He found
the air much improved and so did not
build his fire. Alter careful search he
discovered place in the side of the cave
which looked as if it might be door.
getting his bar. he soon had a large stone
removed from the wall and this disclosed
another large room. A pair of 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 to one
of his lanterns he proceeded to lower it
down into the darkness. About two