Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-05-25

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after the burning OF the Tidal Wave
Robert Myron labored industriously,
but without success, so far as the ac-
cumulation Of worldly goods was con-
cerned; he had been able 10 pay the
rent of rude cabin three miles from
the village of Tower Hill, and to fur
nish it scantily. But the expenses at
tendsnt upon the birth of two children
and his own severe illness, during which
he was confined to his bed two months,
had exhausted the small fund he had
succeeded in saving to enable him to
remove to Cape Girardeau.
Then came time when he could no
longer find employment near his
| wretched home, and he sought it some
miles up the river, going and returning
each day in small boat. Even then it
appeared that misfortune was not
wearied with pursuing him, or one
night when returning from his work a
storm came up, which overturned his
frail skiif, and, nearly exhausted, he
was Grown upon narrow bar OF sand
that made out from the bank of the
river at the spot where the Tidal Wave
was burned. On this frail and treach--
erous foot-hold he managed to remain
during the night in full sight of the
town, but unable to attract attention
to his desperate condition.
The dawn of day revealed still more
horrors, for close beside him, having
evidently been unearthed by the waves,
was the skeleton of human being. At
first Myron felt that fear which seems
to be natural in man when he secs the
deserted tenement OF one OF his kind !;
but the resting place which the waves
gave to the living and the dead was so
small that he was obliged to remain
almost in actual contact with the yellow
bones. AS he sat by the skeleton wait
ing for help from the shore, which
seemed so tardy in coming, he saw
about the ribs Of the heshless frame a
leather belt. Curiosity overcame his
horror, aud, unfastening the belt, he
found within it gold coin to the amount
OF five thousand dollars.
That Robert Myron was in fever of
excitement hardly needs to be told. He
had struggled to the full strength OF
man many years, aud was hardly more
than pauper when he should have had
at least n spot OF Gods footstool he
could call his own. The dead had
brought him what the living had re-
fused. To take the gold for his own
purposes seemed a theft, aud yet he
| who had fastened IL about his body
could no longer use il. The struggle
between his conscience aud his necessity
was a long one; but when those who
came to rescue him arrived at the sand
bar they found him wi. h skeleton, on
which nothing could be seen, and no
one could have fancied that the half
drowned man had found treasure.
That the bones we're those OF one Of
the passengers Of the Tidal Wave no
one doubted, and they were given a
resting place among tho namoless
graves OF those who had lost their lives
in the disaster. No one save Robert
Myron and his vile knew OF the money.
belt, or that on the inside OF il, cut
deep in the thick lelther, was the name
Henry Parks"
But Myron, having his money, did
not dare to use it openly lest people
should question how he got it. He had
agreed with his wife that they should
use the gold for their own benefit, but
do il with view OF returning II IL they
should ever find the dead mans heirs.
This he hoped to do by making such
investments as could be readily realized
upon so that they might show them
selves to be good, even If self-elected,
stewards
The cabin they lived in aud the FIVE
acres OF land surrounding 1t was for
sale at q price below It's real value.
Myron represented to the owner that.
despite Appearances, he had succeeded
in saving a small amount of money
about half the price asked-and offered
to buy il II his note would be accept
cd for the balance. The bargain
was made, and Myron still continued
to work by the day for any one who
would hire him, tilling his own farm
when he could find no other work.
Then he invested in very small way
in stock. buying when ne could get de
cided bargains only. Year by year he
added to his possessions, and his neigh
bors called him thrifty" man.
All bis investments were good ones,