The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-05-27

drowned man had found q treasure.
| That the bones were those of one OF the
passengers OF the Tidal Wave, no one
doubted and they were given resting
place among the nameless graves of
those who had lost their lives in tile
disaster. No one save Robert Myrm
and his wife knew of the money-belt. or
that on the inside of it, cut deep in the
thick leather, was the name "Henry
Parks
But Myron, having this 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 it with the view of returning it if
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
themselves to be good, even if self
elected, stewards. .r
/ The cabin they lived in, and the five
acres of land surrounding it, was for
sale at a price below its 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 it if his note would be accepted
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
tiuu no other work. Then ne invested
in a very small way in stock, buying
when he could get decided bargains
only Year by year he added to his
possessions, and his neighbors called
him thrifty man.
All his investments were good ones,
since none were made save with the
view of converting everything into cash
at a moments notice if necessary, and
Robert Myron became a wealthy man.
As is usual, with wealth came the re-
spect of his neighbors, who, to show
their appreciation of money, elected him
to the Office of County Judge.
During the year 1870 the inhabitants
of Tower Hill witnessed the destruction
of another steamer by fire at almost the
exact place where the Tidal Wave went
down. Among adj those men, who la
bored to save life none was more active
than Robert Myron, and his house was
converted into q hospital for the recep.
ton of those who were injured, but saved
from death.
Mrs. Myron was as earnest in her eff.
forts to comfort the distressed people as
was her, husband, and her labor was
signally rewarded by finding among the
unfortunate ones whom she was nurs-
ing herfather, whom she had not heard
from since the day she left his home to
found another with the one man she
loved above all others. The daughter s
heart was made still more glad when
the old gentleman told her and her hus-
band that he had been searching for
} them several months in the hope of in
ducin@' them to return to his lonely
home, or allow him to remain with
them. .....rv ..te.r
Then he told strange story, and one
: which lifted aload that hadgrown heavier
with each succeeding year, from his SON.
!, in-law's heart.
In 1861, Mrs. Myron's aunt had died,
! bequeathing to her niece the sum OF
five thousand dollars. Judge Berry,
half relenting that he had not looked
with favor upon his daughters mar
riage, had sent his clerk to carry to heI
this legacy. The messenger had writ
ten from st. Cloud in 1862, stating that
| he had traced Mr.. and Mrs. Myron &c
, that place, but that from there they had
gone, as he had reason to believe, tc
, Cape Girardeau, which place he was
about to start for in the steamer Tidal
Wave. From that time Mr. Berry had
: never heard from his clerk, and he be-
ieved he had lost his life when the
, steamer was burned.
AS the old gentleman finished his
, story, the husband and wife gazed al
) each other with an almost. despairing
; hope in their eyes, and it was oni y with
, the greatest difficulty Judge Myron
could asl1the question; 'Nyhat was the
t man s name?'
} Henry Parks" frH.i4.
/ The load was lifted for evermore; the
J money which they believed was an
; others belonged rightfully to them; the
investments made with a view to being
able to restore the principal at any time
) insured their own prosperity, and by
5 purloining their own from the dead
, they had honestly relieved themselves
from the thrand6ln of poverty J6pile!
: Otis, te HqrperS Bazar,
.NLA1l -. IL