Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1882-07-12
WOODSTOCK, VERMONT, JULY l2, 1882.

after the burning Of the Tidal Wave,
Robert Myron labored industrlously,
but without success, so far as the ac'
cumulatlon Of worldly goods was con-
cerned hc had been able to pay the
rent Of q rude cabin three miles from
tho village of Tower Hill, aud to fur
nish II scantily. But the expenses at'
tendant upon the birth Of two children
aud his own severe Illness, during
which he was confined 10 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
wrctched home, and no sought II some
miles up tho river, going aud returning
each day in small boat. Even then
it appeared that misfortune was not
wcariod with pursuing him, for one
night when returning from his work a
storm came up, which overturned his
frai skin, and nearly exhausted, he
was thrown upon u narrow bar OF sand
that made out from the bank Of the
river at the spot where the Tidal Wave
was burned. On this irail and trcach-
erous foothold 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 unearthcd by the waves,
was the skeleton of II human being. AT
first Myron felt that fear which seems
to be natural in man when he sees the
deserted tenement of one of his kind /;
but the rcsting-placc 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 ycl-
low bones. AS he sat by the skeleton
waiting for help from the shore, which
seemed so tardy in coming, he saw
about the ribs of the neshlcss frame n
leather belt. Curiosity overcamc his
horror, and, untastening the belt, he
found within it gold coin to the amount
of FIVE thousand dollars.
That Robert Myron was in II fever
of excitement hardly needs to be told.
He had struggled to the full strength OF
man many years, and was hardly more
than pauper when he should have
had at least 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 theft, and yet he
who had fastened it about his body
could no longer use it. The struggle
between his conscience and his necessi-
ty was long one; but when those
who came to rescue him arrived at the
sand-bar they found HIM with skele-
ton, on which nothing could be seen,
and no one could have fancied that the
half-drowned man had found treasure.
That the bones were those of one OF
the passengers of the Tidal Wave no
one doubted, and they were given a
resting-place among the nameless
graves of those who had lost their lives
in the disaster. No one save Robert
Myron 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 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 it with 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 them
selves to be good, even if selt-elected
stewards.
The cabin they lived in and the five
acres of land surrounding it was for
sale at price below its real value.
Myron represented to the owner that,
despite appearances, he had succeeded
iu saving small amount of money
about half the price asked-and Of
fered to buy it if his note would be ac-
cepted 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 he could get de-
cided bargains only. Year by year he
added to his possessions, and his neigh
bors calle him ''thrifiy" man.