Daily Republican., 1883-08-14
(oKIGISAL.l
OLD SANS STORY.
by BUZ.

Doubtless many Of the older nstiv's 9
of Newark and Christine will renem.
Der an eccentric character who hailed
from the Ogletown Swamps some forty
or fifty years ago, named Sam Paul,
senior, for Sam was the father OF two
sons, both named Sam Paul sons Of two
mothers In old Sans style, they were
tesi grated az Mammy's Sam and Dad
dy's Sam. Old Sam WAS the proprietor
and breeder of q celebrated breed Of
cup comb game chickens, and many
we're the victories won by the bully
cup comb on the little green noar the
house, that is long since gone, without
a stone left to mark the place of many a
trial by the marksman for Christmas
poultry, with the accompanying de-
bauch. Truly it was picture Of the
frontier life Of the far West. But to our
story, or rather Sans:
Some forty five years ago, when the
writer was but small lad, l accom-
panied my father on little prospecting
tour through and over some Of his land,
known ~ Lethruin's Hill, (noticed OH
the maps as "Leatherman," which is
not correct. have the old deed In
proof) About mile southwest OF
Christine, on the Elkton road, and after
part of days successful boring, We
we're resting a. the foot Of the hill near
the bridge, on the old Elkton pike. ex-
aiming and comparing our samples.
when along came old Sam, with slow
and measured strides, talking or rather
growing to himself for want of some
body to talk to. He had In one hand IA
number of packages Of groceries tied up
in red cotton handkerchief. In the
other hand he carried the customary
black quart jug, contents easily guessed
at, he having been to the village ana
renewed supplies, and having had long
pail from the black Maria, as he GALES,
his jug, he stopped and greeted us and
offered his jug, which was declined
with thanks. flo was In a very conf
Dental and communicative mood, and
seeing our arranged specimens, which
were pretty, it started him on his story,
as follows
Addressing my father thus: All,
Mr. can tell you something thai
would make you the richest man in this
State ifyou can find it. Find what, Sam.
queriel my father. Why the silver, an.
swered Sam, and proceeded Now
Mr.-you have always treated me-
like man and don't care if l tell you
the secret, as it is on your own land ,an'i
as am an old man now, and 1t can
never do me much good to keep the Sc.
cret any longer. l admit that l have
hunted through your woods for years
and years, but could never find any.
thing like silver, and now you can try,
and ii you are successful, don't forget
the old man, meaning himself. My
father promised as Sam desired, and
Sam proceeded with his narrative, t.
wit:
About twenty years ago--that is
about the year eighteen hundred and
eighteen-there was an old man that
stayed about our swNmps for month
or two, who called himself Peter Ho.
mans. He was at my house several
times, but always seemed tired out,
yet always on the 60, and he would never
drink "A drop Of liquor, although fire..
quently offered to him. So the last time
that ever saw him, met him just be-
You'd this hill, (pointing toward Elk
tony one afternoon about three O'Clock.
had been to Christine, and had a quart
of rum, and was on my way back home
he was coming this way, so we stop
ped, and | offered him drink from the
Jug, but he thanked me and refused, as
was usual with him. We then sat dowr
on a log at the side of the road under a
clump of trees, and he appeared o have
something on his mind that he wished
to tell, SO he commenced thus-I say,
Sam, if you are sure that can trust
you TO help me, can make your tor
tune, if we can find the place. | swore
he might trust me to the death. He APP
peared satisfied, and then spoke as fol-
lows: De you see that hill, Sam, point
ing to the North? Yes, Well, Sam,
within three hundred yards Of where
we sit there are millions of silver. Now,
| will tell you how know: | am All
old man now, but thirty years ago was
in my prime, and neither feared man Oh
devil up to the time of my discovery. Ii
was after the close of the Revolution
lived in cabin not far from COoch's
mill, and one night had been to the
Cross Keys Tavern, now Christine, and
got on Il little drunk and was on my way
toward hcme, and got as far AZ Le,h.
runs Run, and laid down at the edge
of tho water to get Il drink, and whilst
drinking ! heard a sound similar to thai
of a muffied hammer ON On anvil, OI
something like distant COW. bell, but ii
was different from any cow-bell that
ever had heard, and seemed to com,
from a southwest course.
Thinking it strange at that time OF
night, being about twoo'cl0c k, am,
got on my legs all right and took til,
course of the sound through the timber
the region was all heavily timbered
then-as my curiosity was aroused by
that sound, and | wasdeterlnlned to find
out what il was After moving along as
quietly and quickly as could through
the timber, came toa steep hill, not
high, and on ascending 10 its top looket
over and saw n faint light and smoke
arise from the ravine below and smellet
sulphur, and saw sight that made my
flesh creep and my hair stand up. There
were about a dozen naked men or d ev.
| lis.
went back down the hill again, and
took course around so as to be bette
able to see them from the other side Of
the ravine. succeeded in getting with
in twenty yards of them on the other
side by very cautiously crawling most
of the way on my belly. From this poin1
! could distinctly see their operations
| found about a dozen men naked to the
waist; several were all the time engaged
hosting at a windlass similar to that OF
well others worked at a bellows and
forge,on which was a hot ire and many
small pots others poured the melted
metal from the pots into moulds about
"A foot long others emptied the cooled
moulds on an anvil, and this was the
original noise that ! heard, knocking
the bars out of the mouds. All ap.
pearcd to work very hard and very fast
/ could not hear or understand a word
spoken all were utterly strange in
every respect.
could see the white metal tumble
out in piles of bars and ] knew it was
si var becaIne VERY much excited