Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-09-30
The AMBER FishsrmA1.

N ] Ills . 4C1k0LlG
AL that was cast by the sea upon his
shores, whether goods or floating
wreck, belonged to SivaTt Ring, and il
was strictly forbidden 10 every one q
lay hand upon such property. By
far the largest revenue coming to him
from this vigilant patrol of his coast
was derived from the quantities OF
amber washed ashore, and woe betide
the man who should attempt to remove
small particle of that precious sub
stance. AT every ebb, after south
west wind, it was Rings custom to
send his men out to overhaul the sand
ridges, and they often carried home a
rich burden of the pale yellow fossil
resin. Sometimes the harvest was less
satisfactory, and Ring bade them keep
fierce watch upon anyone whom they
might suspect of lowering near the
spot with intent to pilfer.
| Not far from the sand-bank lived a
fisherman, who coming into the neigh
bOrhoOd few years before poor man,
had accumulated considerable property
/ in very short time. Popular tradition
I had it that he had found a treasure
buried IN the sand by some soaking of
Old. Others suspected him of being IN
league with the devil, and in consequ
ence Sam, for such was the fisherman's
name, was rather Stunned than sought
in the limited society of the island.
/ Little cared he, however, living COM
I fOTtably in his cottage with his pretty
daughter, Maria, who kept the house.
( Ouce, indeed, Sam had fallen under
the keen scrutiny or Ring, who. send
I ing for him, asked many questions
about his mode of life, all of which
were apparently answered to the rulers
satisfaction, since he let the fisherman
go without further mOlestation.
One winters evening when the wind
| blew strong in shore, the inhabitants of
HOlmsland gathered upon the Kilt, or
sand-bank, to watch the movements of
a strange vessel, labOring amid giant
waves, from which it seemed hardly
possible she could emerge unharmed.
Night closed in, and the watchers
separated, sure that on the morrow
they would find a wreck upon their
coast. At midnight there came a
knock at the door of Sam, the fisher
. uldll, dllu d AldiLlloOilC NOullh man bAC-
sented himself, asking shelter on the
ground that he was the only one who
had escaped from the doomed ship,
which had sunk with all the rest of her
crew. Sam gave him food and clothes
and bed, taking all possible care of
the unfortunate survivor.
The young man whose name was
Jonas, became in this way a member of
Sans family remaining with him until
tile Spring, and in the course of time
formed a warm attachment for Maria,
who returned bis love To her. Jonas
told the fisherman of this latter fact.
sam answered him that while he had a
right to expect richer son-in-law, he
could hardly find one more TO his taste.
SO the young couple were betrOthed,
and had already begun to talk about
their wedding, when, one evening, sam
called Jonas to his side.
'IiSten to me, my lad" he said.
"Since you are so soon to be my son-in-
law, it is but proper that | should in
form you little about my property.
If you would like to go out with me to-
night, will take you into my con-
tidenee."
Jonas was nothing 10th, and when it
became quite dark he set out with the
fisherman. They embarked in Sans
boat, and, as they pushed out to sea,
the wind mounted to gale, while the
heavens were so black that not a star
was to be seen. Nevertheless they
stood out at some distance from the
shore, sailing along until they heard
from land the sound of a low whistle.
THAT is Maria's signal" said the
fisherman to his astonished hearer, lit
is meant to inform Re that all's safe
along the coast, so that We may now
return"
He turned the boat, steering il TO a
point near which number of fine nets
had been placed against the tide
Gathering the nets into the boat, Sam
pointed out TO his companion that their
meshes were filed with amber. Silent
ly and with skilled fingers he picked
out every particle of the precious sub
stance, and then set the nets again.
While the work went on not word
was spoken, and when the boat sailed
homeward, she carried cargo of
amber that would have required a
months work from Ring and his men
to llect after the ordinary fashion of
seeking it in the sand. When they
reached the cottage Sam concealed his
treasure in cellar so ingeniously con-
trived that it would have been i'm
possible for any outsider to discover it.
And now, my son." said the old
man solemnly, my life is in your
hands. have told you the secret of
my wealth. Although l have no fear
that you could be so base as to betray
me, especially as Maria is soon to be
your wife, yet L exact of you an oath
that you will never reveal to any one
what you have seen tonight"
II swear it," said Jonas, deep flush
settling in his face.
Summer came and the wedding-day
was fixed. Maria, busy with her pre-
paTations as she was, could not help
Observing that a certain constraint had
arisen between her lover and herself.
She told this to her father. who
laughed at it for a girls fancy, but
many tear was dropped in secret by
the bride-elect.
One evening, determined to ask her
lover frankly what caused his altered
manner, Maria went 10 meet him on
his return from Holmsland, whittier
he had gone TO spend the day. Alb
sorbed in thought, she did not observe
how far she had walked until. sitting
down to rest behind sand dune, she
was startled by hearing voices close at
hand. One of the speakers was Jonas,
and the other, to her extreme surprise,
no less parsonage than their ruler,
Sivart Kingl
mot a word more, Maria heard him
say, in low, fierce tone; ''you are my
son as well as my subject, and l COM
mand your obedience. Tonight, with
out fail, shall come in person with
my NEIL and seize the thief, whether
thou lowest his daughter or no."
Jonas spoke again in evident
emotion, but was interrupted by the
other.
81 am accustomed to oe obeyed with
out remonstrance, and the tears of a
silly girl, the prayers of hardened
old sinner, will prove equally without
effect in softenIng me. What after |
sent you there expressly to solve for
me this mystery of the isherman's
wealth. would YOU seek tu turn me