Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-01-16
Sad Experience Of frcdulous Jour
naliSt.

One day last week Il gentleman en-
ployed in the newspaper business on
Montgomery street, and who. not de-
string notoricty in this connection, will
be called by MS familiar sobriquet, ''thc
Judge was sauntcring ND Post street
in search of other worlds to conquer,
when most singular looking specimen
OF the granger variety hove in sight
about half a block distant As he APP
preached the Journalist his eye sudden
| " fell on an object some few feet in
front OF the latter, upon which he
pounccd with great ayidity. The curl
osity Of the Judge" for 4 moment
overbalanced his dignity, and hc asked
the grccnhcr IN what he had found.
Examining the object very closely.
the farmer gave il rs his opinion that il
was nothing lass than gold quartz
specimen, worth nigh onto two hun
dred de,lrr>.
The Judge" looked at the specimen
anaI concurrri in the belief
''What am | coin ter dew with il.
hugh2" q ke4 tie granger I've
-ot tcr l;ctch the Pctalumy boat. and
Pfe only got boat lev mints ter
dc@ it IN pulling ont q wcll-worn silver
tme-piecn There SURF to be u big
rcwad offered for this here rock t.
morrcr and | can't be here ter lay
g aims t. it.
The Judge" thought he saw
chaaca The quartz. he argued 10 him
SELF, was probably worth good deal
more than the rough estimate made by
the aountryman. il had no doubt been
los; on Of collection belonging to
rich man, V 10 would he willing 10 pay
LARGE sum for it. restoration 10 its place
in his cab net. The Judges salary
is only eighteen dollars week. IL
waited il silence.
Would yOu-that il, dew you
think You could could take this yere
spec mcnt in trust fur me, fur, say lif-
teen dollars. and take care Of the thing?
lid 1--WE We half the reward. you know,
and you air more used TO these
things. YOU see. Your face looks right
honest, and guess lean trust ye. Hur-
~ up and say what You'll do, fur I've
only got list nine minnits more "
'.Ail right said the Judge and
he passed over the bright coin and peck
cd the valuable nugget. with which he
iht1HiF hhbi7llIh AiDsI thN 5NillS III 80
cited delight and keen satisfa ton.
lie said nothing to his friends about
his transaction, and his landlady won
dered tina night what made the
Judge whistle and sing so much in
the hallway. Next morning he was up
bright and early, looking over all the
newspapers for the advertisement con-
tanning a mention of the reward. None
could be found, and the evening papers
o. that lay were likewise mute on the
subject. Next morning also brought
disappointment. The Judge began
to rHis.rust, but he hired boy for the
rest Of the week to look up the adyer-
tisepellt. though with the same disgust
ing result An idea suddenly struck
him. and he started almost on i run for
an assayer's Office, where the informa-
ton that the quartz" was made up OF
brass filings, stuck on common piece
of concrete, was not long withheld by
the amused assayer. Then the indigna-
ton OF the bodied Judge found its
vent in accusations right aud left of the
man who had thus practiced on his
and honesty, but did not sue
coed in fixing the charge. On Saturday
be received note in an unknown hand
writing, stating that ne could keep the
.fspeciment' or take all the reward, as
nc thought best. The sarcastic missive
was signed t.Petaluma." San Fran
cisco Chronicle.