The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1888-12-01

had been refugeeing and carrying of
and secreting their vnluables, saws n
writer in the Marietta Journal. The
master Of this colored man had one
thousand dollars in gold and he was ap-
prehensiyo that the Federal soldiers
would rnnsack his house and get H. So
he called his trusted servant and said:
'Charlie. you have always been faith
ful TO me. / have here in this tin box
one thousand dollars in gold. I want
you 70 take IL and hide IL for me. If /
keep il the Yankees will search my
house and force me 10 give IL up; but II
you take charge OF il can truthfully
tell them that know OF no money
about the house"
So Charlie took the box OF gold and
went off down the road, alongside of
which was footpath. and with his
spade he cut out square sod OF grass,
cut a hole, and put the tin box down
into il. replaced the sod, removed all
fresh dirt, trod down the grass, and went
back 10 his work at his masters house.
Tho Federal forces came marching
over the path and the gold, but no dis
covery was made. AT the house they
ordered Charlie TO bring out two of his
masters horses, TO saddle and mount
blue" The colored man positively re-
fused to comply, saying that il had been
his home from childhood, and he wasn't
going 10 leave his old master aud mis-
tress. The cavalry officer pulled out
his pistol and pointed it at Charlie and
exclaimed:
''Get on that horse and move on with
the army or I'll shoot you dead in your
tracks,
Charlie was undaunted. and his reply
was characteristic of his courage and
love. He looked the officer square in
the face and said:
"You may be mean enough 10 kill a
negro like me, but before / will leave
my old master and mistress. my best
friends, you can kill me; but at best you
can shorten my life but few years"
The cavalry officer saw the fixed pur-
pose Of the colored man 20 remain, and
he put up his pistol and rode off.
Some weeks after Sherman had
"marched on 10 the sea-" the old master
said: "Well, Charlie, the Yankees are
gone, and IL you know where the gold is
you had better get il for me-.
"All right" responded Charlie: 81
know where il is, for I've walked over il
nearly every day since buried it."
Charlie went oil. and soon returned
with the box OF gold, not dollar miss
ing. Yet, il he had been Of dishonest
and treacherous turn OF mind, he could
have unearthed the hidden gold and rid
den Off with ID when commanded 10 go
along with the cavalry regiment; but he
exhibited true manhood, answering
honesty and faithful devotion to his
trust, and gold could not tempt him 20
betray his old, coniiding master.
The old colored man Is still living. is
now seventy years old, and resides in
Gwinnett County, Georgia, and all who
know Charlie Medlock speak well and
kindly Of him. He tills his farm with in
dustry. and when any Of the sons of his
old master meet him they invariably
give him money 90 help make his de-
clining years comfortable.
We know OF another instance like this,
OF a colored woman named Maria, now
living in Marietta, who buried some 5000
In gold for her mistress during the adj
vent OF the Federal army, and when
peace was declared she went to the
woods and unearthed the coin and re-
turned il 20 her mistress, whom she re-
fused TO leave during all that time.