The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-03-30

prying, as II they were all eyes and
tongues,
80 ye'ye commenced TO dig, eh2'
said q woman, in a satiron-yellow sun
bonnet and o dyed cashmere cape, who
was going to the postofice to borrow q
yeast.cake from the postmaster's daugh'
ter'inlaw, and who stopped to watch
Mamie In her occupation Of sowing astel
and ~portulacca seeds under the window,
Eyes" said Nanny.
"Twon't be no gool,n said the wo'
man. ever so many folks has tried II
afore. / wish l knowed how many spade
edges has been worn away on this
plaguey COAST"
And she went her way, dragging one
foot after the other with spirItless per
seVerenCe,
"Haow ye gettin' onP" said q brisk,
fat, little female, who had been down to
the edge OF the water, digging a basket Of
clans, which she was now triumphantly
conveying home.
ooh, nicely ~ said Nanny.
"Pitty the moons 80 fur or the full"
said the fat woman,
"Will that make anydlIerence p asked
Nanny,
0Ali the difference in the world" an.
nounced the obese female. "Ain't no
use dlgGin' without ye dig by the light o.
the mOonl'
And she walked oil, a sort Of movable
waterfall dripping from the clans In the
basket as she went,
At moon q gaunt old man stopped as he
drove his wagon Of iingling tinSare past
the gate.
eve heern tell as ye've took to dig.
GIN" said he. "How came ye ever to
settle on that there ma'shy piece o.
ground to dig ing"
"My husband thought that there were
favorable indications there, said Nanny.
"No one ever tried that there spot
afore," said the gaunt old man. But
p'raps your man knows the kentry?"
no" said Nanny, mot at ALL"
"Et twas me-" said the man, pointing
with a dipper.handle, "I'd a.dug iurder
down the bill. Poor old jim Dean! il
would a.done his heart good to sec the
sic turned up ag'in. Ye dunno Jim
He put up this house, 1t was him sold
1t 10 Nathan Shorey-as bargained It of
to you folks. He's In the State Asylum,
Jim Bean is. Got to diggin', ye see, an
couldn't stop: went TO his brain, Any
tinware to-day, OF CrockeryP No2 Wal,
l go BY every Thursday mornin' and 50
good-day TO vel"
At the dinner table Nanny amused
her husband by M account Of the num-
Der Of odd inquiries which had been
leyeled at her during the morning.
VI think the people here must be the
most curious and meddlesOme In the
world" said she.
"But after all, said Jack, carving the
nice little chicken, which, as Aunt Prue
complacently observed, "was grown on
their own premises" at is rather pleas.
ant TO find oneself the object Of SO much
genuine interest"
At that moment the door flew open
and In hurried a red-faCed, ~perspifing
man, "Sharesl" as he flung his hat OH
one chair aud himself into another.
"Sir," said Jack, rising in some con.
fusion, ~ have not the pleasure OF your
acquaintance"
JPN tho man that owns the Big East
grasped tho newcomer
"t'other side O. the stun wall where yo're
And / say shares! Ye've onder
mined my stun wall, and / amt a.goin'
be left out in the cold! No, by lingo,
l ain't-not II l know myself"
"But," reasoned Jack, iyour house is
half a mile up the hill. It wouldn't be
possible TO get sufficient headway to-"
"0h, hang your headwayl" said the
red faced man. "If any man digs under
my stun wall, he'sgot to 20 shares-that's
the long and the short Of 1t! Amt that
the rule, Parson Glenn?"-to q small,
gentlemanly looking person, who stood
knocking at the door.
"What is all this about?" imploringly
mked Mr.. Jelf. "Gentlemen, pray eft
Let US get at the bottom Of this
ii have heard Of your undertaking,
Mr.. Jelf," said the mild.voiCed village
bowling to the ladies.
almost every one has, | should
think, groaned Jelf, cycling his carving
knife with moody determination.
"With the deepest chagrln," said the
IONGloilu boutlCLnVhs
"Eh2" said Mr.. jeff, opening wide
his eyes.
"And l have come hither," added the
clergyman, ITO warn you OF the sad fate
OF others, who have yielded to this most
unhappy delusioh, and 10 entreat you
ere It be too late TO desist. One poor
wretch, who lived in this very spot, Is In
q lunatic asylum; another has sold the
place at q sacrifice, in order to tear him.
self from a hideous temptation. The
whole thing Is like a blight along the
coast, The neighbors, Us you have seen,
are eager TO abandon everything, for
the chance Of finding what does not
exist"
"But," cried jeff, ut does exist, l
saw II myself"
"Eh 2" interjeCted the clergyman.
1.-THE finest and most delicious water l
ever tasted" said jeff.
"Wateri" echoed the parson. "You
arc digging for-water2"
"What else2" cried Mr.. jeff. "You
didn't suppose l was digging for gOld2"
"0t course We dldi" bawled the red.
faced man.
"Certainlyl" uttered the clergyman,
"Were you not aware that this jagged
piece Of coast.land Is supposed TO be the
place where the neiari0us pirate Kidd
buried the most OF his treasures2"
"Never heard oft" doggedly declared
Jelf. ~ don't believe In Kidd, and |
don't think he ever buried any money.
II he did, l haven't the least idea that
shall find Il. I'm digging for a well Of
water, to tighten my wife's housework,
aud l propose 10 keep on doing 3d."
Tho pafson shook hands most cordial.
ly with him the red.iaced man went
away, muttering something about "peo.
pie with no enterprise"
And that night John Jeli did his dig
gingall alone, No one cainot to help him,
| Nevertheless he was O man Of courage
and perseverance, and he dug the we'll
and The sweet drops Of the spring were
garnored up like d fountain In the wilder.
VGGIIvLtoL u ohsorvod Nanny. Jia n grant