Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-12-01
THE RICH MANS VISION.
Written for The Register.

VI Mowers whose MONIES "eI' louhu III many
Mid scenes like these he dwelt a king. with
power
And might, and here with him dwelt Joy and
Love,
/ And all was hs-none could dispute his claim
For resting far beneath in gloomy vaults
Were piles and piles OF glittering yellow gold.
Bright shining gold he loved. Then misty
clouds
Came floating DER his mind. This picture
bright
Was blotted out \ sadder took its place.
His brow was darkened and his hands were
clenehed
In agony suspense, as through the streets
He wanders forth dreading to meet the gaze
| or former friends more fortunate than he.
/ The wind TOYS rudely with his futtering rags;
His falling strength shows in his faltering step,
As fearfully he chances back to mark
The quckened pace of his pursuers gaunt-
Hunger and Cold, so close they follow him;
So near they are he hears their labored breath
! And feels their bony clutch upon his arm.
! lie Shudders and awakes, and restless, turns
Upon his couch. Into the midnight gloom,
| His eyes wide open, stare, and DER him creeps
Shivers OF dread surprise, as he observes
What seems small tongues OF light leap here anu
there
Amid the darkness. Nearer and nearer
Still they come. till he discerns figure
Strange and terrible. The tongues OF light sit
Upon sharp-pointed horns that crown his head
From ears and nose and finger tips, and cen
Each separate hair n tiny stream oil nre
| Flows constant. An angry-moVlns name
His body seemed. and from the eyes came
That enyied might have been OF Joye himself
So hot and close and dense the air became
That on his couch the rich man gasped for
breath,
And gazed with terror wild on this strange
guest,
When. with heroic strength, he Gained his fear,
| Thus to his midnight visitant he spoke:
From what domain came you, my friend;
Why come
You here. and what your name:' The Inquire
And such lishtnings flashed and danced about
The rich man hoped such smiles were seldom
seen.
The answer came in sharp, explosive tones-
II am prince, and hold beneath my sway
The MYRIAD imps whose dwelling place Is
| Deep in the bowels OF the earth. Ny spies
Have Swallowed thee and learned thy every
I know Inv love for gold-how day and night
THY thoughts are but OF gold. Thy dearest
friends ,
Thy fellow men are naught, - thou hast gold.
! secret do know that no man knows;
| II to my voice thou list, thy dreams VIII be
To the iruition of my well-laid plans
| As the first twittcr OF the bird of dawn
| To the musical roar Of Oceans waves;
Twill bring thee gold, bright-shining gold thou
lov'st."
Gold, The word but reached his ear when terror
All forgotten, the rich man made reply
What is this secret: Fiend. or what YOU may
Tell 1t to me, and II it bring me gold,
/ Whatc'er thou ask shall obey-pcriorm
What thou maySt bid, cen though all else Is
! lost
Again that lurid smile and then replied
| lie Of the flaming locks Ere this tell.
! A bargain We must make; Thou needSt no
| soul
II TO this plan thou list with willing ears;
So in exchange I'll take II, ana propose
That We "a written compact sign. His hand
! Dr.W forth with lightning speed a parchment.
Drowned
As though the flames had kissed it oft. pen
lie dipped In the flames that curled ABOUT MIN
! And gave il with quick gesture to the man,,
Who trembling sat and heSitating, now
| That he must quick decision make. Slowly
lie took the pen and signed his name. In words
That scorched and burned. his soul he signed
There cane sound Of ,hundcrclap, and forth
From darkness dense sprang other FORMS ali
In flames nr.S and streams Of light. With humble
Low bowed they at their Masters feet to do
His bidding His hands he waved toward The
form -,
Light ~ the air itself he seemed to rise
The aerv arm that bore him up appeared,
In one mass OF floating flame united.
The rich man closed his eyes and lett MS Iate
With him who led the way. he knew not where
Full forty miles over the earth they new
Then softly sank The rich man op'ed his eyes
And saw beneath a fearful yawning chasm.
still down they sank. ON either sue the way
Great rocks reached forth rs II to grasp 'hehl'
They pnused and rested on a level moor
THAT POLISHED seemed liko marble Before them
Great doors OF shining granite barred the way
Loud thunder clap> that echoed Jar nuu Wlu'
Babe those within TO wait upon IN. M I'M that
| And throw the portals wide. The scene tha'
rnou m. view blinded the rich mans eyes
| And down he sank awe-stricken to his Knees
| Ablaze with light 1t seemed, The very AIT
! With quiyering lines OF molten gold -,
| Mas filled Aud myriad Jets danced and played
on the radiant walls and gayly rippled
Oer the polished floor Slow TO ms iee ehou,
His hand the Prince now raised aS ne "ou'u
And circljnr round in humble attitude
His mpish subjects waited for ms words.
| ..Ruling spirit am of light and heat.
Fen Earth's internal fires obey my voice.
| And nj my bidding seek the world above
10 denl destruction dire. or blessings bring
To those who dwell upon ITS suriace , IT,"
| Hcneath this rock "A subtle essence Sleeps
| That reused and carried to the worla auoNS
Shall flood its darkened aisles WITH "o"u''''
And banish thoughts Of cold discomfor, far.
The power that once was mine give to thee
Take il and use il aS thou wilt. Twill pflhg
rrhee cold-that shining. yellow gold thou
60 10 the man he spoke. who listening,
U.,viidercd seemed ut scenes 50 new ana
.cold did he say: Al. memr'y. bring me back
The purpose wild that brought me here
Call to my aid my native cunning, now
no d.ol with this wise spirit cautiously
So to him thus he spoke: what foolish task
l. This thou set'st me: How shall convey
To earth's inhabitants TINS hiuI,H nm, ~. ll.
To bring them blessing and TO bring me so.4.
Forth from the Princes eyes tine spafhs i"S'
flew. ,,
And with tones that made his subjects tremble
| - II
or is the mind OF man indeed so much
beneath the jewellers OF this inner earth:
pipes like serpents we will send slyly to creep
Full many mile DER hill and valley,
Till frightened by the many sounds and sights
That tell = city's near they'll hide away
And wander here and there beneath the
THEY'LL lind their way to mills and workshops
dim.
To tighten care in myriad homes. where
He. who AT the altar vowed 10 love ana
Cherish tendcrly. may not, at early dawn
From sweetest Slumbers be- aroused, 70 WAN"
The gentle being whom lac loves ana bld
In accents soft understanding pine TO ilnd,
Hack diamonds bring and build brisht-shining
, The son, OF men love comfort. and for this
, They'll give their god-brightShining eoid
thou lov'st. ..
What hold have upon them questioned he
Ky contracts thou wilt hold them fast and
firm.
Deal gently with them first; Their iaNor gam
Let them the comfort taste OF clean nreslue.
And rooms made pleasant without thoue"' VI
care
Then pile 1t on, high as their laws permit
And measure every cubic inch, ~
But tax them high. high say till they shall
Groan and writhe in biterest agony;
Do this thou soulless man, and gold VIII pour
Into thy Golfers like Il mountain stream;
Gold. blight shining gold; the gold thou
lowest ,,,,
Tho shirts voice had louder grown and shrill.
: THE ginnces fierce that darted from his eyes
showed MI too plain the hatred that he bore
TO mortal mcn-the jewellers on the earth.
/, lie paused not for reply. but waved MS arms
And swiftly MS before, the herN lmps
} Caugbt M the rich man. lightly bore HIM on,
And soon they'd left the cavern far behind,
And STAYED not in their smoothly-noating
course
Til on his couch again the rich man lay
There dwell men vet upon the earth who tell
This strange. strange tale, and how it all came
true:
How This mysterious dangerous thing
For many miles was brought by man device
And used AS this queer creature had ioretold:
And gold 1t brought these men; bright shihihe
They loved so well-and strangest part OF all.
And these old men will pause-gance fearful
And sinL their voices TO a whisper low:
It's said with truth that these men hau no
souls
Wheeling. NOcen'bT 29
Gamblers Superstitions.
Kansas City star.
"When | used to gamble, said good
citizen, "if won always made it a
point to buy new clothes, or pay my