San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1890-01-30

Neu, tne donkey, nor the car, nor u slu-
gle head O. cabbage was to he seen.
looked up and down Milk Market
lane, but might as well DO lookin for
needle in bundle O. hay, but at last
was informed by the bakers boy that
used to supply mo with fine fresh rowls,
that the donkey and car was dhriven to
the pound for obstructing the public
highway, for ye must know that that
was the law In thin days-an' the owner
O. the saized property, whoever he or she
might be, was compelled to pay small
fine before their property was restored
For wander, was short O. cash ut the
time, but Pat Howe, with his usual good
nature, KEN to my assistance and clapped
the required sum into my hand, and It
wasn't long before had the imprisoned
cabbages relased from durance vile, but ]
was surprised when missed three O. the
biggest heads that had carefully put on
the top for show, and grand heads they
were, for If they weighed an ounce ! de-
clare to you this mint they weighed
fourteen pounds apiece.
However, bore my loss with the res
ignation of philosopher, an took my
accustomed stand OIL Milkmarket lane,
an, to tell the truth, the prospects o the
market couldn't be brisker than on that
very day. So after my stock was en-.
tirely sowld an the cash safely in my
pocket, made my way to Mrs. Bowler's
bakery, where bought loaf o bread,
and then called In at the dairy, where J
sat down with quart O new milk and
pot o fresh butter before me, and en-.
joyed hearty male fit for an alderman.
While was attn away, began te
cogatate to myself about the strange
drames of the buried treasure near Car.
rickabrick castle. "Begorra. "tsays tc
myself at last, "Ill visit the castle this
very night an see the end of it, even II ]
have to risk my life In the attempt"
The resolution was no sooner made
than quilted the dairy, but when got
outside Ned, the donkey, was nowhere
to be found; that was the second time he
disappeared from me in the one day. ]
searched high and low, but sorrow sigr
of him could l see l was just giving
up the hunt for him when was towld
by man from Tallow that If wished
to recover him I'd have to trudge over
to the pound again. "Wish'd, then, ye
thievin' donkey" says to myself, "it
this goes on much longer all my profits
will be spent in payin' fines" Ihad him
released, however, an put him up fol
the night at a respectable house Of enter
tainment for man and baste, and then
made up my mind to visit Carrickabrick
CASTLE So, without broachin' word tc
any one, went in search of pick,
spade an lanthern. From Milkmarket
lane l walked straight down the Mil
road, and after crossin' the first field ]
was soon within view of the ovid paper
mill, and after pickin' my steps over the
plank that crossed the mill race, as good
luck would have it, the first livin' Great
ure met was young Jenny Madden, o
clever boy that knew every hole an cor
ner O the mill.
When towld him what ] wanted he
lost no time in hunting up the necessary
implements, an in less than five minits ]
had spade and pickax, a stable lanthern
and coil Of rope. The reason tuck
the rope was because ! had TO climb
rock by the Blatkwater, about thirty
feet high, before gettin' on level with
the castle grounds. Well, sir, back ]
went to the field with my mining toolf
under my arm, sayin' nothin', but smOk.
in my pipe and studyin' the stars until
/ got to the big rock overlookin' the
river then tied the implements to.
gether, an tuck the other end O the
rope in my hand and made my way uI
the best way could. Some O. the foot.
holds wor as slippery as glass, but kept
a tight howld by the crevices. for I knew
that by one false move I'd be smashed tc
atoms. When landed safe at the tor
O. the rock pulled up the rope and un.
tied the tools. then sat down near the
edge O. the rock to ketch my breath.
when all at once my eye tuck in at
single glance the charmin' scene spread
out before me.
There was the beautiful summer moor
dancin' on the face o. the Blackwater.
could also see her bright bames fallin
over the glorious fields o yallow grain
and from the ruined castle behind my
back ! could hear the noise O. the bat,
the owl an the jackdaws, that were
goin' to roost for the night in the nooks
and crannies O. the broken walls. Their
/ thought / could hear the strangesi
music comm from the purity green
grove, but / found out that it was only
the light summer winds singin' then
way through the trees. At last rose
up, lighted my lanthern, and set out like
another Columbus on my voyage Of dis
covery around the castle ruins. After
gropin' my way for a few minits, what
dye think trippcd me up, but the round
white stone mentioned in the quart
drnmes O. my three friends. There II
was as plain as pike staff beside BIT
o. brushwood within about a yard o
castle.
So without losin' a mint / threw %
my coat and TO work went Aftef
diggin' for awhile my pick KEN in con
tact with a substance that didn't seem
to be as hard as a rock nor a. soft as 3
sponge either. II you could see me thai
moment you'd be astonished, for leP
ped sky high. was 20 full o. Joy at the
thought o. my good luck When ken
10 myself, threw away the pick an be
gan TO shovel the loose soil from around
The crock as ! thought IL. but begorrss
sir, twas only . common ovid buttbef
tub covered over at the top with musty
,wld newspaPerx -Now for my gooiden
discovery says 70 myself as tore OF
he paper cover. By the light o thf
noon an my lanfherD as vel. tbeI
.o.ok a peep a. the precious trearure i
I.ought vas coiz' 70 make a nan O ne