The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-06-08
Hidden Gold.
"A LINE RUNNING AT RIGHT ANGLES TO lNFlNlTY WILL
END WHERE GOLD is BURIED"

New Rochelle, westchester county, N.
v, is an interesting place from a historic
standpoint. Tom Paine, the famous inf
del was SO impressed with the place that
he decided to die there. II O go to New
Rochelle Il is necessary to know about the
death of Paine, on pain of death. II Is
also well to grasp the fact hat the Hugue-
nots settled the place and that politicians
now run it. Speaking of the latter brings
me to pirates the old-fashioned kind,
who scuttled ships instead Of footing
treasures.
The story I am about TO tell was related
to me the other evening by a man upon
whose shoulders the mantle of the famous
boy who could not tell q lie has fallen.
We were seated before a wood fire, smok-
ing long pipes and listening to the storm
as il roared across the sound and beat In
fury against the house. II was just the
night for a yarn possessing weird feat
ures. My friend thus began:
.'when I first entered college in O small
city OF New England I was especially inn
pressed by the importance Of the sopho-
more class, and the fact that an insane
retreat was situated almost within a
stones throw of our campus. For the
first few weeks of my career as q fresh
man the sophomores were of more sig
niicance to me than the madmen. After
getting used to the sophomores, however,
the 'crazes," as we called the inmates of
the retreat, became, by q natural step, OBJ
jects OF great interest TO me. / never
passed the gloomy stone buildings late at
night without carrying my penknife open
i'm my hand. The mufiied shrieks that
haunted the dreary place thrilled me by
their grim suggestiveness. What IL an
escaped mailman should attack me IN the
dark?
.'One afternoon / strolled into the
grounds which stretched i'm verdant glory
for many acres In front Of the asylum.
II was q beautiful day in June and the
that affected me at midnight
did not show itself under the influence
of the summer sun. On such q day ana
in such a place insanity seemed as inn
possible as billiards.. As / wandered
along, enjoying the scene before me, i
noticed that a man was following me.
He Is one OF the Keepers thought, and
turned to ask him for q match with which
to light q cigarette. was at once struck
by the beauty Of my pursuer. He wa tall
and graceful, with q complexion as per
feet as q woman's. His eyes were fever
ishly bright and the smile he gave me
was peculiar. II displayed a set Of per
feet teeth, but was to my mind meaning
less. He had removed his hat, n the
breeze played with his snow white hair.
His moustache was as black as his eyes,
and he looked as though old g had ut.
!, tackled him first at the top. When l asked
' him for a match his smile became q laugh,
and he threw himself upon b grass.
asst down. he cried. ! have no match,
but I want to talk to you.'
81 did as he requested, though l kept
my hand on my faithful penknife. l be.
gan to fear thai I had encountered n OF
A. ..catcr4, and that hn fninht hannIna
dangerous at any moment.
"'They say ! am crazy, he began onn-
dentially, but they are widely mistaken:
Look at me, young man. DO look mad!
~ thought he did, but did not dare to
be frank with him. Not at ALL sir. You
seem to be thoroughly sane
"'Good. of course / am. I'll prove It.
You are one of the boys at the college up
there. You study the higher mathemat'
les. Now, let me tell you that n line run
ming at right angles TO inflnity will end al
a spot where gold II buried. Do YOU fol
low me? just think OF il a moment. No
crazy man could make such a discovery
IL my mind was not perfectly sound
never could have grasped this great prin.
ciple. will 20 into details with YOU con
corning H.. Suppose the captain OF a ssiT
should
"'Ah, there you are remarked n stern
voice. and one OF The attendants ap
preached us. My crazy companion sprans
up hastily, with n rather sheepish look OF
his handsome face.
Good day., he said, politely, taking
on my proposition. II is certain to pu
gold into your purse. Remember, ID lin,
running at right angles TO inflnity viii
end where gold is buried
"Years passed and ! had forgotten al
about this encounter with a mailman
After ] left college l studied law, ant
finally began the practice of my profes
sion in New York city. Desiring a auie
home, / came 10 New Rochelle and pur
chased an old Huguenot house hat has
withstood the storms of $50 years. Al
aged negro woman who had LIVED In tn
family Of the original n for severa
generations took care Of me n acted a
housekeeper. cook, and maid-of-all-work
One day she told me the story OF her for
mer employers.
"'Dey was French refugees who cam
from France befoh George Washington
was born. Dey lived heah fob man,
yeahs. A great while ago dere wa
pirates in desc watahs. One of dem fel
in love with a Huguenot girl, q daughte
of de flst owner OF dis we're house. III