Telegram-herald., 1890-05-08

s1G1 TIE slrLLE bEo68 211 D= t111L-e1
dcSn tie bzAz. bumpSag fro-R ruck u
rock I'D b1sh - btshs sad lsayIag the
rs'i c-ak sgrtsrfng Ike bl0-3oy banner
h IA 4ir
Itwsa I5ug tine before Wolferr cane
- hi1ase.f. hen be opened hls 81 -
Ehe r1ddy stre4zs of t8e morning we're
already shooting up ths cay he found
hln1sslf lyng ~ ths bottom of boat,
grieyousiy battered He attempted 70
slt Up. buE was To sore snd stir . move.
A voice roQ 1ss5sd hi1a IN friendly accents
% lie stiL he turned his eyes toward
the speaker; II ~as DiEx " Waliron- he
had dogged the party, a. the earnest re-
quest of Dame Weber and her dAugh-
ser. who. with the la1d2bls curiosity Of
their ssx. had pTied into the secret con
situations OF WOlfsTt and the doctor
Dark had been completely disranced Ia
following the Light skif Of the fisherman,
and had Just come IN time 70 rescue the
poor money digger from his pursuer.
Thus ended thus perllous enterprise.
The doctor and Mud Sam severally found
their way back 70 the Mznhattoes, each
having some dreadful tale Of peril 10 re-
late. As % poor Wolfert. instead Of re-
turning In triumph, laden with bags Of
gold, he was borne home on a shutter,
followed BY a rabble route Of curious ur-
chins bis wife and daughter saw the
dismal pageant from distance, and
alarmed the neighborhood with their
cries; they thought the poor man had
suddenly settled the great debt OF nature
in one Of his waywaTd moods. Finding
him, however, still living. they had him
conveyed speedily 10 bed. and jury of
old nnatrons Of the neighborhood assem-
bled 10 determine how he should De doc
tored- The whole town was in a buzz
with the story Of the money diggers.
Many repaired 70 the scene Of the pre-
yiOus nights adventures; but though
they found the very place Of the digging.
they discovered nothing that compen-
sated for their trouble. Some say they
found the fragments Of an oaken chest
and an iron pot lid. which savored
strongly Of hidden money, and that in
the old family vault there were traces of
bales and boxes, but this is al very du-
biouS
In fact, the secret Of all this story has
never - this day been discovered whether
any treasure was ever actually buried at
taAi place; whether, If SO, 1t was car
ried of at night by those who had buried
il; or whether it still remains there
under the guardianship of gnOmes and
spirits until it shall be properly sought
for. is all matter Of conjecture. For my
part | incline 10 the latter opinion, and
make no doubt that great sums lie
buried, both there and in many other
parts OF this island and its neighborhood,
ever since the times of the buccaneers
and the Dutch colonists; and / would
earnestly recommend the search after
them TO such of my fellow citizens as are
not engaged in any other speculations.
There were many conjectures formed,
also. as TO who and what was the strange
man Of the seas who had domineered
over the little fraternity at Corlears
Hook for time; disappeared so strangely
and reappeared so fearfully. Some sup
posed him a smuggler stationed at that
place TO assist his comrades in landing
their goods among the rocky coves of the
island. Others that he was a buccaneer;
one OF the ancient comrades, either of
Kidd or Bradish, returned to convex
away treasures formerly hidden In the
vicinity. The only circumstance
that throws anything like a vague
light over this mysterious matter
is a report that prevailed Of a
strange foreign built shallop, with the
look OF piccaroon, having been
seen lowering about the sound for several
days without landing or reporting her
self. though boats were seen going to and
from her at night; and that she was seen
standing out of the mouth of the harbor,
in the gray of the dawn after the catas-
trophe of the money diggers.
| must not omit TO mention another
report, also, which | confess is rather
apocryphal, Of the buccaneer, who was
supposed 10 have been drowned, being
seen before daybreak. with a lanthorn in
/ his hand, seated astride his great sea
chest and sailing through He'll Gate.
which Just then began to roar and below
with redoubled fury.
While oil tho gossip world was thus
/ filed with talk and rumOr. poor Wolfert
/ Law sick and sorrowful in his bed bruised
/ in BODY and sorely beaten down in mind.
I His wife and daughter did all they could
/ 10 bind up his wounds both corporal and
spiritual. Thegood Old dame never stirred
/ from his bedside. where she sat knitting
from morning tall night while his daugh-
I ter busted herself about him with the
I fondest care. Nor did they lack assist
/ anco from abroad. Whatever NAV be said
/ os the dcsertion Of friends in distress. they
/ had no complaint Of the kind to make.
| Not an old wife OF the neighborhoOd but
abandoned her work 70 crowd 10 the
mansion Of Wolfert Webber. inquire
after his health and the particulars Of
I his story. Not one came. moreover.
without her little pipkin Of pennyroyal,
sage. balm or other herb tea, delighted
at an opportunity OF signalling her
kindness and her doctorship What
drenchinEs did not the poor Wolfert IN
dergo. and al in vain. It was a moving
sight 70 behold him wasting away day
by day. growing thinner and thinner
and ghasthsr and ghastiier. and staring
with rueful visags from under sn old
patchwork counterpane upon the jury q
matTons kindly assembled - sigh and
groan and look unhappy around him
Dirk Waldron vas the only being that
seemed 70 shed a ray q sunshine into
this house q mourning Re came ia
with CHEEKY look and manly spirit and
tried 70 rssnimste the expiring heart of