Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1890-04-04

AN EXTRAORDINARY DISCOVERY.

When was II youngster and asked
my father for money he used to toll me
that money didn't grow on bushes, and
until the summer of 1881 | believed
him. said wcll-known resident Of
Belleville, whose pretty cottage over
looks the placid Passaic. II changed
my mind in that year, however, upon
discovering, to my extreme satisfaction,
that at least on one occasion money
could be picked from bushes with as
much ease as could pick ripe rasp-
berries. 1t was on the Fourth Of July,
and on that day the woodcock season
opened. | was out early with my setter
Belle, and we crossed the river to pick
up some birds that | had located in the
little strip of alders short distance
above the Jersey City water works. 1t
was dry season, and the birds were
thick along tho river, having been
driven there by lack of moisture along
the mountain brooks and in the woods.
II had killed four birds, when Belle
came toward me with $40 bill in her
mouth. You may imagine my surprise
took the bill from the intelligent
brute, examined it, and found it moist
with dew but perfectly good and whole
lyon know good thing when you
sec it, Belle | said. Go and SEQ If
there is any more like it there, and she
started off at brisk trot. | watched
her aud saw her spring up and pluck
something from bush in tho thicket
A moment later she was at my feet with
a $50 note in her mouth, holding it as
terdcrly as she would a bird. was
utterly astonished, and plung ed wildly
into tho thicket, regardless Of the cat
bricrs and other thorns which chung to
me like the hands Of drowning man.
| had not gone rs feet before | saw a
$40 bill impaled on thorn Of wild
apple tree and just ahead was another
sprout decorated like Christmas tree,
with bills on every thorn.
81 went right to work gathering in
tho fruit. There wero tens, twenties,
ffties and hundreds twisted around the
twigs, stuck on thorns, or crowded into
the crotches Of limbs. Several bills
we're scattered over the ground near by,
and while ! was gathering them Belle
brought in ten aud twenty from
some distance ahead heard d gun.
shot some distance behind me. and il
spurred me on TO extraordinary indus.
try while the money market was easy
! | plunged ahead, picking bills from the
bushes as went along and showing
them into the pocket Of my shooting
coat. came across two more little
trees trimmed with greenbacks, anc
then located a regular savings banl
lost in the woods. 1t was big blacl
locust, with trunk ten inches in di
ameter, completely covered with bunch
es of cruel thorns down to within
foot of the ground. The thorns wer'
plastered all over with bills, many 0
which were stained with blood from th
fingers Of the person who placed then
there. | believe | picked up $780,
from this tree, and not bill was les
than FIVE.
'Down near the foot Of the tree wa
a fluttering strip Of blue silk, evidentl
the hem Of woman's dress. Up t
this moment | had been too busy t
think, but this rag set me to wonder
ing. How on earth could woman &c
into that thicket, | thought, and gel
ting down on my knees | found th
prints of narrow, sharp-heeled shoes i
the moss-covered turf 1t was woma
sure, and after securing the last note
sight followed the trail, picking froI
the bushes on either side of tho way a
occasional bill. A hundred yards frol
the locust tree. the track led to I'll
edge of the river between two watt
, willows, and 10 the soft mud for sever
feet from the shore could SEQ 20
prints leading out towards the ebanne
l went back through the willows al
assured myself that the tracks we're n
doubled, and then | walked up 81