Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-05-17
$4,000 in Gold.

On Sherman's march to the sea
small party of Union fOragers were
taking a bite a few miles east of Social
Circle when an old darky came hob
bling along the road. He was bleed
ing from a severe cut in the side of
the face
"Who's been knitting you, uncle?' in
Quired the sergeant in command of the
party. The old darky had taken his
hat off as he approached the foragers
and was making awkward attempts
at bowling as he scraped the ground
with his left foot.
"Put yo;r hat ON, old man. said
the sergeant. whats been the
trouble?"
'Moas' got killed, Massa Sojah,"
was the reply.
The sergeant had a suNN'y of adj
hesve plaster, and after tolerabla
Job of patching up on the face was
done and after it was decided TO let
the wool and the clothed b )od do the
work for the cut on the had, the old
man was given something to eat and
a pull at the SargeantS canteen Of
whisky, for he was pretty weak from
the loss of blood, a good supply of
which was in his old shoes.
After the Old man refreshed himself
he looked at the sergeant and abruptly
said, "Massa Sojah, Massa Richardson,
he's @wine ter come back aftah dat
COLE"
whats that, uncle?' said the ser
geant. and the men of the fOraging
party looked eagerly at the darby and
somebody is coming after some gold"
said one of the men.
"What gold?" asked the sergeant Of
the old man.
"Old mars an old missus' COLE" said
the darby when dey head dat de
Yankees gwine come, dey gwine away
in de kedge. Ole mars tells Mars
Richardson
Who is Richardson's" asked the ser
geant.
MARS Richardson, he's de obaseah.
Ole mars tole him take keer dat cole.
Mars Richardson he's gone roun sly,
ain / done ketch him one night diggin
up dat cole neah de magnolia ain put
tin it in de brush. He's suspiciOned
dish yeah niggah, ain he gwine come
to me dish yeah mornin ain say, You
dam old scOndrel, yo'S lived long nuffr
Sho huff he had dat sword ain he
knocked me down SOS l could pray
Foah | could pray de Lawd I didn't
know muffin, ain when I woke up de
Yankees burned de house. Mars
Richardson, he's gwine come back
aftah dat gole.''
Right you are, old man, said the
sergeant why don't you dig it up
and take it to your masterW
To this singular question on the part
of the sergeant there was a distinct
murmur of disapprobation from the
foragers, and as the sergeant looked
around in some surprise the darky re
piled:
Dunno whah dey's gwine, Mars
Soiah.''
TOO bad" said the sergeant. ''That
scoundrel, who must have thought he
left you for dead, will come back and
steal that money"
"Where is the gold?" inquired one of
the men. To this the old darky made
no reply, but looked at the sergeant as
though he relied upon him for some
way out of the dilemma.
'If you show us where the gold is
buried, we will dig it up
Yes, yes" interrupted the eager for
ayers.
''And when we get it." continued the
sergeant leisurely, 'I'll turn it over
to the quartermaSter.
Its the regular way" said the ser
geant as he looked around at the dis
appointed faces. All captures, accord
ing to the army regulations, must be
turned over to the Guarterma ster.' -
The sergeant produced a we'll thumbed
little black bound book and read a
para cranh alOnd. then put the book
into an inside breast pocket, and aris-
ing said, "Show us where that gold is,
uncle. if you don't want that scoundrel
to get it,
The old man gathered himself up
and led the way. After a tramp of
half Il mile the old darby came to a
spot in a grove a short distance from
the house, and after some little search
and with the aid of a bayonet and
some fiat chips the gold was I'M
earthed. There were $4,000 in broad
pieces.
True to his word, the sergeant turned
over the money to his colonel after
the party reached camp. and that was
the last he heard of it until about six
months ago. 1t never left the hands of
the colonel although at the time it
reached them he commended the SER
geant for his honesty and said he
would see that it was regularly turned
over to the quartermaster
Both the sergeant and the colonel
live in a great city east of the AIisSiS-
slppi. The colonel is wealthy, re
spected and highly honored in the com
munlty where he takes a leading part
in building up the great city where he
lives. His name is on the lists OF
every noble charity that prompts the
generous heart to subscribe. His word