The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1894-10-24

way carefully with bits of paper, I
made up the hill again and gained the
house, much the worse for wear. /
put on dry dress, and seeking Mil
Ter, showed him my find, asking him
with calmness j certainly didn't feel
what it was He scanned IL carefully,
and said:
" It's purity good gold Where'd
you get itp'
| 81 rather stammered that had
found il in the creeks bed short dis
tance from the house. Thoughts of
the treasure, il il we're one, being
filchod from me caused this little de-
ception. He said further; Its purity
well mixed with dirt, and then laugh
ingly: IF you had wheelbarrowiul
of bits like this you could buy n
farm
How much is it worth2' / asked
" oh, about sl5, l think
'1 thanked him and went to my
room. To get the rest of the bits, as
he called them, from where they were,
and take them s.-,ly to place where
l could dispose of them, gave me
much to think on. l did not care to
trust any one with my secret, and ]
wanted to know the extent of my find.
The next day 1 was putting query af-
ter query to Miller about placer min
ing. At night was as far from know
ing what its extent was as could be.
After supper l resolved to try the
Italian, who had taken some fancy to
me, 1 thought, for having given him
several cast-off garments for his wife.
L found him, secured his services for
the next day, making tryst where he
was to meet me with pick, shovel,
bags, and rope, and on the way told
him of what | was about to do and
offered him $50 to assist me to the
railroad with what we might secure.
He swore by the Virgin he would
never betray me. We made our way
down to the rock, and, fixing the rope
firmly, went around, took the tools
from him, and then he came. / asked
him what he knew about placer min
ing. He knew considerable. / show
ed him where found the nuggets, or
rather the clods, and we went to
work.
at was hard work, too. But after
eight or nine hours of picking came
to the conclusion that / had got all
there was out of the rough gutter of
the rock where the stream trickled
through. We had in all, at rough
estimation, about eighty pounds OF
dirt and gold, including the loose bits
/ had concealed in the niche. could
not see signs of any more. There was
no beach except where 1 had stood.
We looked that all over and saw no
signs of gold. We dug down and
soon struck solid rock, and we con-
cluded there was nothing more than
the pocket. We made two packages
of the dirt, and with much effort ]
helped the italian to carry them up
the hill. We left the tools. That
night went to his house, guarding
my treasure. 1 sent note by him to
Miller telling him l would not be at
home, saying the Italians wife was ill
and that 1 would stay with her that
night. had the italian secure me n
cart and donkeys, and the next morn
ing, with my fortune concealed under
the seat, started with it for the near
est station, after settling with Miller
for my months board.
eve reached the station after six
days trip. gave the Italian five or
six ounces of the most solid of the
stuff. l had the rest packed in a
stout box. While at the station met
a travelling salesman, to whom con-
fided. He advised me to take it to
the city of Mexico. / lacked $40 or
$l2 of having enough money to pay
my fare, but he loaned it to me, say
ing 1 could send it to him. arrived
safely in the city, and with the assist
ance of an American at the hotel /
had the stuff melted, and, after the
customs and license were paid, it net.
ted me 80, 700. On the advice of the
same gentleman 1 invested in small
cultivated coffee plantation near Min
atitlan. 1t was profitable, and have
been there since July, 1891, until the
fall of last year, when l sold my in
terest in the coffee ground to one OF
the larger growers. / do not like Mex