The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1897-10-09
Che lflissr's Secret.
'SeesseeeeeeeeeeeseseseeG

nLD MISER FURGIS was dying. In
large, bare, desolate room he lay,
staring wildly at the duh walls and
dingy ceiling. No one entered his room
unless requested save his wife, who
clung faithfully to his side. His chill
dren--for whom he had never exhibited
any great show OF affection and whom
he seemed TO look upon as so much
property TO be made the most of-stole
cautiously TO the room occasionally and
peered in.
Miser Furgis, as he was known
throughout the country, had lived in
the old rambling house in which he was
dying, for 30 years. During the time
he had cultivated the fertile acres that
lay about IT, He had worked like n
slave and forced his children TO work,
lived like the poorest laborer, that he
might hoard his hard-earned gold. Now
he was dying, and he alone knew where
II was buried.
One morning. after having lain un-
conscious for days, he opened his eyes
and turned them searchingly about the
room until they rested on bis wife. As
they fingered finally on her there was
tender light in them that told of love.
Lucy" he began, in faint, hollow
voice, II feel that ! can't live much
longer. ! am dying, and before ] go
/ want TO tell you a secret-ask you and
the children 10 forgive me for the cold,
hard life have caused you to live. You
will forgive me-when you know all.
Call the children-I-am going fast"
The family gathered hurriedly about
the bed. The miser asked TO be lifted
10 a sitting position, and continued;
"Children, when you know the secret
that am about to disclose you will for
give my seeming unnatural" he
stopped and writhed in agony as some
great pain took hold upon him. Trem'
bling violently, he sank back among
the pillows. Then with a mighty eff
fort he gasped: you'll find it al!-on
Oh"
After another spell he tried again "a
speak. Don't -scll-the- farm"
His features relaxed; there was @
tremor, and the miser was dead.
The miscr was scarcely beneath the
sod before his children began the search
for his boarded gold. Now that he was
gone, and had sought in his last hour
TO make rcparation, they thought o.
him kindly. They forgot his asperitiei
ms they thought OF the treasure he hae
left them. Now Il was all theirs. i
never occurred TO them that the priz'
might elude their most careful and per
sistent search.
So confident were they Of success, ant
so pleasant was the contemplation o
their fortune, that Albert, the youngest
sat down with pencil and paper TO iigur'
ont the amount their father had nc
cumulnted during the last 30 years.
His calculation was something lil<
this: The farm averaged an income o
at least $500 n year for the first fiv'
wears. The next five the average woul'
be $1,000. The next ten $1,000, and &
his own knowledge the profits the las
ten years had been $4,000. Fifty thou
sand dollars would be a fair estimate.
"On"-that was the only clew. Tn
second story OF the building was care
fully zone over; then the attic. but moth
ing but cobwcbs and accumulated dus
md rubbish was found. Then Oh
grounds were gone over again an
again. each time more slowly and care
fully, special search being made o
every emincnce But IL was always wit
the same disappointing results