Middletown transcript., 1897-04-03

distinct letters this inscription, WITH
P. o. Box 1901, London"
Looking at his host he said: "Wha
does that meanp Is there a story con
nected with it2n
The Englishman laughed.
"Yes, story in FIVE chapters. Com
here's" and he led the way into his lib
rary. 'There are the chapters" h'
continued, opening desk and produc-
ing five envelopes, each containing
letter; land am going to ask you tc
read them, for am sure they will in
terest you. Before you begin, how
ever, I will give you the preface to the
tale, for otherwise you would not un-
derstand it. In 1876, when was bu'
a boy, was sent to Australia to looE
after my fathers sheep business. Much
of the time l was obliged to be in the
bush, and when there the hours often
hung heavily upon my hands. One
frightfully hot Sunday lay gasping foi
air under thorn tree near my cabin
when l noticed something glittering in
the dust of the roadway not twenty
yards distant. After speculating upon
what it might be for perhaps an hour,
l mustered sufficient energy to rise
from my hammock and investigate. 1t
was this coin, but without the inscrip-
tion you have noted. Returning to my
siesta / began to wonder how it came
there, for not a soul had passed that
way for more than month, except my
own men; and neither they nor 1 had
any gold. Ny wonder grew upon itself
until at last it occurred to me how
strange story such piece Of money
could tell il it could relate its adven-
lures, and from that idea it was but a
step to the inscription and trial of
my fantastic notion.
The first time | visited Sydney,
took the coin to jeweler and had him
it as yon have seen. l gut the
London P. o. Box on, for London is
known the world around, and 1901 is
and always has been my box, whether
in Australia or at home. No sooner
was the gold prepared than l started it
on its journeyings; for l paid it to the
very jaweler who marked it. Now you
may read the letters"
"But," said his friend. "how does it
come that you have the guinea now, if
you parted with it twenty years ago in
"Ah, replied the other, with smile,
shat may be termed the sequel to the
story Of the letters. Read those and
then l will add that aIso."
The first was written upon heavy
paper, in Spanish with the follow ing
attached:
III. s. M. Sloop of War.
'Infanta.',
MELBOURNE, Mch. 9th, 1880.
Respected Sir: L have recently re-
,eived an English gold piece which
bears the following words: write P.
}. Box 1901 London. THE same was paid
o me some days since by Malay fruit
raider while we were at Batavia, Java.
Not observing the engraving until the
Malay had left the ship am unable to
'tate where he obtained. the money. We
ire about to leave for Barcelona, and
'hould | have opportunity to visit
London during my stay ashore I shall
10 myself the honor to personally ex-
libit the wandering guinea to Box 1901
with great respect, am, Sir,
"XAvIos CARDENzA,
"Lieut. II. S. NJ. N"
This comes next" said The English
nan; "You may wonLer az its date,
md yet you can probably imagine the
tragedy that intervenes;" and he. ham
led a rather dingy sheet to the Amer
can.
The writing was coarse and Uniform.
ID but evidently in a mans hand, in
he German language translated as fol- |
ows:
PRETORIA, TRANsvAAL, S. A.,
June 18th, 1882.
II have in my possession guinea at
ached to piece of gold chain, which
think was watch chain. It is
marked Write P.O. Box 1901, London, |
md so l do. have had the coin some
hree months and received it from a
Nameqna native with whom was
rsding for ivory on the Molopo River.
1e was a chief and wore the thing
round his neck. We were together
everal days, and when saw the gold
'iece was guinea l was curious
nough to ask him where he got it.
lie said one Of his men took 1t in war
rom an ADgra, or West Coast men.
presume that fellow got it from some
wreck or even from some dead or zdy-
ng sailor on the shore. If the piece is
1 any particular value as keepsakeL
Till send it to London upon request.
Write me here. STEIN HUFELAND.n ~
The American locked up.
Poor Cardenzai Evidently his ship
Eas lost and the savages robbed his
ody.n
The Englishman bowed.
when / received this letter I made
4arch through the marine records. for
was then at home, and found that
! May 1880, the Spanish Sloop Of War
Infanta" was lost of South Africa
nd no one saved. The lientenant,s
ody probably washed ashors in the