Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1897-06-24

noticed an unusually large coffin ly-
ing sideways on the ground; it appear
ed as If it had fallen suddenly and
I with force, for number of loose stones
and mortar were sprinkled near It,
| Holding the light close to the ground,
! | observed that niche exactly below
the one in which | has been laid was
empty and that a considerable portion
of the wall there was broken away.
| then remembered that when i had
sprung so desperately out of my mar
low box | had heard something fall
with a crash beside me. This was the
thing, then-this long coffin, big
, enough to contain man seven feet
| nigh and broad in proportion. What
| gigantic ancestors had | irreverently
| lislodged? and was it from a skeleton
| throat that the rare jewel which / held
in my hand had been accidentally
shaken?
| My curiosity was excited and l bent
close to examine the lid of this funeral
chest. There was no name on it-no
mark OF any sort, save cne-a dagger
roughly painted in red. Here was
mystery, | resolved to penetrate it.
| set up my candle in little crevice
, of one of the empty inches, and laid the
pearl and diamond pendant beside it,
thus disembarrassing myself OF all
incumbrance. The huge coffin lay on
it's side, as | have said; its uppermost
corner was splintered; | applied both
bands to work the breaking further
asunder these already splint portions.
AS | did so leather pouch or bag
rolled out and fell at my feet. | picked
it up and opened tit was full of gold
pieces, More excited than ever, seized
a large pointed stone, and by the aid
of this eXtemporizad instrument, to-
gether with the FORCE of my own
arms, hands and feet, managed, after
some ten minutes hard labor, to break
open the mysterious casket
When | had accomplished this deed
| stared at the result like d man stupi-
fed. No moldering horror met my
gaze-no bleached or decaying bones;
no grinning skull Knocked me with its
hollow eye-sockets. | looked upon
treasure worthy OF an emperors enyyi
The big coffin was literally lined and
packed with incalculable wealth. Fifty
large leather bags tied with coarse
cord lay uppermost; more than half of
these We're crammed with gold coins,
the rest were full of priceless gems
necklaces, tiarras, bracelets, watches,
chains, and other articles of feminine
adornment were mingled with loose
precious stones-diamonds, rubies,
emeralds and opals, some of unusual
size and luster, some uncut, and some
all ready for the jewelers. setting.
Beneath these bags were packed a
number of pieces of silk, velvet, and
cloth of gold, each piece being wrap
ped by itself in a sort of oil-skin,
strongly perfumed with camphor and
ether spices. There were also three
lengths of old lace fine as gossamer,
matchless artistic design, in perfect
condition. Among these materials lay
two large trays of solid gold work
manship, most eXquisitely engraved
and ornamented, also 'our gold drink
| iug-Cups, of quaint and massive con-
struction. Other valuables and curl
Gus trines there were, such as an ivory
statuette of Psyche on silver pedes-
tai, a waistband of coins linked to.
gether, painted fan with a handle set
in amber and turquois, a fine steel
dagger in jeweled sheath, and a mir
70 framed in old pearls. Last but
not least, at the very bottom of the
chest lay rolls upon rolls of paper
money amounting TO some millions of
fraIcs-ir all far SURPRISING what |
had myself formerly enjoyed from my
own revenues. | plunged my hands
deep in the leather bags; | fingered the
rich materials all this treasure was
mine! | had found it in my own burial
vault! | had surely the right to con-
slider 1t as my property? | began to
! consideration could it have been
placed there without my knowledge
/ The answer to this question occurred
to me at once Brigandsl or course!
! what a fool | was not to have
thought of them before: the dagger
painted on the lid Of the crest should
have guided me to the solution Of the
mystery. A red dagger was the recog-
liked sign manual OF a bold and dan
| gerous brigade named Carmelo Neri,
who, with his reckless gang, haunted
/ the vicinity of Palermo
"So." ! thought. this Is one Of
your bright ideas, my cut-throat Car
melo, Cunning rogue' you calculated
well--you thought that none would
/ disturb the dead. much less break open
coffin in search Of gold. Adi-irably
planned, my Carmelo. But this time
you must play a losing game' A sup
POSED dead man coming to life again
4 deserves something for his trouble.
and I should be fool not to accept
/ the goods the gods and the robbers
provide. An ill-gotter hoard Of wealth,
no doubt: but better In my hands than
I in yours. friend Carmelo!"