The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1900-05-31
emily part Of something that VIA

an idle sort of way. There seemed TO
be something harder than earth I'M
der it, and he poked it again with lit
tie more vigor, whereupon it tore, and
three yellow discs about the size of
silver dollars rolled out.
"In an instant he had cast aside the
! branch and was on his knees over the
canvas gathering gold eagles and half
eagles and double eagles into his
| pocket with Yeverish haste that
would hardly have seemed possible in
the idle dreamer of few moments
ago; he moved as if his life depended
upon getting them out Of sight as
soon as possible"
There" said the man by the win
| dow, sis where such stories usually
end, with the first chapter"
"This one doesn't end there; it has
n second chapter.
"When the bag, for such the canvas
was, had been emptied, he dug with
| his pocketIlnife as we'll as he could
all around it to see if there might be
another. but could find no more. He
/ then proceeded to cover up all signs
of distuG Dance, making the ground
look as nearly like that about il as
possible, and dragging some fallen
| branches and dead leaves over it, look
ing about him now and then to see If
anyone was in sight.
Not that he felt for a moment that
q; he was stealing; the coin appeared to
! have been buried for long time, and
he believed the finders title to be
| good, but he didn't care to discuss the
matter with any inquisitive farmer or
tramp who might happen along.
| "By the time he had covered the
ground so he thought there was moth
| ing to attract the attention of the
most observant he found that he was
in a profuse perspiration and trem-
| bling like an aspen leaf.
"He went slowly up through the
woods and out into a road, and here,
| in the shadow of some sunfowers, he
sat down to rest and think. And then
| he began to realize that few thou
| sand, even very few, would make q
big change in his life.
"He pulled coin out Of his coat
pocket. 1t was twenty of 1855. He
took one from his trousers pocket. 1t
was ten of 1919; another was TWEEN
ty of 1854 One at time he drew out
number, and found them all to be as
old as 1855, which seemed to show
that they were buried, or at least
gathered together, not long after that
time. so he decided that he need give
no thought to the rightful owner;
that is, the original owner Of the bag;
that he and anyone who $new of the
burying were probably beyond the
need of gold, or il would not have
been permitted to remain there all
these years, but the owner Of the land
on which he had found it might have
legal title to it, and might endeavor
to enforce it should the finding come
to his knowledge and he could not
prove that it did not belong to any
one who might claim to have buried
it. SO the only thing was to keep
quiet as to the whole business and get
the coin into circulation in some way
that would not excite suspicion.
"The sun was getting low, and it
was several miles to an Omaha street
car, so, after he had rested short
time, he crossed the road TO a walnut
tree and picked up enough nuts to fill
the tops of his outside pockets and
thus account for their bulginess, and
then started homeward. his heavy
4 Il. 4 l.
outside and his heart pounding
against him on the inside for fear
some one would hear the click of his
coins and guess what he was carry
ing.
"IIe took bobtailed car at the
north edge of town; that was before
there were any electric cars, and, of
course, imagined everyone in it was
cying him suspiciously, but he reached
downtown without anyone's speaking
to him and went to the Office where
he worked.
"iftcr locking the door he went to
the desk farthest from the window
and took out and counted his treas
ure. There were five thousand and five
dollars, and no coin dated later than
1855. He weighed one twenty on the
letter scale and figured out the
weight of the whole to be a tritle over
Is pounds
putting a few Of the smaller pieces
In his pocket, he did the rest up in
packages, which he put in the Office
safe, behind the books, so if by chance
| anyone opened it before him in the
morning they would not see IT, You
| may he sure he was certain the safe
was locked before he left the office.
"llc went TO a ncwsroom and bought
magazine, paying for il with five
dollar gold piece. and he paid his
! check at the restaurant where he got
supper with another, putting the
| change he received and money from
his purse to make up the amount
| spent with the other gold in sep
| arate pocket.
'llc mnst change his manner of liv-
! ing gradually, II wouldn't do to leave
his position at once. People must get
used to his having money by degrees,