The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1900-06-02
entity part of something that was

ing SUCK, Dul a Ce:.Q Drancn lay at
hand, and with this ne poksd at it in
an idle sort of way. There seemed TO
be something harder than earth I'M
der it, and he poked it again with a lit
tie more vigor, whereupon it tore, and
three yellow discs about the size of
silver dollars rolled out.
I'm ar 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 a feverish haste that
would hardly have seemed possible in
the idle dreamer of a few moments
ago: he moved as if his life depended
upon getting them out CT sight as
soon as possible"
There said the man by the win
dow, lis where such stories usually
end, with the first chapter"
This one doesn't end there; it has
a second chapter.
when the bag, for such the canvas
vas had been emptied. he dug with
his pocketknife as well 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 disturbance. making the ground
look as nearly like that about it as
possible. and dragging some fallen
branches and dead leaves over it, look
ing about him nov and then to see if
anyone was in sight.
sNn+ +L,+ L. f>rt u -,o-xLa
he was stealing; the coin appeared TO
have been buried for a 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 n road. and here.
in the shadow of some suniowers. he
sat down to rest and think. And then
he began to realize hat a few thou
sand. ever a very few, would make a
big change in his life.
He pulled a coin out of his coat
pocket. 1t was a twenty of 1850. He
took one from his trousers pocket. 1t
was n ten of 1919; another was a TWEEN
ty of 1854. One at a time he drew out
a 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 knew of the
burying were probably beyond the
need of gold. or it 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
a 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
qIiet as to the whole business and get
the coin into circulation in some way
hat would not excite suspicion.
THE sun was getting low. and it
was several miles to an Omaha street
car. so. after he had rested a 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 buiginess. and
then started homeward, his heavy
pockets pounding against him on the
and his heart pounding
him on the inside for fear
one would hear the click of his
and guess what he was carry
He took a bobtailed car at the
edge of town: thai was before
there were an.F electric cars. and, of
course. imagined everyone in it was
lying him suspiciously. but he reached
without anyone's speaking
10 him and went to the office where
H. worked.
after locking the door he went to
the desk farthest from the window
aid took out and counted his treas
ire. There were five thousand and five
dollars. and no coin dated later than
1855. He weighed one twenty on the
,etter scale and figured out the
of the whole to be a trifle over
IS pounds.
Putting n few of the smaller pieces
n his pocket, he did the rest up in
packages, which he put in the office
'afe. behind the books. so if by chance
lnyone opened it before him in the
morning they would not see it. You
nay be ure he was certain the safe
vas locked before he left the Office.
"He went TO Il newsroom and bought
magazine. paying for it with a FIVE
gold piece, and he paid his
heck at the restaurant where he got
upper with another. putting the
hange he received and money from
lis purse to make up the amount
pent, with the other gold, in a sep
rate pocket. .
He must change his of liv-
ny gradually. 1t wouldn't do to leave
is position at once. People must get
sed to his having money by degrees,
e 4 felt. There was a boom on then in
,maha. and South Omaha was just
iSinr out of the prairie. and he knew