Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-02-08

! chaser of the helmet began to search
for the money. A careful survey snow
ed that the directions pointed to spot
in this wild corner Of the old masters
plantation, and holes were dug at a
distance of 80 feet north northwest
from every tree and stump within ten
acres around the indicated spot. Final
~ the search was abandoned. When
Velvet offered to buy some land from
his former master, this wild corner
was sold to him. He had done deal
Of digging for the treasure, but had
long since given up the search.
Iodine became Interested in small
hole which had been made by some
animal in the side of one of the exca-
vations. and he began to probe into it
with u stick.
The boy had been an interested spec
tator at the blowing up of stumps with
gunpowder, and he thought as he peep
ed and poked into the hole that he
could make a noise and celebrate
Washington's birthday by exploding a
charge of powder in the burrow He
ran to the cabin and brought out Vel
vets old powderhorn and began the
preparations for his celebration. To-
dine knew he would probably have to
suffer punishment. but no matter. He
must do something to celebrate the
day. He poured into the hole a copious
a small cane which had been bored out
for pipestems he filed this with the
explosive ALSO Then he pounded the
earth about the cane until the cavity
was tightly closed.
After several feints he touched the
lighted match to the top of the reed
and ran. lie had not taken more than
three steps when the explosion came.
He was thrown to the ground by the
concussion and was nearly covered by
the shower of dirt that fell upon him.
He was uninjured, however, and turn
ed his attention to the hole in the
ground. There was little yellow
streak in the loose dirt at the bottom
of the hole. and with stick he uncov-
cred the object, which proved to be a
dead chipmunk.
Mus be mo- chi'munks n dish IT. de
hole" said Iodine as he began again
to scratch away the dirt. Soon he
struck something hard. which made a
peculiar hollow sound, and he took
away more dirt and uncovered a
brown, scaly iron object. The urchin's
curiosity was aroused, and, lying fiat
upon the ground, he used stick and
fingers to uncover more Of the iron.
He saw that it was large, round OBJ
ject with three little horns sticking
out like the "wrops' of hair on Ma
rine's head, and then he knew what it
was.
Old BriclSy came out of the brush,
closely followed by the spotted shotes,
shifted the air suspiciously and then
trotted straight to the peanut field
fence. Alas for poor Velvet Brown! His
bright dream of the big crop of white
Lady goobers." which he expected to
market in the summer, was soon to be
shattered.
II gwine t git dis XII outn hyah TO-
my nanny" muttered the boy, for
getful of his trust and all unconscious
of the raid upon the field. He was
soon able to move the kettle. and a
poor and badly used up Kettle it was.
Iodine soon realized that his prize was
of little value. Then he bethought
him of the other chipmunk and turned
again to the hole. His eyes bulged out
with surprise as he saw another ket-
tie. smaller than the first, standing up
right in the ground. 1t was not empty
like the other, but was filled with yell
low and black pieces of money.
de PITTS money" shouted Iodine.
He tried to lift the kettle from the hole,
but he had not strength to move it.
Running to the well, he brought the
drinking gourd, filed it with gold and
carried it to the house. Trip after