Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-08-20

canvas gathering gold eagles and half
eagles and double eagles into his |
pocket with feverish 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, lis where such stories usually
end, with the first chapter"
"This one doesn't end there; it has
second chapter.
when the bag, for such the canvas
was, had been emptied. he dug with
his pocketknfe as well as he could
all around it to see if there might be
another, but could find no more. lie
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 now and then to see If
anyone was in sight.
"Not that he felt for moment that
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 inquistive 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 profuse perspration and trem-
bling like an aspen leaf.
SHE went slowly up through the
woods and out into a road, and here,
in the shadow of some sunflowers. he
sat down to rest and think. And then
he began to realize that a few thou
sand, even very few, would make a
big change in his life.
"IIe pulled a coin out of his coat
pocket. 1t was twenty OF 1870. lie
took one from his trousers pocket. 1t
was ten of 1919; another was TWEEN
ty of 1854. One at a time he drew out
"a number, and found them all to be as
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 he land
| ON which he had found it might have
| n legal title to it. and might endcavor
| 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 1t
was several miles to an Omaha street
car, so. after he had rested n short
time, he crossed the road to 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
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.
"He 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
ewing him suspiciously, but he reached
downtown without anyonc's speaking
to him and went to the office where
he worked.
"After locking the door he went tic
the desk farthest from the window
and took out and counted his treas
,re. 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 triile over
is pounds.
quitting a few of the smaller pieces
in his pocket. he did the rest up il
packages, which he put in the Office
safe. behind the books. so if by chance
anyone opened it before him in tht
morning they would not see it. You
may be sure he was certain the safe
was locked before he left the office.
"IIe wcnt.to a newsroom and bought
a magazine. paying for itIwith five
dollar gold piece. and he paid bis
check at the restaurant whore he go'
supper with another, putting tht
change he received and money from
his purse to make up the amour
spent. with the other gold, in a sep
arate pocket.
HE must change his manner of liv
ing gradually. 1t wouldn't do to leave
his position at once. People must &c
used to his having money by degrees
he felt. There was Il boom on then il
Omaha. and South Omaha was jus
rising ont of the prairie. and he llntv
he could very soon double his dollars
and double those by judicous ma a
agcment.
"Hc would have his own Office whcr
, it would be. for him to command in
stead of to obey, where he would no
have to swallow as much rs he ht-'
been doing. but could talk back: l.
thought of the long vacation he woul
take after few more years of har'
, work; of the green lanes of Englar
, and the sandy waters of Egypt; of III
fiords of Norway, and lndia's cor:
, strand: of the Louvre and the vat
/ can: of foreign railway carriages an