Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-15

| ters person could be SEEM but the beetle
| which he had suffered to descend. was now
| visible 1.-THE end Of the string, and glisten-
| gu, IKE globe or FURNISHED gold, in the
| last rays OF the setting sun, some of which
still family illumined the eminence upon
which we stood. The scarabeaus hung quite
clear of any branches and, IL allowed to
ian, would nave fallen at our feet. Legrand
| lInmedlately took the scythe, and cleared
with 1t circular space, three or four yards
IN diameter. just beneath tie insect. and.
4 having accomplished this, ordered Jupiter to
/ let go the string and come down frp-,, 49,
| tree. - VA 'A-e
Irving peg, with great nicely, into the
ground, at the precise spot where the beetle
zen, my friend now produced from his peck
ct a tape-measure. Fastening one end Of
this at that point of the trunk of the tree
which was nearest the peg he unroIIed IT
I'll 1t reached the peg, and thence farther
f Hnsoiied It; In the direction already estab-
1sned by the two points of the tree and the
peg. Tor the distance Of fifty feet-Jupiter
clearing away the bramhles with the
seythe At the spot thus attained a second
rude circle. about four feet In diameter
described Taking now a spade himself
ana giving one to Jupiter and one to me-
Legrand begged us to set about Digging
as quickly as possible.
| 70 speak the truth. had no especial rel
lsn Tor such amusement at any time and
at that particular moment would most will
IlsIy nave declined it; for the night was
the exercise already taken; but / saw no
MODE or escape, and was fearful of disturb
ing my poor friends equanimity by a re-
Iusal. Could / have depended indeed upon
Jupfters aid, l would have had no hesita-
ZION IN attempting to get the Iunatic home
Dy FORCE; but l was too well assured of the
old negro's disposition to hope that he
would assist me, under any circumsta nees,
In a personal contest with his master /
made no doubt that the latter had been in
fected with some of the innumerable south
ern superstitions about money buried. and
t .nai ms phantasy had reeeivese confirma-
ton by the finding of the scaraoaeus, or.
perhaps, by Jupiter's obstinacy In RAIN
tanning 1t to YEA bug Of real gold"
mind disposed to lunacy would readily be
LED away by such ggestions-especially if
Ginning in with favorite preconeeived ideas
and then / called to mind the poor fell
lows speech about the beetles being "the
was sadly vexed and puzzled, but at length
l concluded to make virtue of necessity
to dig with good will, and thus the sooner
to convince the visionary, by ocular demon
stration, of the falacy of the opinions he
entertained.
The lanterns having been lit we al fell
to work with a zeal worthy of more ra-
tlonal cause; and, as the glare fell upon our
persons and implements, I could not help
thinking how picturesque a group we COM
posed, and how strange and suspicious our
labors must have appeared to any inter-
TOPPER who, by chance. might have stum-
bled upon our whereabouts.
We dug very steadily for two hours Lit
tie was said; and our chief embarrassment
lay in the yelpings of the dog, who took
exceeding interest In our proceedings. He.
at length, became SO obstreperous that we
grew fearful of his giving the alarm to
some stragglers in the vicinity; or, rather,