Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1902-11-11
L9fitt0'S TREASURE

History was at fault in the first in
stance. For had the characters fig
uring in this fearful tale not been
compelled by stern parents to attend
the Galveston schools they might new
ct have heard OF Jean LATTE. and had
they not read about him and his hid
den treasure John Erskine would new
er have gone in search of it and thus
made f-oi out OF himself as he did
The "Sons of Rests named be
cause none of them had ever been OBJ
served to do Useful days work-con-
stituted a club of young men, the prin-
-cipal members Of which were Erskine.
Gordon, yelling. tombstone and an old
Colored man, Massa Sam Washington,
who worked for the Erskines and was
a sort of valet de chambre % John, the
family prIue NOW. the latter and
Bruce Gordon were universally adj
mitted to be the cleverest of the whole
bunch, but both of the young men.
being ambitious. were not satisfied to
share the honor with another. and
each was DESTROYS of becoming the
only rooster in the club COOP
Hence the rivalry between them was
keen And IL is with this rivalry, into
which, by peculiar stroke of chance,
Jean Iaftte and his buried treasure
became involved and helped to solve
the question OF superiority between
the two that this story concerns IT,
self.
Jean LATTE. the reader may be in
formed, was the famous filibuster and
pirate who during the early part of
she last century made things hum in
the Gulf, where ne annexed every
Spanish merchantmen that came his
way IN this dangerous but lucrative
vocation he amassed huge fortune in
the shape of jewelry and Hispano
~doubloons Alas, whenever he wanted
to rest on his laurels he retired to
Galveston Island wnere he had fitteu
up a snug little pirate principality,
over which he Jean Lafitte, reigned
as a sort of king
This pleasant existence lasted for
nearly six years. One day a number
OF Lafttes men plundered an Ameri-
can vessel. and that was the finish In
the spring of 1921. Lieut.. Kearney, of
the United States Navy, appeared be-
fore the fort with a man of war and
asked Lafitte if he didn't think his
health demanded a change of atmos-
phere.
So solicitous ar interest in himself
LATTE could not bear. and he depart
ed for parts unknown. In his haste to
get away he is believed to have left his
treasure. securely buried in the
ground. behind him. the inference be-
ing that ne would return later and
claim II. Instead of that death claim
ed him soon afserward in Yucatan:
hence the treasure. if the tradition
was true. should still remain untouch.
ed in the islands moist ground
Erskine, who was a pretty bright
fellow, and possessed of the peculiar
knack Of summing a persons ensem-
bic in one word, had given each oiShe
members of the Sons of Rest a nick
name appropriate to their respective
failiRgs yelling. for instance. who
had learned the machinisL trade. but
whose mind was bent on racing. was
the Sporting Blacksmith. Johnstore.
whose hair was strongly reminiscent
OF an impressionist painters sunset,
was known as Red: Whine Sam Wash
ingtOn had been nicknamed Old Ken
lucky. The Sons of Rest thought this
very witty name-au except Cor
4 don. and Massa Washington himself.
/ who indeed was much panied at the
: appellation
IL STOOD 20 reason under these cir.
Cumstances that Gordon would not
long remain a member OF the Sons of
Z Rest before the wit of Erskine would
also find a suitable nickname for him.
Gordon was one OK those fellows sent
10 this planet TO ilIumine the gloom
of daily existence for the benefit of
this rest of us mortal sinners. An ad-
venturous youth. who had been around
the world and fought for Cuba Libre.
he was full of new and novel pranks
He could also tell some stories the
artistic effects of which were height
ened to no small extent by his vivid
Imagination.
But he differed from Erskine in that
whatever his sins against truth he
never hurt anyoEe's feelings If he
could help il He never called Sam
Old Kentucky. for example, and Sam.
being a grateful soul remembered this
fact. This was also one of the rea-
sons why. although the latest add,
tion 70 the membership of the Sons.
he became so popular as TO seriously
endanger the supremacy of ErSkine.
till then the undisputed leader Frs
kline saw the danger. and believing
with Napoleon that il was best to as
sumo the offensive when waiting only
makes the enemy stronger, he decided
10 pitch into Gordon. So one evening.
after winking Ct the rest of the fell
lows as much as 10 say. Watch me. =
Erskiue started in.
Say. Bruce. he began I'm bet you
cigar to each Of the boys that goa
can't psove you're alive
It's a so. replied Gordon. without
hesitation. All have to do is to say
that you're fool for making such a
bet.
ows at this sally. and their nurmur-
ng about solar plexus to some one
,ndid Erskine FOR moment. but ne
peedily recovered. saying. addressing
GORDON:
You win, Baron Munchausen." And
fter this Bruce Gordon was known
My as Nunchausen. and Erskine
Aemed 70 have retained his place
II was perhaps a week later that
lie LATTE subject happened 70 come
a the ta4is. ErslSine announced his
lith in the old tradition.
4 think there is something in it, .
E began. ''wby. Old Kentucky knew
" anuel Lopez. who was Laftte's valet.
told kentucky that he believed in
story himself II / only had a
= ar