The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-11-04
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DANNY HOGAN'S dry
BY J. A. TIFFANY.

When Rufus Hipcraft, in boring for
water, came across an old horseshoe,
embedded in the rock at a depth Of
20 feet, he pronounced it a "durn
GURUS coincydent." and let it go at
that. News Of the singular find in the
village of Somnolton coming to the
ears Of Mr.. Ignatus Ingleton, Of Big
Vile, so miles away, set that gentle
man in ferment of excitement. He
started for Somnolton Immediately.
A gentleman Of newly-acquired
wealth and leisure, who had sought in
many eccentric ways to attract public
attention to himself, Mr.. Ingleton's
real ambition was to effect q footing
in learned. scientific circles. As one
means to this end, he had Joined the
County Archaeological society; and
had succeeded in having himself elect.
ed president.
Mr.. Ingleton's visit to Somnolton
was conducted with as much of Sc
crecy as possible. Six months later,
he invited the members of the Ar
theological society to accompany him
on an excursion to that village. prom
Using them a rare treat.
He chartered special car for the
occasion; and it was not until the
party was we'll started on its journey
that the president enlightened any Of
his guests as to the real object of the
trip.
Then, Mr.. Ingleton told them that,
In the previous spring. hearing Of
most remarkable find at Somnolton,
he had at once proceeded to that viii
lage and purchased eight acres OF
land Immediately surrounding the
spot at which the discovery had been
made. For months past, he had had
gang of men digging and delving in
this tract; and he himself had per-
sonally sifted thousands of tons Of
earth and rubbish that they had
thrown up.
He announced, with singular mix.
ture OF pride and modesty. that he had
found many things of immense archie
illogical interest and historic value.
The present party, he said. would be
the first persons to view the results
of his labors.
On their arrival at Somnolton, the
president conducted his guests to the
scene of excavations. the entire tract
being enclosed by q high boarding.
He let them in at a small gate, and
led them to one-story brick building
Of recent erection.
Inside, he showed them skeletons
and other objects Of interest, which.
he informed them, had been found
buried under the solid rock. and in
many cases actually embedded there.
in.
After an excellent dinner at the viii
lage hotel, the company repaired to
the schoolhouse to hear the presi.
dents address; and many Of the vii
layers came in and occupied seats
near the door.
After telling of the news of the
| finding of the orseshoe-which first
brought him to Somnolton-Mr. lngle-
ton gave them figures, showing the
number of tons of rock and earth
that had been blasted and dug up;
and dwelt in detail upon the skeletons
and other objects that had been found,
all pointing to the presence Of man in
this locality in the early twilight Of
| the ages.
Here, he said, they found a city
buried at q depth of 20 to 80 feet I'M
der the solid rock and clay-not as
one found cities in the old world,
buried under two or three feet of
earth, which had accumulated natural.
ly in the course of few centuries.
| Here" he went on, I'VE have traces
OF civilization so remote that the
brain reels in the attempt to conceive
any adequate idea of its antiquity.
Here, my friends, a civilized people
lived and loved and wrought and
died, cons and cons ago..
That it was no rude, barbaric peo-
pie that inhabitated this region, but a
race learned in letters and skilled
even in those manufactures the orr.
| gin of which we are wont to arrogate
to our own generation, is sufficiently
evidenced by this interesting fact:
Under the skull of venerable
sage-whose skeleton you have seen
for yourselves (the skeleton numbered
81, we found, in remarkable state OF
preservation, a roll of manuscript
written in a language unknown at the
present day-strange hieroglyphics, my
friends, cabalistic signs-pregnant
with the wisdom OF an intellect in
finitely superior to that Of man as he
is today.
But, still more remarkable, per
haps, than the writings themselves, is
the fact that they are done upon pa
per-upon paper much the same in
texture as that now in common use
Somewhat coarse, it may appear tC
us: but the marvel is that it should
have endured at all, after the flight
of an eternity.
81 frankly confess, my friends, thai
am not deeply learned in pathological
lore; but, at the proper time, these
manuscripts will be submitted to ex