The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-11-29
THE GOLD AT
GRAFTON
By M. QUAD
By M. QUAD
Copyright, 1916, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.

He was tall, dark faced man about
forty years old who descended from
the stage at Grafton one summer aft.
ernoon. He was a very quiet spoken
man and registered his name at the
tavern as Robert Meadows. He said
/ he was interested in ornithology and
might pick up a few birds as specimens
for the taxidermist.
After three or four days he began to
wander along the highway and across
the fields. He had brought with him
q fowling piece, and with this he took
few snapshots at robins and blue
birds, and he skinned them himself
and cured the skins.
About half mile from Grafton was
farm belonging to man named
Sweet. His land ran back from the
highway to small creek, and part
Of this land was sand strewn ridge.
1t ended in a bluff about fifteen feet
high at the creek. The stranger was
seen walking along this ridge sew
eral times, and he spent quite tie
of his time along the creek The re-
ports of his gun were often heard. but
he brought in very little game From
this it was concluded that he was a
poor shot,
A man with wise and a file can
take piece of brass and file it to dust
In few hours. and that dust will so
closely resemble gold dust that an or
binary person will be deceived. If n
spoonful of that dust is poured into a
gun 1t can be easily shot into soft sand
stone. That is one way of tsalS.ns" n
mine. Often real gold dust is used
The ornithologist was shooting brass.
mat ridge of sandstone had been
there for centuries, and no one could
remember back when that old pasture
had been made any use of except to
provide scanty grass for a flock of
sheep. The present owner was dunn.
founded when the stranger asked him
his price for the land. When the bar.
gain was concluded he was very much
elated. He had received 500 in cash
for his almost worthless ridge. Mr..
Meadows was probably asked a hun.
dred times In the next week of what
use he could possibly make of the
land, but his replies were not satisfac.
tory to any one. 1t was two weeks
after the sale and the recording of
the deed when he came in from his
daily walk one day with a chunk of
the sandstone wrapped in paper in his
hand. That sandstone was a-shine with
specks of gold, and when the stone
was crumbled in the fingers there was
gold in the middle of it. When II was
pounded up into dust with a mallet
the most doubtful man in Grafton lost
his last doubts.
Ihere was no call for any one to
ask Mr.. Meadows where he picked I'D
that stone. Every one knew that It
must have come from the ridge.
Next morning there were not only +,
twenty but 200 citizens who went out
to the gold fields. They walked along
the sand strewn ridge from the high |
way to the creek, and they waded up
and down the creek. Yes, the gold was |
there 1t was in sight for many feet |
up and down the creek.
On getting back to the tavern Mr.. |
Meadows would have gone to his room
to write some important letters, but a
crowd detained him. There were quite
number Of wealthy men In Grafton.
and they saw a chance to add to their !
wealth. They wanted to know If Mr.. !
pany and let them subscribe at least
half the capital. If he wouldn't do
that, would be sell claims along the
ridge and the creek? His reply was
that he would think 1t over.
When the stranger had wrestled with
his thoughts he called in the most
prominent citizens and said:
Gentlemen, l have gone over this
thing hundred times. Some of you
want a stock company. and some Of
you want to buy claims. l have con.
Guided to sell claims, and the owners
can do what they like with the ore
taken out. don't know how the gold
runs. | have seen only just what YOU
have seen. You will have to go 1t
blind, and so will l. | make no guar
antees''
1t was understood that every sale
should be for cash down, and the deeds
were to be delivered on the spot.
The reader should be prepared to
hear that when the morrow and the
auction came there were at least 500
people on the spot
The first choice of claims sold for
$1,000. The second claim was the one
next to 1t, and it sold for almost as
much as the first. The last two claims
were located in the bed of the creek.
although no gold showed there.
OF course the whole thing was a
rank fraud. Every claim buyer was /
up at an early hour next morning, and
IL he did not WELD pick or crowbar
himself he had hired one or two men |
to work for him. In the midst of the |
turmoil the stranger settled his bill at |
the hotel and disappeared, taking with |
him many thousand dollar.
Meadows was never heard of any |
more. Two or three days after he had |