The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1916-11-16
THE GOLD AT
GRAFTON
BY NJ. QUAD
BY NJ QUAD
Copyright. 1918. by the Mcclure
Newspaper syndicate

NV WIS liNfltSltN w oIHllUblpEN unt
might pick up few birds rs specimen,
for the taxldcrmist
After three or four days he began 3,
wander along the highway and acros
the fields lie had brought with hin
fOwliug piece, aud with this he tool
few snapshots ut robins and blue
birds. and he skinned them himself
and cured the skins
About half mile from Grafton wni
farm belonging to man name,
Sweet His land ran back from tn,
I highway to small creek. and par
of this land was a sand strewn ridge
II ended In blum about fifteen fee
high at the creek. The stranger wa.
seen walking along this ridge sew.
cral times, and he spent quite a little
Of his time along the creek The re-
ports OF his gun were often heard. but
he brought In very little game. From
this II was concluded that he was A
poor shot
A man with a wise aud hlc eau
take piece Of brass aud tile II 10 dust
In few hours. aud that dust will 81
closely resemble gold dust that an or
binary person viii be deceived II a
spoonful ~ that dust is poured into a
gun IL can he easily shot into soft sand.
stone. That l. one way VI sailing" "A
mine. often real gold dust /, used
The ornith"logi>t was shooting brass
That ridge ~ sandstone had been
there for centuries. aud no one could
remember back when that old PASTURE
had been made any Use uf except TO
provide >ranty grass for flock OF
sheep. The present owner was dun.
founded when the stranger asked him
his price for the land when the bur
gain was concluded be- wa, very much
elated. He had received 500 in cash
for his almus; worthless ridge MIR
Meadows was probably asked a hun
dred times Ia the next week Of what
use he could pussibly make Of the
land. but his replies were not satisfac.
tory To any one IL was two weeks
after the sale aud the recording OF
he deed when he came In from his
daily walk one day with chunk Of
the sandstone wrapped I'm paper I'm his
hand. That sandstone was a shine with
sIecks OF gold. and when the stone
was crumbied Ia the fingers there WINS
gold In the middle Of IL When II WINS
pounded up into dust with "A mallct
the most doubtful nau la Grafton lost
his last doubts
There Was no call fo- any one TO
ask MIR Meadows whore he picked up
that stone. Every one knew that IL
must have come from the ridge
Next morning there were not only
twenty but M citizens who went out
TO the gold fields They walked along
the sand strewn ridge from the high.
way To the creek, aud they waded I'D
and down the creek. Yes. the gold was
there IL WAS In sight FOR many Feet
up and down the creek
Gu getting back to the tavern Mr.
Meadows would have gone 10 his room
To write some important letters, but a
crowd detained him There were quite
II number Of wealthy men In Grafton,
ana they saw IA chance TO add to their
wealth. They wanted 10 know II Mr.
Meadows would form stock com
pHny aud let them subscribe NJ least
half rhe capital II hc wouldn't do
'hat. would Ice sell claims along the
ridge aud the trerk? His RELY was
thai he would think IL over.
When the stranger had wrcsilrL ,.ith
his thoughts he gallcd In III, most
prominent citizens aud said
Gentlemen. | have gone over this
thing - hundred times. Some Of you
want stock company. AMI some of
on want 10 buy claims | have con.
Guided 10 sell claims, and the owners
.an do whnt they like with the ore
aiken out don't know how the gold
runs. | have seen only just what you
have seen. You will have To go II
blind, aud So viii make - guar
iutccS
II was understood that ever, sale
should De for cash down. and the deeds
were 10 he delivered on the spot
The reader should be prepared to
hear that when the morrow aud the
auction came there were M tea i Jup
pcople on the spot
The first choice ~ claims sold for
'2oOo The second claim was the one
IcNt 10 H. and II sold for almost as
much ms the first The last two claims .
were located IN the bed of the crcek
although no gold showed there
or course the whole thing VIZ
puE fraud Every claim buyer was
lp NJ nu early hour next morning aud .
II he d.d not WELD pick or crowhar /
himself hc had hired one or two men .
10 work for him In the midst 90 the .
turmoil the stranger settled hl, bill at .
he hotel and disappeared, taking with
him many thousand dollars.
Meadows wa, never heard of any /
more. Two or three days after he had /
disappeared some Of the "ore" was as.
'ayed hy one competent To do Il. and
he was not long IN declaring that the
gold was pretty good brass.
Most Of the ridge Is there ye:. and |
he sheep wander around as of yore
There were no suicides and no arrests |
IRA fton simply swallowed the fraud /
lnd kept as quiet a. possible over Il, |
iut the next stranger that comes along /
with discovery 10 sell viii have to |
have wings 20 ny ont OF that town
ahead of mob