Year: 1874

"When the missionary's horse was
at the door, and the owner was pre-
pared to start off, he informed us that
he was bound toward the Canada line,
and that he might return that way. OF
course we told him that our door would
be always open to him, and he prom
issd to sbids with US again if he had
tho opportunity.


"In two weeks Mr.. Meekmore came
back. He had received a summons,
he aaid, from the Home Board to return
to DDstoo and make immediate prepar-
ations for a winter campaign in the
West.


"The second evening of the society
of the reverend gentleman was enjoyed
more than We enjoyed the first. His
fund of anecdote was utterly exhaust
less, and yet an air of sanctity and del
icacy prevaded all his speech. We
urged that he should spend few days
with us, but he could not. He said it
would give him great pleasure to do so,
bnt his call to the new field of labor
in the West was pressing and impera-
tive.


"On the next morning, at the break
fast table, our guest was even more Sc
date and thoughtful than on the previ-
Gus occasion, and when questioned on
the matter he told us that he had been
visited by the same dream again.


"'This time,' he said: The vision
came with wonderful distinctness, not
only beheld the vast chambers of virgin
silver, but saw an exact profile of the
overlying territory. 1t was wild des-
olate spot by deep ravine, through
which the SHOWS of winter seemed to
find release in spring, rushing down
the craggy hillside to dark, vide
stretching swamp below. This would
not impress me so seriously were it not
that once before dream proved a
startling reality


"We conversed further on the sub
iect, and after breakfast Mr.. Meekmore
took pencil, and upon the blank leaf
of an old atlas, he drew u picture of
the spot he had seen in his dream;
and he pointed out where, beneath the
roots of an old pine tree, he had seen
some of the precious metal.


"He had drawn the picture, he told
us, to show us how vivid his dream had
been; but he advised us to think no
more about it. Even if it were posi-
ble the dream had substance, the body
of the mine was far below the surface;
and, moreover, the Lord only knew
where the spot was located, even al
lowing that such spot ever existed.


"For once in my life allowed Gu
pidity to get the better of my outspoken
honesty. I allowed the reverend gen.
tleman to depart, aud did not tell him
that knew where there was a spot the
exact original of that which he had
pictured, even to every rock, shrub,
tree and ravine. And the spot was
upon the wild lot that had been pur-
chased by John Twist, and which John
Twist owned still.


THAT very afternoon, armed with an
old axe and pick, sailed forth to the
rough outside of the Twist lot. I
knew exactly where the pictured spot
was to be found, and when I reached
it was more than ever struck by the
faithfulness of Mr.. MeeImore's draft.
The accuracy in detail was wonderful,
And when remembering that this draft
had been made by an utter and absolute
stranger to the place-made by the
simple impression of q dream-is it a
wonder that I was atrangely influenced?
found the old tree which the rever-
end gentleman had particularly desig-
mated, and went to work.


"And ere long my labors were re-
warded. Beneath one of the main
roots 1 found a lump of pure white
metal as large as a hens egg; and upon
further chipping and digging, I found
several more smaller pieces. They had
evidently been taken from molten
mass.


"That night I slept but little, I
could only lie awake and think of the
vast wealth buried in that hillside.
But what could do? The lot was not
mine and I should run great risk if 1
troubled another mans property.


Son the next day rode over TO see
my cousin; he informed me that not
only that lot but number of others
would be sold at auction in few
weeks.


"On the appointed day I went over
to the settlement where the land was to
be sold. It was put up in hundred
acre lots, and sold by the original plans
of the Whitney purchase. Lot number
one was put up first, and sold for one
quarter of cent an acre.


"The next lot was tho Twist Lot,
SO called, and I heard that iron and
copper had been discovered upon it.
A stranger in jockey clothes started it at
fifty cents an acre. Another stranger
bid seventy-fve.


"The man in the jockey suit said he
had positive assurance that pure iron
ore had been found in some of the
gulches, and he bid one dollar per acre.
AT this point entered the contest, and
bid b twen!t,3;fvsssitA ARwqp-up, twenty,
five cents at tins III at length I had
bid ten dollars an mere. Peonle called