Year: 1872

l. Ihe 1ollOWing story has much O
romance in it, but the future ma,
demonstrate it's truth, revolutioniz,
commerce, and make the possessor.
Of the marvellous talisman the yer
table Midas Of the nineteenth cen
tury. 1t is no less than the discov
cry cfa chemical process, which
when applied to base metals, trans
mutes them into gold-pure, shin
ing, vesitable gold. The rumor OF
the diamond discoveries in Arizona
have somewhat precipitated the dis.
closure of the facts we are about to
relate, and though at the risk OF
breaking faith with our informant,
we consider his statement too i'm.
portant to be Withheld from the pub.
lie.


Some three months ago a plain
looking man, cf American birth, pre-
sented himself at one Of our leading
banks and solicited an interview
with the banker. The banker sur
veyed his supposed customer, and
almost before the first words Of sal
utation had fallen from the new com
er's lips, he said:


"No sir; can't do it. Very sorry
but have gone beyond our limit to
accommodate our own customers.
Do nothing on the outside today at
any rates"


The stranger made no reply, but
deposited a leathern valise on the
bankers desk, opened and took from
it mass of dingy metal, looking
half like copper and half like brass,
and handed it to him. The man of
money examined it curiously and re-
turned it, saying he was no judge
Of mineral substances, and had no
time to study this particular speci-
men.


The stranger asked him if he
knew gold when he saw it; and, if
not, would he be kind enough to
send for some confidential person,
on whose Judgment he could rely,
to assay and determine the quality
and value of his lump of metal. /.
The proposition was acceded to.
One Of our most prominent assayers
was summoned, and, after cxalnin-
ing the substance and inquiring
where it came from, and receiving
no satisfaction, departed taking it
with him, promising to report on it
the next day but one, at noon.
Punctually at the appointed time
the three men met at the bank.
The assayer produced the metal,
which had been run into the form
Of bar, and had all the appearance
OF the ordinary gold ingot Of COM
merce.


< ''That looks like gold," said the
banker.


cit is gold," said the assayer,
"nearly thousand fine-thc purest
1 have ever put in crucible."


The stranger said nothing. The
others piled him with questions.
He civilly but firmly declined to
furnish any information, requesting
them as further test of its genu-
ineness, to send it to the mint for
coinage. To this they assented,
and the bar was sent to the mint.
1t was there again submitted to the
tests usual, and the next day it's val
ue was returned in double eagles
something more than eight thou
sand dollars-which was placed to
the credit Of the stranger. For
nearly a week nothing was heard
from him. He waited for some in
telligence of an audacious robbery
of the treasure-box of an up-county
stage, or of the ritling of some bank
or assay office.


So well satisfied was he Of the
correctness Of this conjecture that
he was on the point of advertising
the possession by him, under pecu-
liar circumstances, of large guam
tity of refined gold, when the depos-
itor appeared, bringing with him a
much larger quantity of the same
metal as formerly, which he sub
mitted for inspection. This was
done, and then the stranger inquir-
ed if the banker was entirely salts
fed ofits genuincness.


'sPcrfectly, perfectly" was the
answer. 'sIt is gold. Where did
you get it?"


The answer was very brief, yet
in it were involved the momentous
consequences to commerce, to the
vast system of labor and capital en-
ployed in the mining enterprises Of
of the State, to the precious metal
basis Of trade in every land, and to
the maintenance of government
The stranger quietly said:


81 made it myself" and after a
pause he added: 81 can make il
by the ton. l can. freight ship
with it within a month from the
time l have enlarged my present
laboratory, as | am now about to
do"


The banker piled him with ques
tions as to its locality, and with
prayers to be permitted to visit the
scene of his marvellous labors, but
to no purpose. His hearer sat with
imperturbablc countenance until the
close of the bankers harangue and
then replied:


81 will make you the depository
Of my gold. You may control its
issue, and we will together share
the power it brings. But my pro
cess must remain forever in my owl
heart. shall never reveal it. ]
will bring you in very few days
more than you have now in your
vaults. My laboratory is near Tho
New Park, in a building whicl
would attract no attention, save
from it's dilapidated appearance.
was at work there during the mos
of the past winter, and have by de
grees succeeded in making mysel
quite comfortable without attracting
attention. l have several ways o
access to it, and never use the same
way twice in succession. ! admi
l have experienced some fear of dis
covery and attack; but my guards
are my dogs, and they are faithful
and silent. There is now more dan
| ger than ever in the increasing vol