Year: 1872

I
This would not impress me so seriously
were it not that once before dream of
the same import proved a startling
reality"


We conversed further on the subject,
and after breakfast Mr. Meekmore took a
pencil, and upon the blank leaf of an old
atlas he drew picture of the spot he had
seen in his dream and he pointed out
where beneath the roots of an old, stumpy
pine tree, he had seen an outcropping 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 of it,
Even if it were possible that 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 allowing that such spot ex-
listed.


For once in my life 1 had allowed my
cupidity to get the better of my outspoken
honesty. | allowed the reverend guest to
depart, and did not tell him that | knew
| where there was spot exactly
| the original of that which ho had Piotur-
ed, even to every rock, shrub, tree, and
ravine. And that spot was upon the wild
lot which had been purchased by John
| Twist, and which John Twist probably
owned still.


| That very afternoon, armed with an
old axe and pick, l sailed forth to the
rough outside of the Twist lot. l knew
exactly where the pictured spot was to be
found, and when had reached it l was
of Mr.. Meekmore's draft. The accuracy
in detail was wonderful And when |
reflected that this draft had been made by
one who was an utter and absolute stran-
! ger to the place-made from the simple
| impressions of a dream-is it a marvel
that | was strongly and strangely influ-
! enced? L found the old tree which the
reverend dreamer had particularly desig-
mated, and went to work at its roots.


And ere long my labors were rewarded.
Beneath one of the main roots | found a
| lump of pure white metal as large as a
| hens egg and, upon further chopping
and digging found several more smaller
/ pieces, They had evidently been broken
from molten mass, and upon rubbing off
the dirt found them all pure and bright
That night slept but little. l could
only lie awake and think of the vast
wealth that lay buried in that bleak hill
side. But what could l do? The lot
was not mine, and should only run great
| risk if troubled another mans property
And, moreover, if made further explora-
| tton while the land was not mine, the Sc
| cret might be divulged and the vast wealth
/ snatched from me. | must purchase the
/ Twist lot, and had no doubt that | could
/ buy it for mere song.


On the next day rode over to see my
cousin, and when had spoken of the
Twist lot he informed me that not only
| that lot, but number of others were for
sale. They had been advertised and
would be sold at auction in two weeks.
! He called me a fool when told him |
should bid on the Twist lot; but | told
him had looked it over and had made up
my mind that my sheep could find plenty
/ of grazing there throughout the summer
months. He asked me if | hadn't al
ready got all the sheep-pasture l needed /;
/ but told him he need not trouble him
| self.


During the next two weeks l kept quiet,
and held my tongue, giving no oppor-
/ tunity for my secret to become known. On
| the appointed day went over to the set
| tlement where the land was to be sold. 1t
was to be put up in hundred-acre lots,
and sold by the original plans of Whitney
/ purchase. Lot number one was put up
/ first, and sold for one quarter of cent
| an acre.


/ The next lot was the "Twist lot" so
called, and | heard it whispered that iron
and copper ore had been discovered upon
/ it. A stranger, in Jockey clothes, started
/ it at fifty cents an acre. Another stranger,
I who wore blue frock and top-boots, bid
! seventy-five.


Then there was more talk about iron
and copper The man in the jockey suit
said that he had positive assurance that
pure iron ore had been found in some of
the gulches, and he bid one dollar an
acre AT this point | entered the contest,
and bid one dollar and twenty-five cents
| -up-up-twenty-five cents at time.
until at length had bid ten dollars an
acre. People called me crazy Ten dol
lars an acre was more than the very best
land in the whole country was worth
But | held my bid, and kept my own
| counsel.


And the Twist lot was knocked down
to me for Just one thousand dollars. The
terms were cash. told them to make
out the deed while l went home after the
money. And away / rode. l empted
my old stocking of gold and silver, and
found nine hundred and fifty dollars. l
borrowed the other fifty without trouble
at the settlement, and straightway pro-
ceeded to the Office of Squire Simpkins,
where the deed had been made The in
strument was duly signed and sealed, and
when the squire had assured me that the
payment of the money would make all
fast and safe, | handed over the gold and
silver.


Iobserved that the name of John Twist
had been recently signed, and / asked
Simpkins if Mr.. Twist was present.
I "He was here few minutes ago. said
Simpkins, "and will be back again after
his money. He's feeling pretty good, |
should judge, since he has got rid of his
hundred acre lot for twice as much as il
cost him, and for thousand times more
than any sane man would think it was
worth"


Half an hour afterward l called at the
squire's again. Mr.. Twist had just gone
out with his money


There heis nOw," said Simpkins, "just
bound off"


/ looked out at the window, and saw,
at the door of the inn, on the opposite
side of the way, tall man, in bottle
green coat, with bright, glaring buttons
Just mounting a horse. | recognized the
horse and / recognized the man.


"Who is that man ?" / asked, she with
the green coat and bright buttons ?"


THAT, said Simpkins, is Mr. John
Twist"


In moment more the man in the bot
tle-green coat had ridden away, with his
heavy saddle-bags behind him; and but
toned up within that coat beheld my
reverend guestl 1t flashed upon me that
the. Rev. Paul Meekmore and Mr.. John
Twist were one and the same person
And this was not all that flashed acros;
r mel


A few days afterward took my Jumps
of white metal to man who was versed
in such matters, and asked him what they
were. He took the largest lump and
tested it, and said;


"Pewterl"


asked him if pewter was ever dug out
of the earth in that shape.


We'll" said he, seeing that pewter il