Year: 1872

| WOulu nave puSneu lne mater, but Mf.
Meekmore finally shook his head more
solemnly than ever, and said that he
would rather forget the dream if he
could.


When the missionary's horse was at
the door, and the owner was prepared
to start oft, 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 al
ways be open to him; and he promised
that he would abide with us again, if
had an opportunity.


In two weeks Mr.. Meekmore came
back. He had received a summons, he
said, from the home board, to return to
Boston and make immediate prepara
tlons for winters campaign in the
| West.


The second evening in the society of
the reverend gentleman we enjoyed
more than we had enjoyed the first
His fund of anecdote and adventure was
literally exhaustless, and yet an odor of
sanctlty and dellcacy pervaded all his
speech. We urged that he should spend
a few days with us, but he could not
He said it would give him great pleasure
so to do, but his call to the new field of
| labor in the West was pressing and inn
| perative.


On the next morning, at the break
fast, our guest was even more sedate
and thoughtful than on the previous
occasion; and when questioned on the
matter he told us that he had been Wis
tied by the same strange dream again.


"This time" he said, "the vision
with IyonInrf,Il Iicfirntnacu 7
only beheld the vast chambers of virgin
everything territory. 1t was wild, DESC
late spot, by a deep ravine, through
which the SHOWS of winter seem to find
release in spring, running down a craggy
hillside to a dark and widestretching
swamp below. This would not impress
me so seriously were it not that once
before q 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 bodv
of the nine was far below The surface.
and. moreover. the Lord only knew
where the spot was located. even ALLOW.
lug that such a spot existed


For once in NV life 7 had allowed INV
cupidity to get the better of NV outsno.
ken honesty. | allowed the reverend
guest to depart, aud did not tell them
that | knew where there was a spot ex.
actly the original of that which he had
pictured, even to every rock shrub
tree, and rayine. And that snot was
upon the wild lot which had been pur-
chased bv John Twist. and which .Jol,n
Twist probably owned still.


That yery afternoon. armed with an
old axe and n nick. I sailed forth to the
rough outside of the Twist lot. 7 knew
exactly where the pictured spot was TO
be found, and when | had reached it |
was more than ever struck bv the faith.
fitness 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 stranger to the place.
made from simple impressions of
dream,-is it d marvel that | was
strongly and strangely influenced. |
found the old tree which the reverend
dreamer had particularly designated,
and went to work at its roots.


And ere long my labors were reward
ed. Beneath one of the main roots |
found lump Of pure white metal as
large as hens egg and upon further
chopping and digging / found several
more smaller pieces. They had evi-
IDENTITY been broken from molten
mass, and upon rubbing off the dirt |
found them all pure and bright.


That nj ght slept but little. l could
only lie awake aud, think of the vast
wealth that lay buried in that bleak
hillside. But what could ! do? The
lot was not mine, and l should run
great risk if | troubled another mans
property. And, moreover, if l made
further exploration while the land was
not mine the secret might be divulged,
and the vast wealth snatched from me.
| must purchase the Twist lot, and l had
no doubt that could buy it for mere
song.


On the next day 7 rode over tosee NV
cousin, and when had spoken of the
nv list lot he informed me that not only
that lot. but number of others. were
for sale They had been advertised,