Year: 1871




From the Laclede, Mo-, Republican,


We have just come into possession OF
the facts in connection with one ofthose
remarkable coincidents which appear
more like romance than reality when
presented to the public as an item of
news. Soon after the close Of the war
a German named Herman Schubert,
who had served three years in the
Eleventh Missouri Infantry, located
with his family In Livingston county,
on a small farm. Herman like most
OF his countrymen, had large family,
and the malaria so prevalent in
the cotton lands of Grand river
affected them as it does other fami-
lies. Sickness and ill-luck in
various ways depleted Herman's purse,
so that the struggle to keep
the wolf from the door was lasting and
severe. He was involved in debt, ito
commence with, having made but a
small payment on his homestead, and
a mortgage was recorded to secure the
amount unpaid Herman was one Of
these persevering Germans, who have
done so much toward developing the
agricultural resources Of our country,
yet persevere as he would, the payments
he could not meet as they fell due. He
who held the dread mortgage was fully
convinced OF the Germans integrity,
and was lenient to an unusual degree,
but forbearance always ends, and so it
did in this case. Herman's farm was
offered for sale for debt. The gloom
produced in that family by the sad
event we will not attempt to describe.
The care-stricken man made several at
tempts to raise money, but his friends
were all hard up too. Not one ray OF
hope cleaned on his prospects; still
he plowed and toiled as though
all were well. Now comes the
astounding coincidence: The day that
the farm was to be sold arrived. Her
man went into the field to plow, as he
had been doing for few days past
For some unknown cause he was in
buoyant spirits, Notwithstanding the
clouds hanging over his household.
The land which he was plowing had at
an early period been occupied by Nor
mon family, judging from an object
soon after exhumed by Herman plow.
The article in question was pine box,
two ieet long by one in depth, which
had been buried about thirty years
since, and when brought to the surface
found almost decayed. But the con-
tents OF the box forms the subject oil in
tere8t. Some articles of dress, papers, a
Mormon Bible, and a small tin box
containing 5000 in gold and $7.O5 in
silver were found.


The overjoyed man instantly seized
the box, rushed home, and entered
the house, where his patient frow
was engaged in her usual duties,
and exclaimed: Mine Gott in Himmel !
if it bees mine bays for the farm right
away" The frow and finder soon took
up the spirit of the occasion, and
scene of tumult ensued seldom wit
messed.


The neighbors were quickly apprised
Of the Germans good fortune, and lost
no time 10 visit him for the purpose OF
gratifying their curiosity and express
ing their congratulations. One gen
tlemen, however, we are informed
laid claim TO the box, basing his right
on the fact that his uncle once owned
the farm whereon the valuable prize
was found. The farm in question had
Lot been cultivated for many years pre-
vious to Hermans taking possession OF
it. 1t was doubtless owned by a Nor
mon settler, who skedaddled from this
vicinity at the time those heretics were
cleaned ont by the Missourians.