Year: 1872

spring, rushing down a craggy hillside to
dark and wide-stretching swamp below.
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 a 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 a spot eX-
listed.


For once in my life had allowed my
cupidity to get the better of my outspoken
honesty. l allowed the reverend guest to
depart, and did not tell him that l knew
where there was a spot exactly
the original of that which he had pictur-
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, sailed forth to the
rough outside of the Twist lot. l knew
exactly where the pictured spot was to be
found, and when I had reached it I was
more than ever struck by the faithfulness
of Mr.. Meekmore's draft. The accuracy
Io%a 1.1,, e. Il
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 int1u-
enced? | found the old tree which the
reverend dreamer had particularly desig-
mated, and went to work at it's 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, L 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 I>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 1 do? The lot
was not mine, and l 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. l must purchase the
Twist lot, and had no doubt that I could
buy it for mere song.


cousin, and when I 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 fool when told him !
should bid on the Twist lot; but 1 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 l hadn't al
ready got all the sheep-pasture needed
but l told him he need not trouble him
SELF


During the next two weeks 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. II
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," SC
called, and / heard it whispered that iron
and copper ore had been discovered upon
| it. A stranger, in Jockey clothes, started
who wore blue frock and top-boots, bio
seventy-five.


Then there was more talk about iror
and copper. The man in the jockey sui
said that he had positive assurance thai


pure iron ore had been found in some o.


the gulches, and he bid one dollar al
acre. At this point | entered the contest


and bid one dollar and twenty-five cents
Up-up-up-twenty cents at time


until at length | had bid ten dollars al


acre. People called me crazy. Ten dol


lars an acre was more than the very bes


land in the whole country was worth


But I held my bid, and kept my OWL
counsel.


And the Twist lot was knocked dowr


to me for just one thousand dollars. TIL,


terms were cash. 1 told them to max,


out the deed while went home after tn


money. And away I rode. / emptiet


my old stocking of gold and silver, ant


found nine hundred and fifty dollars


borrowed the other fifty without troubl


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, AM


when the squire had assured me that tn


payment of the money would make al


fast and safe, handed over the gold. ant


silver.


Iobserved that the name of John Twis


had been recently signed, and I aske
| L..
HE was here few minutes ago." sal
ESimpkins, "and will be BACK again afte


his money He's feeling pretty good,
should judge, since he has got rid of hi
hundred acre lot for twice as much as
cost him, and for thousand times MOI
l than any sane man would think it ws
Z worth" S.
Half an hour afterward l called at IL
( squire's again Mr.. Twist had Just gor
| out with his money.


There heis now," said Simpkins, '.ju
3 bound off,"


2 l looked out at the window, and say
} at the door of the inn, on the opposi
: side of the way, tall man, in bottl
/. green coat, with bright, glaring button
Just mounting horse. l recognized IL
;. horse and l recognized the man.
e "Who is that man % asked, che wit
e the green coat and bright buttons ?"
''That, said Simpkins, is Mr.. job
e Twist"


t In moment more the man in the be
J tle-green coat had ridden away, with b
e heavy saddle-bags behind him; and bu
e toned up within that coat l beheld n
e reverend guest 1t flashed upon me tn
e the Rev. Paul Meekmore and Mr.. Jol
n Twist were one and the same perso


And this was not all that flashed aero
e me!


e A few days afterward took my lum
O of white metal to a man who was vers
IS in such matters, and asked him what tn


were. He took the largest lump al
# tested it, and said:


e "Pewteri"


# I asked him if pewter was ever dug @
d of the earth in that shape.
3 WE'LL" said he, "seeing that pewter
e an alloy of tin and lead, it couldn't
e very well dug up, unless somebody h
n gone and buried it beforehand"
Ie Touching further explanations on L
S. "Twist lott will not speak. will Oh