Year: 1872

By degrees we got from him that he
had dreamed of silver mine among
the crags of our hills. The mine seem
ed to his vision to be utterly exhaustless
in the precious metal but he could moi
locate it. Betsy, whose curiosity was
aroused, would have pushed the matter,
but Mr.. Meekmore finally shook his head
more solemnly than ever, and said 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 of, 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 wonld always
be open to him; and he promised that he
would abide with US again if he had the
opportunity.


In two weeks Mr.. Meekmore. came
back He had received summons, he
said, from the home board, to return to
Boston and make immediate prepara-
tions for q winters campaign in the
West. enner s-twsY


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 sanctity
and delicacy pervaded all his speech.
We. urged that he should spend a few
days with us, but he could not. BE 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 imperative.
On the next morning, at the breakfast
table, our guest was even more sedate
and thoughtful than on the previous oc-
casion; and when questioned on the
matter he told us that he had been visit
ed by the same strange dream again.
az" This time" he said, the vision
came with wonderful distinetness. | not
only beheld the vast chambers OF virgin
silver but saw an exact profile of the
overlying territory. 1t was a wild, desc
late spot, by deep ravine, through
which the SHOWS of winter seem to find
release in spring, rushing down a craggy
hillside to a dark and wide-stretching
swamp below. This would not impress
me SO seriously were it not that once be-
fore a dream Of the same import proved
startling reality"


We conyersed further on the subject,
and after breakfast Mr.. Meekmore took
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
out-cropping 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 il. Even if it were possible that the
dream had substance, the body of the
mine was far below the surfacei and,
moreover, the Lord only knew where the
spot was located, even allowing that
such spot existed.


For once in my life | had allowed my
cupidity to get the better of my out
spoken honesty / allowed the reverend
guest to depart, and did not tell him
that | knew where there was a spot eX-
actly the original of that which he had
pictured, 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
owned still.
I That very afternoon. armed with an
old ak and pick, sailed forth to the
rough outside of the Twist lot. | knew
exactly where the pictured lot was to be
found, ard when / had reached it | was
more than ever struck by the faithful
ness of Mr.. Meekmores draft. The ac-
curacy in detail was wonderful. And
when / reflected that this draft had been
made by one who was an utter aud abso-
lutte stranger to the place-made from
the simple impressions of a dream-it is
marvel that ! was strongly and
strangely influenced. i found the, old
tree which the reverend dreamer had
particularly designated, and went to
work at its roots.


And ere long my labors were re-
warded. Beneath one of the main roots
| found lump of pure white metal as
large as hens egg; and upon further
cbopping and digging ] found several
more smaller pieces. They had evi-
IDENTIFY been broken from a molten mass,
and upon rubbing off the dirt | found
them all pure and bright.


That night | slept but little. | could
only lie awake and think OF the vast
wealth that lay buried in that bleak hill
side. But what could | do? The lot was
not mine, and l should run great risk if
troubled another mans property. And,
moreover, if / made further explora-
tion while the land was not mine, the
secret might be diyulged and the vast
wealth snatched from me. | must pur-
chase the Twist lot, and / had no doubt
that could buy it for a mere song.


On the next day rode oyer to see
my cousin, and when ! had spoken of
the Twist lot he informed me that not
only that lot but number of Others,
we're for sale They had been adver-
tised and would be sold at tauction in two
weeks. He called me fool when | told
him should bid on the Twist lot; but /
told him | had looked it over and made
up Hy mind that my sheep could find
plenty Of grazing there throughout the
summer months. he asked me if /
hadn't already got all the sheep pasture
! needed but ] told him be need not
troub,.> himself


Dnr;ng the uext two weeks ! kept
quiet and held my tc@ugue, giving no op-
portunity for my secret .
known. On the appointed day 1 !. u'
over to the settlement where the land
was to be sold. II was to be put up in
hundred acre lots, and sold by the origi-
nal plans Of the 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 jocky clothes,
started it at fifty cents an acre. An
other stranger who wore a blue frock
and top-bosts bid seventy-fve.


Then there was more talk about iron
and copper. The man in the jockey