Year: 1872

millions of dollars and it never profte'
me penny. But such wealth is not 70
me. ! need it not. Ny calling 'ath high
er and holier aims. Aud yet this poo
flesh is sometimes weak enough to lust af
ter the dross of silver and gold!


By degrees We got from him that he ha,
dreamed Of a silver mine among the crag
Of our hills. This mine seemed to his Wis
ion utterly exhaustless in the precious
metal but he could not locate it. Betsc,
whose curiosity was aroused, would hav,
pushed the matter, but Mr.. Meskmor,
finally shook his head more soIemnly thar
ever, and said that he would rather forge
the dream if he could.


When the uissionary's horse was at tn,
door, and the owner was prepared to star
off, he informed us that he was bound FOL
the Canada line, and that he might return
that way. OF course We told him our dooI
would be open to him, land he promised thai
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 Beard to return to Boston ant
make immediate preparation for Winter
campaign in the West.


TIE second evening in the society of the
rcverand gentleman we enjoyed more thar
we enjoyed the first. His fond of ancc
dote and adventure was literally exhaust
less, and an odor of sanctity and dclicacy
prevailed all his speech. We urged that
he should spend few days with us, but
he could not. lie said it would give hin
great pleasure to do so, but his call to the
new field of labor in the West was pressing
aud imperative.


On the next morning, at the breakfast
table, o 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 visited by the same
dream again.


This time, he said, the vision came
with wonderful distinctncss | not only
beheld the vast chambers of virgin silver
but | saw an exact profile of the everything
territory. 1t was a wild desolatc spot, by
"a deep r:ivinc through which the snow OF
/ Winter seemed to find release in Spring,
rushing down a cra:gy hillside to a dark
c-stretching swamp below. This would
not Impress me SO seriously were it not tina,
proved a startling reality


We convcrsed farther on the subject, and
after breakfast Mr. Meek more took a pen
ell, and upon the blank leaf cf an old atlas,
hc 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 outcropPins of the prec
ious metal.


lie had drawn the picture, he told us, t,
show us how vivid his dream had been
but he advised us to think no more of it
Even if it were possible that tic dream
had substance, the body of the mine was
far below the surface and, moreover
tue Lord only knows where the spot WAS
located, even allowing that such spot cx-
istcd.


4 For once in my life hal allowed my
cupidity to get the better of my out-spok,
en- honesty. | allowed the rcvcrand guest
=, 4, t.,lI that I In
where there was spot exactly the orig yina
of that which he had pictu ed, even to
every rock, shrub, tree and ravinc. An,
that pot was upon the wild lot which had
been purchased 10y John Twist, and whicl
John Twist owned still.


That very afternoon, armed with an oil,
Ak and pick, | salc,l forth to the rougt
outside of the Twist lot. knew exactly
where the pictured lot WAS to be found
and when | had reached it | was NOR,
than ever struck by the faithfulness Mr.
Meekmore's draft. The acct racy in dc.ai
was wonderful. And when had rehccte,
that this draft had been made by one VIII,
was an absolute stranger to the place
made from the simple impression of I
dream-is it a marvel that | was strangely
influenced | found the old tree whici
the rcvcrand dreamer had particular,
designed, and went to work at its roots.


And ere long my labors was rewarded
Beneath one of the main roots found
lump Of pure white metal as large as
hens esg and upon further choppins an,
digging | found several smaller pieces
They had evidently been broken from
molted mass, and upon rubbing off the dir
found them all pure and bright.
That night slept but little. coul
only lie awake and think of the vast wcalt
that lay buried in that bleak hillside. Blu
what could do The lot was not mine
and l should run great risk if troubl
another mans property. And, moreover
if | made further exploration while tn
land was not mine, the secret might b
divulsed and the vast wealth snatched fror
me. must purchase the Twist lot, and
had no doubt that could buy it for a mel
song.


On the next day rode over to see m
; cou>in, and when ] had spoken of til
Twist lot, he informed me that not onl
, that lot, but number of others were ft
sale. They had been advertised, an


would be sold at auction in two week
, He called me a fool when | told him
p should bid on the Twist lot; but told hiI
|, | had looked it over and made up my min
d that my sheep could find plenty of grain
there throughout the Summer months. L
. asked me if | hadn't already got all Il
p sheep pasture 1 needed: but told him
Y need not trouble himself.


= During the next two weeks / kept qui
. and held my tongue, giving no opportuni
e for my secret to become known.
= the appointed day l went over to Il
j. settlement where the land was to be sol
0 1t was to be put up in hundred acre LOT
d and sold by the original plans of Within
f. purchase. Lot number one was put
4 first, and sold for one quarter of a cent :