Year: 1872

smiled, and said he had slept very we'll,
saving the spell of very curious dream
which had visited him three separate
times during the night. Betsey asked
him if he would tell what it was about.


+" It was the old dream of hidden
wealth. he said, with a solemn look.
d" I havn't dreamed such dream be-
fore, since by wonderful dream in
South Africa [ led to the discovery of
a diamond mine worth millions of dol
lars and it never proited me a penny:
But such wealth is not for me- J need
it not My calling hath higher and
holier aims And yet this poor flesh
is sometimes weak enough to lust after
the dross of gold and silver !"


By degrees we got from him that he
had dreamed of a silver mine among
| the crags of our hills. This mine seem
ed to his vision utterly exhaustless in
the precious metal but he could not
locate it. Betsey whose curiosity was
aroused, would have pushed the mat
| ter, but Mr.. Meekmore finally shook
his head more solemnly than ever, and
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 off, 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 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 a summons,
he said, from the Home Board to return
to Boston and make immediate prepara-
i tions for Winter campaign in the
| West.


/ The second evening in the society of
the reverend gentleman we enjoyed
more than we enjoyed the first. His
/ fund OF anecdote and adventure was
literally exhaustless, and an odor of
sanctity and dehcacy prevaded all his
speech. We urged that he should
spend few days with us, but he could
not. He said it would give him great
pleasure to do so, but his call to the
new field of labor in the West was
pressing and imperative.


On the next morning, at the break
fast table, our guest was even more Sc
date and thoughtful than on the pre-
vious 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 distinctness.
not only beheld the vast chambers of
virgin silver, but saw an exact profile
of the overlying territory 1t was a
wild desolate spot, by a deep ravine
through which the snow of Winter
seemed to find release in Spring, rush
ing down craggy hillside to a dark
wide stretching swamp below. This
would not impress me so seriously
were tnot that once before dream OF
the same import proved startling
reality


We conversed further on the subject,
and after breakfast Mr.. Meokmore 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
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 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 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 that I
knew where there was spot exactly
the original of that which he had pic
tured, 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.


That very afternoon, armed with an
old ak and pick. [ sailed forth to the
Tough outside of the Twist lot. I knew
exactly where the pictured lot was to
be found, and when I had reached it |
was more than ever struck by the faith
fulness of Mr.. Meekmore's draft. The
accuracy in detail was wonderful. And
| when had reflected that this draft had
been made by one who was an utter
and absolute stranger to the place
made from the simple impression of a
dream-is it a marvel that [ was
| strangely Influenced. I found the old
tree which the reverend dreamer had
particularly designed, and went to work
at it's roots.


And ere longmy labors has rewarded.
Beneath one of the main roots [ found
a lump OF pure white metal as large as
a hens egg land uron further chopping
and digging [ found several more
smaller pieces. They had evidently
been broken from 1nolted mass, and
upon rubbing off the dirt I 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
hillside. But what could [ do2 The
lot was not mine, and should run greai
risk If [ troubled another mans prop
erty. And, moreover, if [ made fur
ther 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 [ had
no doubt that could buy it Tor mere
song


On the next day rode over to see my
cousin, and when had spoken of the
Twist lot, he informed me that not
only that lot, but a number of others
were for sale. They had been adver-
t1sed, and would be sold at auction in
two weeks. He called me fool when
told him l should bid on the Twist
lot; but told him had looked it over
and made up my mind that my sheep
could find plenty of gazing there
throughout the Summer months He
asked me if hadn't already got all the
sheep pasture l needed; but L told hin,
/ he need not trouble himself.


During the next two weeks / kept
quiet and held my tongue, giving nc
opportunity for my secret to become
known. On the appointed day [ went
over to the settlement where the land
was to be sold. It was to by put up il
hundred acre lots, and sold by the ori
ginal 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,


1,.a