Buried Treasure.docx

Buried Treasure.docx

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BuriedTreasure

BuriedTreasure

Therearemanykindsoffools.Now,willeverybodypleasesitstilluntiltheyarecalleduponspecificallytorise?

Ihadbeeneverykindoffoolexceptone.Ihadexpendedmypatrimony,pretendedmymatrimony,playedpoker,lawn-tennis,andbucket-shops--partedsoonwithmymoneyinmanyways.ButthereremainedoneruleofthewearerofcapandbellsthatIhadnotplayed.ThatwastheSeekerafterBuriedTreasure.Tofewdoesthedelectablefurorcome.Butofallthewould-befollowersinthehoof-printsofKingMidasnonehasfoundapursuitsorichinpleasurablepromise.

But,goingbackfrommythemeawhile--aslamepensmustdo--Iwasafoolofthesentimentalsoft.IsawMayMarthaMangum,andwashers.Shewaseighteen,thecolorofthewhiteivorykeysofanewpiano,beautiful,andpossessedbytheexquisitesolemnityandpatheticwitcheryofanunsophisticatedangeldoomedtoliveinasmall,dull,Texasprairie-town.ShehadaspiritandcharmthatcouldhaveenabledhertopluckrubieslikeraspberriesfromthecrownofBelgiumoranyothersportykingdom,butshedidnotknowit,andIdidnotpaintthepictureforher.

Yousee,IwantedMayMarthaMangumfortohaveandtohold.Iwantedhertoabidewithme,andputmyslippersandpipeawayeverydayinplaceswheretheycannotbefoundofevenings.

MayMartha'sfatherwasamanhiddenbehindwhiskersandspectacles.Helivedforbugsandbutterfliesandallinsectsthatflyorcrawlorbuzzorgetdownyourbackorinthebutter.Hewasanetymologist,orwordstothateffect.HespenthislifeseiningtheairforflyingfishoftheJune-bugorder,andthenstickingpinsthrough'emandcalling'emnames.

HeandMayMarthawerethewholefamily.Heprizedherhighlyasafinespecimenoftheracibushumanusbecauseshesawthathehadfoodattimes,andputhisclothesonrightsidebefore,andkepthisalcohol-bottlesfilled.Scientists,theysay,areapttobeabsent-minded.

TherewasanotherbesidesmyselfwhothoughtMayMarthaMangumonetobedesired.ThatwasGoodloeBanks,ayoungmanjusthomefromcollege.Hehadalltheattainmentstobefoundinbooks--Latin,Greek,philosophy,andespeciallythehigherbranchesofmathematicsandlogic.

Ifithadn'tbeenforhishabitofpouringoutthisinformationandlearningoneveryonethatheaddressed,I'dhavelikedhimprettywell.But,evenasitwas,heandIwere,youwouldhavethought,greatpals.

WegottogethereverytimewecouldbecauseeachofuswantedtopumptheotherforwhateverstrawswecouldtofindwhichwaythewindblewfromtheheartofMayMarthaMangum--ratheramixedmetaphor;GoodloeBankswouldneverhavebeenguiltyofthat.Thatisthewayofrivals.

YoumightsaythatGoodloerantobooks,manners,culture,rowing,intellect,andclothes.IwouldhaveputyouinmindmoreofbaseballandFriday-nightdebatingsocieties--bywayofculture--andmaybeofagoodhorsebackrider.

Butinourtalkstogether,andinourvisitsandconversationwithMayMartha,neitherGoodloeBanksnorIcouldfindoutwhichoneofusshepreferred.MayMarthawasanatural-bornnon-committal,andknewinhercradlehowtokeeppeopleguessing.

AsIsaid,oldmanMangumwasabsentminded.Afteralongtimehefoundoutoneday--alittlebutterflymusthavetoldhim-thattwoyoungmenweretryingtothrowanetovertheheadoftheyoungperson,adaughter,orsomesuchtechnicalappendage,wholookedafterhiscomforts.

Ineverknewscientistscouldrisetosuchoccasions.OldMangumorallylabelledandclassifiedGoodloeandmyselfeasilyamongthelowestordersofthevertebrates;andinEnglish,too,withoutgoinganyfurtherintoLatinthanthesimplereferencestoOrgetorix,RexHelvetii--whichisasfarasIeverwent,myself.Andhetoldusthatifheevercaughtusaroundhishouseagainhewouldaddustohiscollection.

GoodloeBanksandIremainedawayfivedays,expectingthestormtosubside.WhenwedaredtocallatthehouseagainMayMarthaMangumandherfatherweregone.Gone!

Thehousetheyhadrentedwasclosed.Theirlittlestoreofgoodsandchattelswasgonealso.

AndnotawordoffarewelltoeitherofusfromMayMartha--notawhite,flutteringnotepinnedtothehawthorn-bush;notachalk-markonthegate-postnorapost-cardinthepost-officetogiveusaclew.

FortwomonthsGoodloeBanksandI--separately--triedeveryschemewecouldthinkoftotracktherunaways.Weusedourfriendshipandinfluencewiththeticket-agent,withlivery-stablemen,railroadconductors,andouronelone,lornconstable,butwithoutresults.

Thenwebecamebetterfriendsandworseenemiesthanever.WeforgatheredinthebackroomofSnyder'ssalooneveryafternoonafterwork,andplayeddominoes,andlaidconversationaltrapstofindoutfromeachotherifanythinghadbeendiscovered.Thatisthewayofrivals.

Now,GoodloeBankshadasarcasticwayofdisplayinghisownlearningandputtingmeintheclassthatwasreading"PoorJaneRay,herbirdisdead,shecannotplay."

Well,IratherlikedGoodloe,andIhadacontemptforhiscollegelearning,andIwasalwaysregardedasgood-natured,soIkeptmytemper.AndIwastryingtofindoutifheknewanythingaboutMayMartha,soIenduredhissociety.

Intalkingthingsoveroneafternoonhesaidtome:

"Supposeyoudofindher,Ed,wherebywouldyouprofit?

MissMangumhasamind.Perhapsitisyetuncultured,butsheisdestinedforhigherthingsthanyoucouldgiveher.Ihavetalkedwithnoonewhoseemedtoappreciatemoretheenchantmentoftheancientpoetsandwritersandthemoderncultsthathaveassimilatedandexpended

theirphilosophyoflife.Don'tyouthinkyouarewastingyourtimelookingforher?

"

"Myidea,"saidI,"ofahappyhomeisaneight-roomhouseinagroveoflive-oaksbythesideofacharcoonaTexasprairie.Apiano,"Iwenton,"withanautomaticplayerinthesitting-room,threethousandheadofcattleunderfenceforastarter,abuckboardandponiesalwayshitchedatapostfor'themissus'--andMayMarthaMangumtospendtheprofitsoftheranchasshepleases,andtoabidewithme,andputmyslippersandpipeawayeverydayinplaceswheretheycannotbefoundofevenings.That,"saidI,"iswhatistobe;andafig--adried,Smyrna,dago-standfig--foryourcurriculums,cults,andphilosophy."

"Sheismeantforhigherthings,"repeatedGoodloeBanks.

"Whateversheismeantfor,"Ianswered,justnowsheisoutofpocket.AndIshallfindherassoonasIcanwithoutaidofthecolleges."

"Thegameisblocked,"saidGoodloe,puttingdownadominoandwehadthebeer.

ShortlyafterthatayoungfarmerwhomIknewcameintotownandbroughtmeafoldedbluepaper.Hesaidhisgrandfatherhadjustdied.Iconcealedatear,andhewentontosaythattheoldmanhadjealouslyguardedthispaperfortwentyyears.Heleftittohisfamilyaspartofhisestate,therestofwhichconsistedoftwomulesandahypotenuseofnon-arableland.

Thesheetofpaperwasoftheold,bluekindusedduringtherebellionoftheabolitionistsagainstthesecessionists.ItwasdatedJune14,1863,anditdescribedthehiding-placeoftenburro-loadsofgoldandsilvercoinvaluedatthreehundredthousanddollars.OldRundle--grandfatherofhisgrandson,Sam--wasgiventheinformationbyaSpanishpriestwhowasinonthetreasure-burying,andwhodiedmanyyearsbefore--no,afterward--inoldRundle'shouse.OldRundlewroteitdownfromdictation.

"Whydidn'tyourfatherlookthisup?

"IaskedyoungRundle.

"Hewentblindbeforehecoulddoso,"hereplied.

"Whydidn'tyouhuntforityourself?

"Iasked.

"Well,"saidhe,"I'veonlyknownaboutthepaperfortenyears.Firsttherewasthespringploughin'todo,andthenchoppin'theweedsoutofthecorn;andthencometakin'fodder;andmightysoonwinterwasonus.Itseemedtorunalongthatwayyearafteryear."

Thatsoundedperfectlyreasonabletome,soItookitupwithyoungLeeRundleatonce.

Thedirectionsonthepaperweresimple.ThewholeburrocavalcadeladenwiththetreasurestartedfromanoldSpanishmissioninDoloresCounty.TheytravelledduesouthbythecompassuntiltheyreachedtheAlamitoRiver.Theyfordedthis,andburiedthetreasureonthetopofalittlemountainshapedlikeapack-saddlestandinginarowbetweentwohigherones.Aheapofstonesmarkedtheplaceoftheburiedtreasure.AllthepartyexcepttheSpanishpriestwerekilledbyIndiansafewdayslater.Thesecretwasamonopoly.Itlookedgoodtome.

LeeRundlesuggestedthatwerigoutacampingoutfit,hireasurveyortorunoutthelinefromtheSpanishmission,andthenspendthethreehundredthousanddollarsseeingthesightsinFortWorth.But,withoutbeinghighlyeducated,Iknewawaytosavetimeandexpense.

WewenttotheStateland-officeandhadapractical,whattheycalla"working,"sketchmadeofallthesurveysoflandfromtheoldmissiontotheAlamitoRiver.OnthismapIdrewalineduesouthwardtotheriver.Thelengthoflinesofeachsurveyandsectionoflandwasaccuratelygivenonthesketch.Bythesewefoundthepointontheriverandhada"connection"madewithitandanimportant,well-identifiedcorneroftheLosAnimosfive-leaguesurvey--agrantmadebyKingPhilipofSpain.

Bydoingthiswedidnotneedtohavethelinerunoutbyasurveyor.Itwasagreatsavingofexpenseandtime.

So,LeeRundleandIfittedoutatwo-horsewagonteamwithalltheaccessories,anddroveahundredandforty-ninemilestoChico,thenearesttowntothepointwewishedtoreach.Therewepickedupadeputycountysurveyor.HefoundthecorneroftheLosAnimossurveyforus,ranoutthefivethousandsevenhundredandtwentyvaraswestthatoursket