Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 February 1881 — A QUEER DEED, [ARTICLE]

A QUEER DEED,

And the <t«eer Discovery That Came of It. Charles Wilson was a "very odd specimen of a young man. He was good looking, well educated, but not at all fond of society—at least ladies’ society. He owned a nice -little place in Cantonville, and’ some city property that brought him a good living. He was a civil engineer by profession, but never practiced except for his own amusement, or for the benefit of his few friends. Tn Cantonville harbor was a large island. Aurora Island it was called, some half a mile long by a quarter wide. This was a favorite resort of his, and many days he spent alone on it. A small grove of trees on one end made a very good picnic ground, but the passage to and from the island was rather dangerous, owing to the swift tides, and the place was not very much used. Wilson finally conceived the idea that he wanted to buy the island, and set about trying to find the owner. No one in town knew anything about it, but the town clerk sent him on the right track by sending him to the registry of deeds. Here he found the island was owned by Miss Nellie Armstrong. ‘ ‘An old maid, ”he said to himself, as he found the last transfer dated back twenty years. “Now, where am I to look for Miss Armstrong?” Back to Cantonville he went and set about to* find the lady bearing the name of Miss Nellie Armstrong. The postmaster knew no such party, the town clerk ditto. Everyone who was likely to know was hunted up, but with no sucThen back to the registry office again he went, and found out who transferred the island to Miss Armstrong, a thing he should have done in the first place, but failed to. This party was Ebenezer Budget. Now, then, to find out who Mr. Budget was, and where he lived, claimed his attention. The first person he met on his arrival home could tell him all he wanted to know. Mr. Budget was an old miser, who died in the town about nineteen years ago. He left one son, who was alive, and probably in New York. His name was Jonathan. Next morning Mr. Wilson left for New York. He found Mr. Budget without much trouble, and from him learned that Miss Nellie Armstrong was a niece of Ebenezer Budget, and that when he died she was one year old, consequently she was now twenty. Her parents lived in Boston the last Jonathan knew anything about them. He could not tell whether they were there now or not, but he gave Wilson their former address, telling him he could probably find out there where they were, if he could not find them there. The next morning found Mr. Wilson in Boston, and he was soon in the count-ing-room of Mr. Armstrong, the father of Nellie. He was a fine-looking man, of some fifty-five years, and Wilson soon found himself wondering if his daughter was as nice in looks and manner as her father. Mr. Armstrong did not know whether Nellie would like to sell the island or not, but if Mr. Wilson would call at the house in the evening he might talk with her about it. Would it be convenient for him to do so? It certainly Avould, and Mr. Wilson left the office with a feeling that he was in luck, though he could not exactly tell why, for he had not purchased the island, and did not know whether he could or not. Still, it was with a very pleasant feeling that he prepared for his evening visit. I say prepared, for he took more pains with liis toilet than he had ever taken before, even to call- on some of his most intimate friends. And, finally, several new things had to be purchased before he was entirely satisfied with his appearance. A servant ushered him into the library, where he met Mr. Armstrong. That gentleman at once sent for his daughter. After the introduction Mr. Wilson, of course, stated his business, although he would rather have talked on some interesting subject, for he had lost much of his enthusiasm in regard to the island. Miss Armstrong was his ideal of a woman in looks, and he had no doubt but what she was intellectually also. “I have never thought much about the island,” said Miss Nellie, “for I did not suppose it was of any money value whatever. ” “In that you are mistaken,” said Mr. Wilson. “The island is quite valuable. It has a fine grove upon it, and considerable timber, besides the land is a good place for picnics, or for a summer residence. In fact, I was thinking of building a house on it myself, if I succeeded in buying it. ” “ You are certainly very frank in your statement of its value,” said Mr. Armstrong, “for we know nothing of it at all, only from the description in a letter from Mr. Budget which came with the deed whereby we knew its location. I will get the deed and letter and see how it reads. ” So saying he arose and took from his desk the papers. , The letter was a queerly-written thing, and, as Mr. Armstrong said, a very fair sample of his wife’s brother’s letters. It was written thus: “To Miss Armstrong i Find Aurora + . island just north of Cantonville Mills down on the coast. A Minute descriptions If calm you can approach it anywhere. Mind the mud; it only lies north. I never go from east because of rocks. The yearly tides are strong, and many inexperienced boatmen go never to come back. If you thus profit by my advice, for, hear me, it is.good, the beach easily is reached and you can pass a very pleasant day. Suburb views are to be had, which a European country can scarcely be found to’exceed. Ebenezeb Budget.” The deed was very strong, making it clearly understood that the island and everything contained thereon was made over to Miss Nellie Armstrong, and also stating that the letter describing the property must be given if it was sold or transferred. Mr. Armstrong asked Wilson what he thought the island was worth. “ I do not know, but would give a thousand dollars for it,” said Wilson. “That seems a pretty good price for what we have always considered a worthless piece of property, I am free to confess,* said Mr. Armstrong, looking at “ Yes, sir; I don’t think the island can powibly b* worth that/’ Mid she,

Neither did Mr. Wilson, but looking into the young lady’s eyes he did not have the courage to say so; and, in fact, if he had five instead of one thousand at his disposal, he would have offered it just as quickly. “Perhaps you and your daughter would like to go down and visit it before you sell,” said Mr. Wilson. “I should like to go down very much if father could spare time,” said Nell. Mr. Armstrong could not go, but he thought his wife would be very glad to go down to the old home, and if Mr. Wilson could wait a day or two for them to get ready'they would go, and Nellie could make the transfer there if she concluded to sell; she could do as she pleased. Mr. Wilson could wait just as well as not, and as Mr. Armstrong found out by their conversation that he was a son of an old"college chum and long time friend of his, he extended an invitation to him to spend the time he was in the city at his nouse. He did so, and of course was shown altout the city, sometimes by Mr. Armstrong and Nellie, but generally by Nellie alone. He found in Nellie a very agreeable companion. She could talk common sense and could play chess, his favorite game, and by the fcme the week in Which Mrs. Armstrong took to get ready in Was over, they were very good friends. On Tuesday of the next week the party arrived at Cantonville, where they were to be the guests of Mrs. Wilson, Charles's mother. Here was another surprise. Mrs. Wilson and Mrs. Armstrong had been classmates at a boarding-school many years before, and they had so much to say to each other that Charles had to devote his whole time to Nellie, a thing, by the way, that he seemed to take to as handily as though he had always ' been in the habit of taking young ladies in charge, whereas he had never been seen in company with one before, at least not to the remembrance of any of the Cantonville people. Two weeks was all too short for the visit, and when the time came for the visitors to return to the city, Charles and Nellie would have forgotten all about the ' land had not Mrs. Armstrong asked if they had got the deed all fixed. Nellie blushed and said no, they had not had time to go to the register’s office, while Charles looked out of the window and said nothing. So the pext day was spent in making the transfer, and it was two days more before they could agree on the price, which was finally settled at a thousand dollars, as Charles positively refused to take it at a cent less. As he bade his visitors good-bye at the cars he said to Nellie: “I shall commence to build my house on the island right off, and have it ready for visitors next summer, when I hope your family will honor mo with another visit. ” “Oh, certainly,” said Nellie, “and in the meantime, if you come to Boston, don’t forget to visit us.” “No danger of that,” said Charles, as the train moved away. The house on the island was begun at once, and hardly a week had gone by before Mr. Wilson found it necessary to visit Boston for supplies of some kind. He went Saturday, and concluded it would not be losing much time to remain over Sunday, so he did so. Of course he spent Sunday at the Armstrongs, and Monday morning he did not take the early train, but instead, went with Mr. Armstrong to his office. They were in private conversation for an hour or so, when Mr. Wilson came out and went to the depot. The building on the island progressed finely, and Mr. Wilson went regularly to Boston every Saturday and returned Monday, till folks began to put this and that together and talk about the future Mrs. Charles Wilson. The gossips all called on Mrs. Wilson to inquire about the son, but they all got the same answer from her: “My son is not one who talks of his private affairs to people not interested, and until he makes his doings public you will have to wait for your information. ” But the gossips talked just the same and told each other such stories as they thought might hit the truth or somewhere near it. Matters wont on thus till about Christmas, when Mr. Wilson and his mother left for Boston. The day before Christmas quite a number of Cantonville people received invitations to the wedding of Mr. Charles Wilson and Miss Nellie Armstrong at the residence of the bride’s father. The wedding w r as a brilliant one and the young couple left for the South, where they w'ere to stay till the next May. On their return they w’ere to occupy their house on the island in Cautonville. Mr. Wilson had furnished it thoroughly, and a man had been left in charge to see that nothing was damaged during the winter. With the first of May came the young couple, and quite a grand reception was given them on the island. Every day was occupied in receiving visitors, so that it was three weeks before Charles had a chance to call his wife’s attention to the letter accompanying the deed of the island. One morning they awoke to find a heavy southeast storm beating upon the island. “No visitors to-day, Nellie,” said Charles, as he looked out upon the bay, “and we can have a good chance to look over that curious letter that came with the deed of the island.” “What do you wish to look at that for? Do you expect to find anything more than we have already seen?” “Yes, Nellie. I am free to confess that I do. It has been on my mind ever since we came to our island home. The first night we slept on the island I had a dream, and in it I saw that letter very plainly, and something seemed to say, ‘study that letter; there is more in it than you seem to see. ’ And I have been waiting for a time when you and I could 15ok at it together. ” After breakfast they repaired to the library and sat down to the table to study over the letter and see if it contained more than at first appeared. More than an hour was spent before anything was found, when Nellie suddenly said: “I have it; read the first letter of each line: ‘ Find my money in the caves.’ ” “Sure enough,” said Charles, “but there are no caves on this island that I know of, and I have searched it pretty thoroughly. ” “ There must be, for I know Uncle Eben had lots of money, and no one knew what he did with it. His son only had about §IOO,OOO, and he was said to be worth five times that amount. ” “Well, perhaps there is something more in the paper,” said Charles. “Let’s try the last letter of each line, and see if there is anything in that.” So they again took the paper and read: ‘At same time your husband. ’ Then they stopped and had a hearty laugh over the matter. The island had certainly been the means of their marriage, and if it was true in this respect, iEmight be in the other. The rain ceased to sass toward night, and Charles was so impatient to hunt for the cave that, in spite of the high winds, he ascended the bluff and began to search for some signs of the cave. He found nothing there, however, and returned to the house to get warm and to think the matter over a little. After half an hour he started out again. This time he started for the base of the bluff. Arriving there he began a systematic search, pulling away the bushes and moving such flat stones as seemed to cover anything that looked like an opening. He finely came to a large one, and weighing perhaps half a ton, which seemed to move as he jumped upon it. Looking carefully about he found ft was nicely balanced on another rock below, and he thought it would pot be much work to roll it off, if he had a lever, a Urge he h*d*««x .> A£!

on the shore, a short distance from where he was, he started for it As he jumped from the rock he saw an iron bar lying on the ground, partly Coveted by the bushes that grew in such profusion about there. *“I guess I’m on the right track now,” thought Charles, as he picked up the bar. As he expected, the stone moved very easily, and with a little effort he sent it down from its position into the water, a few feet below, leaving an opening of about three feet by two. This was the cave, sure enough, and into the opening went Charles. It was a large room, partially natural and y artially cut by man. The foul air warned Charles not to go in further, and he at once sought the open air and returned to the house to tell Nellie what he harLfound. Both were very much excited over the matter, and it was as much as Charles could do to dissuade Nellie from going back with him to explore the cave—a thing he proposed to do before he slept. Taking a couple of lanterns and as much dry wood as he could carry, he returned to the cave and went in. He found the air much improved, and so did not build his fire. After a careful search he discovered a place in the side of the cave which looked as if it might be a door. Getting his bar, he soon had a lafge stone removed from the wall, and this disclosed another large room. A pair of steps led down somewhere, but Charles could not see the bottom. The place was damp and the steps badly rotted, so he did not attempt the descent Tying a line to one of his lanterns, he proceeded to lower it down into the darkness. About two yards down it suddenly went out. He drew it Up, relighted it, and tried it again, with the same result. “Well, there’s bad air enough there," said he to himself, as he drew it up again. He then proceeded to make a large fire in the cave, and when well agoing, he took a large burning log and threw it into the inner cave. It burned a moment and then went out, but long enough for him to see the size and depth of the room. It seemed about twenty feet long by fifteen wide, and about eight feet deep from the door. Another log was thrown in which burned a little longer, but it was a full hour before he got a good fire and the air of the cave purified. He then went back to the house and got a ladder, and with this decended into the bottom of the cave. Here he found three large iron boxes. They were not locked, afid opening the boxes he found what the letter said, the money. Closing the box* s he went back to the house and told Nellie what he had found. Nothing more was done that night, but the next morning both Charles and Nellie went to the cave and examined their treasures. Besides the money there were lots of papers, yellow with age, but still in a very fair state of preservation. Among other things was a large book tightly sealed, and a letter tied to it directed to “The discovery of these boxes.” Opening the letter Charles read as follows: “These boxes were placed in this cave in the year 1821, by me, and for this reason: I married my wife in January, 1821, and supposed she loved me, but soon found out my mistake. It was my money she was after, and when I found she did not care for me I left her and came over to this island, where I found this cave. I remained here a week, thinking hard thoughts all the time. I went back home and tried to live with her. As long as I furnished her plenty of money we got along nicely, but if I refused a cent we nad a quarrel. In May of the same year I came to this island and went to work upon this cave. I did all the work with my own hands, and when completed I moved most of my money here and left it. I did not enter the cave again till the year my sister’s child was born, whom I named Nellie. It was at this time that this letter was written. The sealed book must go to my neice if she can be found. In it she will find a daily record of my life, and take a warning from it if she will, and not make earth a perfect hell for her husband. If she sells the island, all the money must go with it, but this book is for her and her only. I have hoped that the letter I-left with tho deed of the island might prove true, and that the money may all go to her and her family. Time will tell. Hoping whoever finds this may enjoy life much better than I have done, I wish them much joy. Ebenezeb Budget.” The boxes contained nearly §300,000 in gold and silver, which Mr. Wilson carried to the house. The book was, as the letter stated, a complete history of the life of the old miser, as he was called, though the many references to the sums given away for charitable purposes proved him anything but a miser. Between every two leaves of the book was placed a £I,OOO note on the Bank of England. These Nellie took out as she came to them, and found there was eighty of them. Charles wrote to Jonathan Budget to come on and visit them, as he had business of much importance to communicate to him. The next day brought him, and Charles told him of the treasure he had found. Mr. Budget refused to touch a penny of the money, saying he had all that his father wished him to have, and that was enough for him, but he would like many of the papers found in the boxes, which Charles gave him. The matter w as not noised about at all, and to this day the people of Cantonville do not know of the discovery of the money on the island. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson still spend their summers on the island, and it is still a great place for summer visitors. When you go there next summer, for of course you will recognize the place although the names are not correct, see if you can find the oaves.— Springfield Mirror.