Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 October 1895 — IT WAS AN OLD STORY. [ARTICLE]

IT WAS AN OLD STORY.

The Farmer Had Heard It Many Times Before. The Wayne County farmer was smoking his after dinner pipe at his barn yard gate when a wayfarer who didn’t differ in looks from the ordinary tramp came along and passed the time of day and inquired : “Ami speaking to Mr. Blank?” “Yes, my name is Blank,” was the reply. “And this is your farm?” "Yes, sir ” “Mr. Blank,” continued the tramp, after looking around him, "you have probably heard of Captain Kidd, the pirate?” “Yes, sir.” “He buried heaps of money.” "Yes.” “Not half of which has ever been found.” "No.” “Has it ever occurred to you that some of the plunder might have been buried right here on your farm?” "No, it never has,” replied the farmer as he threw a club at n hog which was entering the barn behind him. "Suppose,” whispered the wayfarer as he dropped his voice and looked around —"suppose I could point out the exact spot on your farm where Captain Kidd buried $40,000 In gold?” "Waal,” calmly queried the farmer. "Would you be willing to give me a square meal and give me an old coat and pair of shoes?” “Noap—couldn’t do it.” "What! Not in exchange for S4O, 000 in gold!” "Noap.” "You don’t want to know where a fortune lies buried within forty rods of where we are standing?” “Noap—don’t keer to know the spot!” “See here, my friend 1” said the wayfarer, “what, kind of a man are you?” “Jest a farmer,” was the reply. “And you don't want $40,000?” "Noap.” "Wouldn’t even give me a dinner If I pointed out the treasure to you?” "Noap. If you want dinner you'll hev to dig fifty hills of ’tabers to earn it.” "And you positively refuse the piratical fortune waiting to be uncovered?” “I dew. Thar’s a hoe, and thar’s the ’tater field, and if you don’t want to dig you’d better git along!” ‘ ‘Has any one come along here with this story this summer?” For answer the farmer pointed to one of the gate posts, on which thir-ty-nine notches were cut, and added ; “I think about as many more had cum along before I begun to keep tally.” "I seel” replied the wayfarer as his face lengthened a foot or more. "Great Scott, but I was laboring under the impression that I had struck a fresh field and a soft snap! Gimme that hoe and you go in and tell the old woman to have my dinner ready in jist twenty minutes by the clock.”