J
BY
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OflGOKffi
HENRY
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11
HERE aro many Ulnds of
fools. Now, will every
body pleaso Bit still until
they are called upon spe
clflcally to rise?
I hnd boon ovory kind
I 1? J of fool except one. I had
Jfa expended my patrimony
protended my matrimony,
played poker, lawn-tennis, nnd bucket
shops parted booh with my money in
many ways. But there remained one
role of the wearer of cap and bells
that I had not played. That was tho
cocker after burled treasure To few
does tho delectable furor como. Hut
of all tho would-bo followers In the
hoof-prints of King Mldas nono has
found a pursuit so rich In pleasurable
promise.
But, going back from my theme n
while as lamo pens must do I was n
fool of tho sentimental sort 1 saw
May Martha Mnngum, and was hers.
She was eighteen, the color of tho
white Ivory keys of a new piano, beau
tiful, and possessed by tho exquisite
solemnity nnd pathetic witchery of an
unsophisticated angel doomed to live
in a small, dull, Texas pralrle-town.
May Martha's fnther was a man hid
den behind whlskors and spectacles.
Ho lived for bugs and butterflies and
all Insects that fly or crawl or buzz
or get down your back or In tho but
ter. Ho was an entomologist, or words
to that effect. lie spent his life
seining the air for flying fish of tho
June-bug order, and then sticking pins
through 'em and calling 'em names.
There was another besides myself
who thought May Martha Mangum
ono to bo desired. That was Good
loo Banks, a young man Just homo
from college. Ho had all the attain
ments to bo found In books Latin,
Greek, philosophy and especially tho
higher branches of mathematics and
logic.
If It hadn't been for his habit of
pouring out this information and learn
ing on every one that he addressed
I'd have liked him pretty well. But,
even as It was, ho and I were, you
would have thought, great pals.
But, in our talks together and in our
visits and conversation with May
Martha, neither Goodloe Banks nor
I could find out which ono of us she
preferred. May Martha was a natural
born non-committal; and knew In her
cradle how to keep people guessing.
Old Man Mangum certainly was
nbsent-minded. After a long timo ho
found out ono day a iittlo butterfly
must have told him that two young
men were trying to throw a net over
the head of the young person, a daugh
ter, or somo such tochnlcal appen
dage, who looked after his comforts.
I never knew scientists could rise
to such occasions. Old Mangum oral
ly labeled and classified Goodloo and
myself easily among the lowest or
ders of the vertebrates; and In Eng
lish, too, without going any further in
to Latin than tho simple references
to Orgetorlx, Rex Helvotil which is
as far as I ever went myself. And
ho told us that It he ever caught us
around his houso again he would add
us to his collection.
Goodloo Banks and I remained away
live days, expecting the storm to sub
ldo. When wo dared to call at the
houso again May Martha Mangum and
her father woro gone. Gone! The
house they had rented was closed.
Their little store of goods and chat
tels was gone also.
And not a word of farewell to eith
er of us from May Martha not a
white, fluttering note pinned to tho
hawthorn-bush; not a chalk mark on
tho gate post nor a postcard In the
postofflce to bIvo us a clue.
For two months Goodloo Banks and
I separately tried every scheme we
could think of to track tho runaways.
Wo used our friendship and Influence
with the ticket agent, with livery sta
ble men, railroad conductors, and our
one lone, lorti constablo, but without
results.
In talking things over one after
noon he said to me:
"Suppose you do And her, Ed, where
by would you profit? Miss Mangum
has a mind. Perhaps It 1b yet un
cultured, but she Is destined for high
er things than you could give her. I
have talked with no one who deemed
to appreclato more the enchantment
of the ancient poets and writers nnd
the modern cults that have assimilat
ed and expanded their philosophy of
life. Don't you think you are wasting
your time looking for her?"
"My Idea," said I, "of' a happy home
In an eight-room house in a grove of
live oaks by tho sldcof a charco on a
Texas prairie. A piano," I went on,
"with an automatic player In tho sit
ting room, three thousand head of cat
tle under fence for a starter, a buck
board and ponies always hitched at a
post for 'the missus' and May Martha
Mangum to spend tho profits of the
ranch as sho pleases, and to abldo
with me, and put my slippers and pipe
away ovory day In places where they
cannot bo found of evenings. That,"
Baid I, "Is what Is to be and a flg,
a dried, Smyrna, dago-stand flg for
your curriculums, cults and philos
ophy." "She is meant for higher things,"
repeated Goodloo Banks.
"Whatever sho Is meant for," I nn
swered, "Just now she Is out of pock
et. And I shall find her as soon as
I can without aid of tho colleges."
"Tho gamo Is blockod," said Good
loe, putting down a domino; and we
bad tho beer.
Shortly after that a young farmor
whom I knew came Into town and
brought me a folded blue paper. Ho
said bis rj-andfather had Just died. I
v
concealed a toar; and ho went on to
say that tho old roan had Jealously
guarded this paper for 20 years. Ho
left It to his family as part of his cs
tato, tho rest of which consisted of
two mules nnd a hypotenuse of non
arablo land.
Tho sheot of paper was of tho old
bluo kind used during tho Civil war.
It was dated Juno 14, 18G3; and
It described tho hiding placo of ten
burro-loads of gold and sliver coin
valued at $300,000. Old Rundlo grand
father of his grandson, Sam was
given tho information by a Spanish
priest who was in on tho trensuro-
Durying, ana wno died many years
before no, aftorward in old Rundlo'a
house. Old Rundlo wroto It down
from dictation.
"Why didn't your fnther look this
up?" I asked young Rundlo.
"Ho went blind before ho could do
so," ho replied.
"Why didn't you hunt for it your
self?" I asked.
"Well," sold ho, "I'vo only known
about tho paper for ten years. First
there was tho spring plowln to do,
and then choppln the weeds out of
tho corn; and then come takln' fod
der; and mighty soon winter was on
us. It seemed to run along that way
year after year."
That sounded perfectly reasonablo
to me, so I took It up with young Leo
Rundl6 at onco.
Tho directions on the paper wero
simple. Tho whole burro cavalcado
laden with tho treasuro started from
an old Spanish mission In Dolores
county. Thoy traveled duo south by tho
compass until they reached the Ala
mlto river. Thoy forded this, and
burled tho treasure on tho top of a
Iittlo mountain shaped like a pack
saddlo standing In a row between two
higher ones. A heap of stones
marked tho place of tho burled treas
uro. All tho party except the Span
ish priest wero killed by Indians a few
dnys later. Tho secret was a monop
oly. It looked good to mo.
Lee Rundle suggosted that wo rig
out a camping outfit, hire a surveyor
to run out tho lino from tho Spanish
mission, and thon spend the $300,000
seeing the sights In Forth Worth. But
without being highly educated, I know
a way to save time and expense.
Wo went to tho state land ofllco,
and had a practical, what thoy call
a "working" sketch made of all the
surveys of land from tho old mission
to the Alamlto river. On this map
I drew a line duo southward to tho
river. The length of lines of each Bur
vey 3nd section of land wa3 accur
ately given on tho sketch. By theso
wo found the point on tho river and
had a "connection" made with It, and
an Important, well-identified corner of
the Los Anlmos flveUeaguo survey a
grant made by King Philip of Spain.
By doing this wo did not need to
havo tho lino run out by a surveyor.
It was a great saving of expenso und
time.
So, Leo Rundlo and I fitted out a
two-horso wagon team with nil tho
accessories, and drove a hundred and
forty-nine mlle3 to Chlco, tho near
est town to the point wo wished to
reach. Thero wo picked up a depu
ty county surveyor. He found tho
corner of the Los Anlmos survoy for
us, ran out tho five thousand seven
hundred and twenty varas west that
our sketch called for, laid a stono on
the spot, had coffeo and bacon, and
caught the mall-stago back to Chlco.
I was pretty suro wo would get that
$300,000. Leo Rundle's was to bo only
one-third because I was paying all the
expensos. With that $200,000 I knew
I could find May Martha Mangum If
she was on earth. And with it I could
flutter the butterflies in old man Man
gum's dove-cot too. If I could find,
that treasure I
But Leo and I established camp.
Across the river wero a dozen iittlo
mountains densely covered by cedar
brakes, but not one shaped like a
pack-saddle. That did not deter us.
Appearances aro deceptive. A pack
saddle, like beauty, may exist only in
the eyo of tho beholder.
I and tho grandson of tho treasuro
examined those cednr-covered hills
with the caro of n lady hunting for
a wicked flea. Wo explored every side,
top, circumference, mean elevation,
angle, slope and concavity of every
ono for two miles up and down tho
river. We spent four days doing bo.
Thon we hitched up tho roan and the
dun, and hauled tho remains of tho
coffeo and bacon the 149 miles back to
Concho City.
As shortly as could bo after our
empty return Goodloo Banks and I
foregathored in tho back room of Sny
der's saloon to play dominoes nnd llsh
for Information. I told Goodloe about
my expedition after tho buried treas
uro. "If I could havo found that three
hundred thousand dollars," I said to
him, "I could havo scoured and sifted
the face of tho earth to And Mny Mar
tha Mangum."
"Sho Is meant for higher things,"
said Goodloo. "I shall find her my
self. But, tell mo how you went about
discovering tho spot where this un
earthed Increment was imprudently
buried."
I told him in the smallest detail. I
showed It in tho draftsman's sketch
with the distances marked plainly
upon it
nA illstW ' jdf
"Away, "J said, "away yitSi
and vairistiorio!"
After glancing over It In a masterly
way, ho leaned back In his chair and
bestowed upon me nn explosion of sar
donic, superior, collegiate laughter.
"Well, you are a fool, Jim," ho said,
when ho could speak.
"Why am I n fool?" I asked. "Burled
treasure lias been found beforo In
many places."
"Because," said he, "In calculating
the point on tho river where your lino
would strike, you neglected to allow
for tho variation. Tho vnrlatlon thero
would be nine degrees west Let me
havo your pencil."
Goodloo Banks figured rapidly on
the back of an envelope.
"Tho distance, from north to south,
of tho lino run from tho Spanish
mission," paid he, "is exactly 22 miles.
It wa3 run by n pocket compass, ac
cording to your story. Allowing for
the variation, the point on tho Alamlto
river where you should havo searchod
for your treasuro Is exactly six mllos
and nine hundred nnd forty-five varas
farther west than tho place you hit
upon. Oh, what a fool you are, Jim!"
Ho smiled in his superior way; and
then I saw come out In his face the
singular, eager, consuming cupidity of
tho seeker after burled troasuro.
"Sometimes," ho said with the air
of tho oracle, "these old traditions of
hidden money aro not without foun
dation. Suppose you let me look over
that papor describing tho location.
Perhaps together wo might "
Tho result was that Goodloo Banks
and I, rivals in love, became compan
ions in adventure. We went to Chlco
by stage from Huntorsburg, tho near
est railroad town. In Chlco wo hlrod
a team drawing a covered spring wag
on aud camping paraphernalia. Wo
had the same surveyor run out our
dlstanco as rovlsed by Goodloo and his
variations, and then dismissed him
and sent him on his homeward road.
It was night when we arrived. I fed
the horses and made a fire near the
bank of tho river and cooked supper.
Goodloo would havo helped; but his
education had not fitted him for prac
tical things.
But, while I worked ho cheered mo
with tho expression of great thoughts
handed down from the dead'oneB of old
Ho quoted some translations from tho
Greok at much length.
Tho next morning was a bright June
one. Wo wero up early nnd had break
fast. Goodloo waB charmed. He re
citedKeats, I think It was, and Kolly
or Shelley, while I broiled the bacon.
Goodloo was looking at old Itundlo's
document when ho ripped out a most
uncolleglato swear-word.
"Como here," ho Bald, holding tho
paper up against tho Bunllght "Look
nt that," ho said, laying his finger
against It.
On tho bluo paper a thing I had
novor policed bofore I saw stnnd out
In white letters tho words and fig
ures: Malvorn, 1808."
"What about It?" I asked.
"It's tho water mark," said Good
loo. "Tho papor was manufactured In
1898. Tho writing on tho paper Is da
ted 18G3. This Is n palpablo fraud."
"Oh. I don't knew," anld I. "The
Rundles arc pretty reliable plain, un
educated country people. Mnybo the
pnper manufacturers tried to perpo
trato a Bwlndle."
And then Goodloo Banks wont as
wild as his education permitted. Ho
dropped tho glasses oft his noso and
glared at me.
"I'vo often told you you woro a
fpgglSJi j2mt
your wafer marAo
fool," ho said. "You havo let yourself
bo Imposed upon by a clodhopper.
And you havo Imposed upon me."
I roso and pointed a large powtor
spoon at him, fresh from tho dish wa
ter. "Goodloo Bnnks," I said, "I caro not
one parboiled navy bean for your edu
cation. I always barely tolerated It In
any one, and I despised It In you.
Wlint hnc vnnr lonrnlnp Hnnn fnr vnil?
It Is a curso to yourself nnd n bora to I
your friends. Away," I said, "away
with your water marks and varia
tions! They aro nothing to mo. They
shall not deflect mo from my quest"
I pointed with my spoon across tho
river to a small mountain shaped like
a pack saddlo.
"I am going to search that moun
tain," I went on, "for the treasure.
Decide now whether you aro In it or
not. If you wish to lot a water mark
or a variation shako your soul, you are
no true ne'vonturer. Decide."
A whlk cloud of dust began to rlso
far down tho river road. It was tho
mail wagon from Hesporus to Chlco.
Goodloo flagged It
"I am dono with tho swindle," said
he sourly. "No ono but a fool would
pay any attention to that paper now.
Well, you always were a fool, Jim. I
leave you to your fate."
He gathered his personal traps,
climbed Into tho mall-wagon, adjust
ed his glasses nervously, and flow
away In a cloud of dust
I Investigated tho hill shaped llko a
pack saddle from baso to summit I
found an absoluto absenco of signs re
lating to burled treasuro. Thero was
no pile of Btonos, no ancient blazes on
tho trees, nono of the evidences of the
throe hundred thousnnd dollars, as sot
forth In tho document of old. man
Rundlo.
I camo down the hill In the cool of
tho afternoon. Suddenly, out of tho
cedar-brake I stepped Into a beautiful
green valley, where a tributary small
stream ran into tho Alamlto river.
And thero I was startled to see what
I took to bo a wild man, with unkompt
benrd nnd ragged hair, pursuing a
giant butterfly with brilliant wings.
"Perhnps he Is an escaped mad
man," I thought; and wondered how
ho had strayed so far from Beats of
education and learning.
And then I took n fow more stops
and saw a vlno-covcred cottngo near
tho small stream. And, In a Iittlo
grassy glado, I saw May Martha Man
gum plucking wild flowers,
Sho straightened up nnd looked at
mo For the first timo slnco I know
her I flaw hor face which was tho
color of tho whlto keyB of a now pi
nno turn pink. I walked toward hor
without a word. Sho let tho gathered
flowers trlcklo slowly from her hand
to tho grass.
"I know you would como, Jim," she
said clearly. "Father wouldn't lot me
write, but I know you would como."
What followed you mny suess
there was my wagon nnd team Just
across tho river.
I've often wondered what good too
much education Is to a man If ho can't
uso It for himself. It all tho benefits
of it aro to go to others whoro does
It como In?
For, 'May Martha Mangum abides
with mo. Thero is an olght-room
houso In a live oak grove, nnd a piano
with an nutomatlc player, and a good
start toward tho three thousand head
of cattle Is under fence
BREED CHICKENS FOR PROFIT
In Making Selection One Must Do
Governed to Great Extent by Mar
ket Cockerel Is Important.
In making tho solectlon of breod,
ono nuiBt bo govornod Bomowhnt by
tho market. Birds that soil best on
tho block should bo medium in slzo,
plump condition, with yellow skin nnd
legs. Most all our American breeds
havo theso requirements, nnd by caro
ful selection at breeding timo ono
can build up n prafltnblo laying strain
from this class of birds, such ns tho
Plymouth RockB or Wyandottcs.
Tho common practlco of brooding
from tho flock ns n whole has dono
more harm thnn anything olso in mak
ing tho flock unprofitable ub egg pro
ducers. Breeding from birds that
produoo but ono or two clutches of
eggs during tho year will prouueo
birds of llko nnturo, nnd brooding n
olro that haB not tho laying quality
and characteristics bred In hi in can
not but help to mnko tho situation
worao.
Tho success with egg production
miiBt begin with breeding. When you
havo a hon that will lay a largo num
ber of eggs each month during tho
winter, breed from hor. Tho trait of
suporlor egg production is n habit
that may bo acquired and transmitted.
A hon whoso ancestors wero poor lay
ers cannot bo expected to be a good
layors. No amount of coaxing or cod
dling with mash or feed will lnduco
her to produce nn unusual number of
eggs, becnuso tho trait of superior
egg production was not acquired by
hor ancestry and could not thoroforo
bo transmitted to hor.
Tho selection of tho malo to head
tho flock should not bo neglected. Ho
Bhould hnvo been bred from pro
ductive ancestry. Tho male Is half
Plymouth Rock.
tho flock, and If his dam and grand
dam woro good producers, ho Bhould
bo worth much more as a slro than
those whoso dam produced only a lim
ited number of eggs.
Ho should hnvo a good constitution,
showing short beak, broad hoad and
bright oyo, nock short nnd stout,
brcnsUof good width carried well for
ward and of fair depth. Tho mating
of such a slro to a flock of hens brod
from laying ancestors ennnot but help
to glvo good results with propor foody
lng and housing.
Tho breeding pen should bo yarded
Beparato from tho wholo flock, selecting-
for this pen only tho vory best
egg producers, nnd this should bo
dono each year. Ono innlo with 10
or 12 females will glvo bcBt reBulta
and eggs will bo of stronger vitality
for Incubating purposes. Tho brood
ing pen should bo woll cared for
Quarters Bhould bo roomy, woll light
ed and ventilated. Tho qunrtors
should at nil times bo kept clean and
disinfected. A variety of grain feed,
green cut bono nnd green feed is ab
solutely neccssnry to lusuro fertile
eggs, and grit nnd wator should ba
kopt beforo them at all times.
Lay Good Sized Eggs,
lions that produce not only n goodly
number of eggs, but eggs of moderato
ly largo bIzo, (eggB weighing two
ounces each- on an avorago) nro Ply
mouth Rocks, Wyandottcs, Rhode Is
land Reds, Orpingtons, Mlnorcas and
Eouio strains of Leghorns.
mwNorc
Novor wash egga.
Tho hen must havo a variety to
lay well.
Food givoB small returns whon giv
en to n lousy hon.
Tho egg should bo perfect In shapo,
with fresh, clean apponrnnco.
Tho feed Is tho first thing to bo con
alderod if ono la to obtain fertllo egga.
Glvo nmplo feed and eeo that every
hon han plenty, but aco that sho works
hard for It
Tho flesh of tho guinea 1b whlto and
tonder and thoy nro often sorvod In
city restaurants as gamo birds.
Thero la money In poultry culture,
as thero la In gold1 oro, but olthor
takes ' sclonco and labor for Its ex
traction. It Is a difficult mattor to keop llco
and mltea from attacking and multi
plying on tho Bitting hen, Theso
posts won't germlnato and grow fat
to wood and metal.
pHW
VII,EJR P..NESEHTJ
i&iADelxJsifar
? j
t used to crlngo and cowor nt tho win
dow of tho toiler '
And wish tlio floor would open and would
drop mo to tho collar;
t handed him my money nnd I thanked
lit in for his kindness,
tlo looked nt mo ns blankly ns though
struck by sudden blindness.
Hut now I get tho oar
Of tho genial cashier
And a nod und smllo Is coming from tho
Rtatoly prcaldont, i
"Whllo tho teller speakH my namo
As though I wero known to famo (
And In bows of cordial welcome nil tho
onco stiff Bplncn aro bont.
used to crocp in softly to deposit fif
teen dollars
And hopo thoy wouldn't notlco I waa
wearing paper collars,
Tho teller took my money and I know
lio did a favor,
And I shuffled out as humbly as tho rud
est mlnbehaver.
But now thoy bow and smllo
As thoy count my Iittlo pllo,
And tlmy murmur that I'm helping to
rejuvenate tho- land,
And tho statoly president
With respect and gladness blent
AbIcs about my wlfo nnd chlldron whllo
ho shakes mo by tho hand.
I used to fear tho toller and his big and
heavy glasses
Through which ho stared n staro as cold
ns Bnow-illlcd mountain passes,
Dut now lie makes mo linger and narrata
tho latest story
And ho tells mo that I represent tho no
tion's prtdo and glory.
O, now I havo tho car
Of tho stnlllng-faccd cashier,
And by Angers know tho gripping1 of
tho stately president, ' -
Whllo tho toller bows to mo
Just as nice as nlco can bo
As ho counts each dtmo and dollar and
each nickel and each cent
SHE 18 TAKING RISKS.
Townson Is your daughter a fin
ished musician?
Yorkrodo Not yot, but tho neigh
bors aro making throats.
Thoughts on Advice.
Advlco is cheap. Indeed It is,
To thORO In all positions
Except tho folks who get it from
Their lawyers or physicians.
A Helpful Hint.
Ima Going wrltoa: "Will you please
toll mo how to ralao tho window of a
railway car?"
It all depends, Ima. It all doponds,
A lady never raiseu a window on a
train. Sho simply looks helpless aud
then somo fool man comes and smiles
graciously and tnkos hold of tho little
catch at tho bottom of tho sash und
pulls and tugs nnd Bwents and
hunches and snys things 'to himself
nnd finally excuses hlmsolf and goes
Into tho smoker.
Tho host way to ralso It 1b to pout
a pint of nitroglycerin under It and
thon hit tho nitroglycerin with a ham
mer. This takes you up with tho win
dow, but. you may enjoy tho trip.
Discriminating Analysis.
"You havo had a great many opochi
in your career," observed tho Dovotcd
Supporter to tho Porpotual Candl
dato. "Yea, Indeed," . replied tho latter
"Yea, Indeed, Sometimes I fool that 1
havo had moro epochs than caroor."
An Invention's Finish.
RIgga Onco I had a great Idea In
tho shape of a dynamlto bomb.
Jlgga And what became of it?
Rlggs Oh, tho idea was oxplodec
long ago.
i I
i
y
. l