Westport High School - Herald Yearbook (Kansas City, MO)

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' V v -- M-. ..,. - - -'r 4- ... , f-ova'-:-1. M , ,iff-2uionars:ln:rr.n?:2ft71-rrp::-:-iy+-m:s.f:.axz-s:ms:-mamasxiv-Siunrasvzauvzixsawz-raw.::.izss.sA:.5s:-2?gre-:rg ui FIR TI-IE OF OTS NAP SH UD . THE VVESTPORT HIGH SCHOOL HERALD. 29 To find treasure, enter this opening and follow main passage to tenth branch which leads to the right, follow this to the end. Find point which is ten feet from center of large rock, and in line with opposite corner. At a point eighteen inches to the left of the point thus found, dig two feet. The treasure is yours. As any other boy would have been under sim- ilar circumstances, I was wild with excitement. As quickly as I could I went to where father was work- ing, and bombarded him with questions. All I know about the parchment is this, he said: HOne day, when you were a baby, two men stopped here to rest. They had been traveling all morning in the hot sun, and one of them-Lander, I believe, was his name-had become overheated. Before night he became ill. The other fellow left that same evening. Before going, however, he called me aside, and told me that Lander was a visionary man, and therefore I must take no stock in his tales of treasure. During the night, Lander called me to his bedside, and said he was dying. He gave me a small box, which he said contained a valuable parchment. He made me swear-I couldn't refuse the wish of a dying man-not to open the box until fifteen years had elapsed. If within that time no one who answered a certain minute description, which I have forgotten, called for it, it should be mine. I had forgotten the existence of the parchment. Let 's see-the time was up last year. But, mark me, I have no faith in his treasure tale. I've had too much experience in such things . At first' father would not let me go, but finally he gave his consent, saying that I was old enough to learn the futility of expecting to get rich quick. At the time of which I am speaking, I was eighteen years of age, and lived with my father near Independence, Mo. I judged that, as it was only eight or nine miles to the cave, I should be able to make the entire journey in a day. I decided to go on foot, fearing that I should attract attention by leaving my horse hitched outside the cave. Then, too, there was danger of his being stolen. One morning at daybreak I set out alone, with a lunch, a few tallow candles, plenty of matches, a hatchet, and a pocket-knife. I wished to take a pick and shovel, but I feared that would attract too much attention. Before nine I reached a cave which answered the description given. There was the stream of clear, cool water! How my heart leaped with joy at the thought that I, a poor farmer boy, should leave the cave a rich man! I should not only be able to go to college, but should also be able to build my parents a new home, and still have enough left to keep me in comfort the rest of my days. I-low nice that would bel But time was too precious to waste, standing at the mouth of the cave, when the treasure was waiting for me. I lighted a candle and proceeded. tWhat did it matter if I had to wade through water, and bend- nearly double, so low was the roof? Not much, at a time like this. About fifty yards from the mouth of the cave, I found an opening to the left, but too small to admit my body. But I wasn't to be hindered by such trifles. I set to work to enlarge the opening. After about an hour's hard work, I was able to crawl through, when, to my inexpressible joy, I found myself in a cool, winding cave. The roof was not much higher than my head, and I noticed the absence of stalactites and stalagmitesg in other respects the cave resembled the large caverns of the world, even to the numerous side-branches, some of which were very low and narrow, while others were almost as large as the main passage. I followed the largest passage until I reached the tenth branch on my right. I followed this, trembling with fear. It terminated in a large room, in one corner of which was a-n almost cubical stone. I placed my candle on the ground, and set to work. First I found the center of the stone as nearly as I could. But here my trouble began. What a fool I had been for coming off without a measure of some kind. If I should guess at the distance, I should probably have to dig three or four times. This would not do, for my candle supply was limited. I sat down on the rock to think. Yes, what a fool I was. Who ever heard of locating hidden treasure without the most accurate calcula- tion and measurement? As I sat there, calling my- self hard names, my glance rested for a moment on my hatchet, which I had dropped to the Hoor as I entered. Quick as a flash, I was on my feet. I had often used that hatchet handle as a rule. It was exactly twelve inches long! Feeling less discouraged, I carefully found a point ten feet from the center of the stone, and in line with the opposite corner. I next found a point eighteen inches from that point, the line joining the two points being perpendicular to the original line. Here I began to dig. As I had no tools except a hatchet and a knife, the digging proved a laborious task. But, in spite of my hard luck, I soon found that I was approach- ing the required depth. My heart began to beat faster. My hatchet struck something. It was

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:aa-rm :.v 3 .uzwz-sr .,, ..,. ,, I-.7-.. , 30 T1-113 WESTPORT HIGH SCI-IOOL HERALD. metal. I was so nervous I could hardly work. Soon I had the top of a chest exposed to view. It was thework of a few moments only to lift out the chest, and break its rusty lock. In the chest I found two canvas bags, one of which contained silver coin,while the other, by far the most valuable, contained gold and precious stones, including half a dozen of enormous value. As the chest was too heavy to carry, I replaced it and covered it up. W'ith one bag of money and the burning candle in one hand, and the other bag in the other, I started for the outside world. I thought I had gone in the right direction until I came to a dark, swift stream of water, about ten yards wide. My heart almost gave way with fear. I was lost! True, near the other side was a small opening, through which the faint daylight streamed, but between me and it lay a cold, dark river, which I feared to attempt to swim, lest its current carry me where human aid were of no avail. I wanted to leave by the same opening through which l had entered, but, as my candle was about gone, I had to abandon the idea. There was only one thing to do, and that was to throw my treasure across, and swim for liberty. By a great effort, I tossed the bag of silver across. But in so doing I strained my arm. Any sensible person would have left that bag of gold and precious stones there, and come for it later. But not I. I must take it with me. Because of the angle of the opening, only a small amount of daylight entered the cave. Indeed, as soon as the candle should go out-it was already growing dim-it would be almost pitch dark, and I feared that coming darkness. The quicker I got out, the better. After removing my clothes and pitching them across, I picked up the bag and swung it into the air. I watched it in breathless silence. It missed its mark! It fell into the river and sank from sight. I almost fainted. I had barely strength enough to swim across and dress. I took what Fate had allotted to me, and passed out into the warm spring afternoon. As I looked back into the cave to get a last glimpse of those dark regions, the candle went out with a Hicker, leaving in darkness the cold underground river, in whose depths lay untold riches. Until within the last few years, the narrow opening which led from the cave into those dark caverns was entered bv many an enterprising lad of the neighborhood. But now, I believe, its exact location is not known, the opening itself having been closed by a caving-in of the roof. Charles Smith, '08. 4 I' 'i -' ' X 1. 3 ' ' as IO 9-1 Q-,ir I s .jg IX 1-1: , .ff,,7?:f I ff --' - xu4-.. .. . ..,.....-....::.-..,,.....:7.....:.:.L-..1.E 1':.::11:1:': ar u.. izv-nzxvlvugqx.--- 'glggggl -. .. ,-..,:,.,,,:,A--A Vik -A -4 1 - , M A ' A 4- ' - - . Q., . . .' :I'S.m':n'.Xe.:.1:nr.vnf--at-F-Z-......--....-. ...