There be treasure under thar!

During one of my putzing moments I started to strip paint from the mantle in the master bedroom uncovering some nasty burn marks in the wood. (Which explains why it was painted.)
I concluded that it would be easier if I removed the mantle from the wall, so I removed it. After stripping the paint from the alabaster hearth I thought "If I could lift this out and get it downstairs then I could polish it." So, I did that too. Here is the room now....



The space below the hearth is filled with rubble and ashes and this stuff!



There are several bits of paper. One is a calender page from May 1883, there is a receipt from Legler and Barlow Co. Here is what I found about them;

"In 1865 Messrs. Legler, Barlow & Co., began the dry-goods trade in Dayton. This branch of commercial industry requires more skill and offers a wider field for legitimate operation than any of the other industries, hence the dry-goods traffic needs to be mentioned in order to make this book complete.
We find by careful inquiry that the well-known and popular house of Legler, Barlow & Co., of Nos. 35 and 37 North Main street, ably represent this branch of commerce in Montgomery. They import and job all kinds of dry-goods and notions, and enjoy the confidence of the entire public. They use for the prosecution of' their business a building 140x40 feet, five stories. All members of this firm are gentlemanly to all."

There is a pair of scissors (that work well) as well as some china and glass shards, a broken piece of a hinge and some HELP WANTED ads.
I found the ads amusing myself. Work seems as if it was so much simpler then.....