The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-08-14
THE POT OF GOLD.
A PRYTTY CUTE STORY.

chance popularity from which dsacous
are not always exempt.
In worldly matters he was decidedly well
to do, having Inherited fine farm from his
father, which was growing yearly more valu-
able. 1t might be supposed that, under
these circumstances, the deacon, who was
fully able to do so, would have found help
meet to share his house and name. But the
deacon was wary. Matrimony was to him
IN some measure matter money, and it
was his firm resolve not to marry unless he
could enhance his worldly prosperity. Tn
happily, the little village of Centrevllle, and
the towns In the Immediate vicinity con-
tanned but few who were qualified in this
important particular, and of those there
were probably none with whom the dea.
cons suit would have prospered.
So 1t happened that year after year passed
away, until deacon Bancroft was in the
! prime of life-forty five or hereabouts-and
still unmarried, and in all hsman probability
likely to remain 80.
Deacon Bancrof,'s nearest neshbor was
widow.
/ The widow Wells, vyuo blF passed tire
I one matrimonial e1peri6pcs. was some three
or four years younger than the deacon Ban
croft. She was still quite . comely woman
I Unfortunately, the late Mr.. Wells had not
I been able TO leave her sufficient to make her
! independent OF the world. All that she pos
sessed was the small, old fashioned house in
7 which she lived, and small amount of mo-
ney, whics was insufficient TO support her
and q little son OF sevcn, though hardly
class.d as productive"-ot anything but
! mischief.
The widow was therefore obliged to taks
three or four boarders, TO exc out the scsnty
trr1 b,rh 1g 1
. considerable labor and anxiety.
1t is not surprising, then, that, under
these circumstances, SIZE should now and
then have bethought herself of q second
marriage, as i methcd OF bettering her con-
dito2. Or again, need we esteem it a special
wonder II, in her reflections upon this point
she should have cast her ewes upon her
neighbcr, deacon Bancroft: The deacon,
as we have already said, was IN iioUriSting 2
circumstances. He would be able TO main
tain wife in great comfort; and, being one
/ OF the chief persoHages in the village, could
accord her prominent social position.
! Some sagaoious person has observed, how
/ ever, that it takes two TO make q match, a
, fact 10 be seriously considered for, in the
I present case, it was exceedingly doubtful
whether the worthy deacon, even if he had
known the favorable opinion of his next
neishbor, would have bsen inclined to pro-
pose changing her name to Bancroft, unless,
indeed, suitable motive was brought TO
4 bear upon MIN. Here was a chance fer
fnessng.
One evening, after day Of f4tisuing ia
Dor, widow Wells sat at the fire in the SIT
ting room, with her feet resting on the
fender.
- II ever I am so situated a. not to have
TO work 80 hard, she murmured, II shall
be happy. Its a hard life, keeping board
crs. If | WAS only as well Off as deacon
Bancroft
S III tn. widow kept up her thinking. and
by-and-by her face frightened up. She had
an idea, which she resolved 10 put into exc
cutiou al the very esr!ies: practicable mo-
men-. What il was, the reader will soon
discover in the sequel.
! " Henry said she to her son the next
morning, Il wsEt you to stop ct deacon
Bancroit's as YOU 20 along to school, and
ask him II he viii call and see me III the
course Of tie morning or afternoon, just as
he finds i; most convenient"
Deacon Bancroft was not little surprised
at the summons. However, about eleven
O'Clock he called in. The widow had got on
the dinner and had leisure to sit down.
She appeared little embarrassed.
Henry told me that YOU would ike to
sec me- he commenced.
" Yes, deacon Bancroft, I do but / am
very much afraid you will think verv
+ strange Of it--at least of what have TO sav
I to you
The deacon very politely promised not
to be surprised, although at the same time
his curiosity was viszblv excited.
Suppose said the widow casting down
her eyes" mind, am only supposins the
case-suppose a person should find pot Of
gold pieces in their cellar, would the law
have right to touch it, or would It belong
to them.'
The deacon pricked up his ears.
a pot of gold pieces, widow? Why
unquestionably, the law would have nothing
to do with tt
And the one who formerly owned the
house couldn't come forward and claim it.,
could he, deacon:' inquired the widow, fur
ther, with apparent anxiety.
NO, madam, certainly not-when the
house was disposed Of everythin. went with
it, as a matter Of course"
Il am glad 10 hear it, deacon. You
won't think strange Of the question, deacon,
but it happened to occur to my mind, and l
thought would like to have it satisfied
Certainly, widow, certainly" said the
deacon, abStraCttuN y
And, deacon, as you are here, hope
you'll stop to dinner with US. 1t viii be
ready punctually at twelve"
"Well. no." said the deacon; I'm
oblecged to ye, but they'll be expecting nae
home"
"At any rate, Deacon said the widow,
taking a steanns mnce pie from the oven,
"you won't object to taking piece of my
mincc pie; you must know thai l rather
pride myself on my mince pies
/ The warm pie sent forth such n delicious
odor that the deacon was sorely tempted,
and after saying "W,ll, really" with the
intention of refusing he finished by saying,
"on the whole, guess will as it looks so
nice"
Tho widow was really a good cook, and
, the deacon ate with mush gusto the gener.
Gus slice the widow cut for him; and after
a little more chatting upon important sub
ice 3, Withdrew in some mental perPlexity
"Was it possible thought he, THAT the
widow could really have found a pot of gold
in her cellarg She did not say so, to be
sure, but why should she show SO much
anxiety to know as to the propretorshir
thus found, if she had not happened upon
somos To be sure, so far as his knowledge
extended, there was no one who occupied
the house who would be in the least likely
to lay up such an amount OF gold; but the
. house was one hundred and fifty years old
at the very leas,, and undoubtedly had had
many occupants of which he knew nothing
1t might be, after all. Tho widow 9 earnest
desire to have him think it was only Curl
osity, likewise gave additional probability
. to the supposition." A.
,, a. will wal, and WATCH" thought the
! deacon,
II SO happened that deacon Bancroft was
one Of the directors of Savings Institution,
situated in the next town, and accordingly
used to ride over there once or twice q
; month, to attend meeting of the Board.
} On the next occasion of this kind, widow
W.Ils sent over TO know If he could carry
hsr over with him, as she had q little bust.