Nebraska advertiser., 1864-09-01

] lY dOuJtfui WnelneE the worthy iUcdCoh
even if be had known the favorable
opinion Of his next neighbor, would have
been inclined to propose changing he
name to Banchoft, unless indeed a suita
bic motive was brought ts bear upon him
Here was a superb chance for fines
sing. wherein widows are said as gene
raj thing to be expert.
One evening after day Of fatiguing
labor, the widow Wells sat at the fire il
the sitting room with her feet resting OF
the fender.
IF l am ever SO situated as not 70 have
10 work so hard, ] shat be HaFPy. Is :
hard life keeping boarders. If | as on
/ ly as we'll off as deacon Banchoft-"
Still the widow kept up her thinking
| by and BY her face frightened up. Sis
had an idea which she-was resolved IC
put into execution at the very earlies
moment. What it was the reader viii
discover in the sequel.
Henry" said she 10 her son the next
morning, Il want you TO stop al Deacon
Banchoft's as you GO to school, and ask
him if he will call and see me in the
morning or afternoon, just as e,6nds it
moost convenient"
Deacon Baachoft was a little sur
prised at this summons. However about
eleven o'clock he called in. The widow
had got on the dinner, and had leisure
to sit down. She appeared a little en-
barrassed.
"Henry told me you would like to see
me-" he commenced.
Yes, deacon. I do. But I am very
much afraid you will think straRge-at
least Of what l have TO say to you"
The deacon very politely promised not
to be surprised though at the same time
his curiosity was very much excited.
Suppose" said the widow, casting
down her eyes, mind l was only suppos-
ing case-suppose a person should find
a pot o. gold pieces in their celIer. would
the law have right to touch it, or would
it belong TO them?'
The deacon pricked up his ears. "a
po, Of gold pieces, widow? Why, un-
questionably the law would have nothing
to do with it y
"And the one wta had formerly
owned the house couldn't come forward
and claim it, could he, deacon ?" inquired
the widow with apparent anxiety.
mo. madam, unqucstiOnably not, when
the house was disposed of everything
went with 1t, as a matter of course.
Il am glad to hear it, deacon. You
wont think strange of the question, but
It happeaed 10 occur to my mind, so l
thought I would like to have it satisfied. -
Certainly, certainly" said the deacon,
abstractedly.
"And, deacon, as you are here, hope
you will stop to dinner with US. Il will
be ready Punctually attwelve,"
"WelI, no. said the deacon, rising,
I'm Obleeged to ye, but they'll be ex-
pecting me home"
''At any rate, deacon,' said the widow
taking a steaming mince pie from the
oven, ''you won't object to take piece
of mince-pie. You must know l rather
pride myself upon my mince-pies.
The warm pie sent forth such delici-
Gus oder, that the deacon was sorely
tempted, and after saying, "Well really"
with the intention of refusing, he finish
by saying, ION the whole l guess l will
as it looks so nice"
The widow was really good cook, and
the deacon ate with much gustO the gen.
erous slice which the widow cut for him,
and after chatting upon unimportant sub
jects, withdrew in some mental perplex-
ity.
"Was it possible" thought be, "that
the widow could have found a pot of gold
in her cellar! She did not say so. to be
sure, bat why should she have shown so
much anxiety to know as to the proprie-
torship of the treasure thus found if she
had not happened upon some! To be
sure as far as his knowledge extended,
there was no one who had occupied the
house who would be in the least likely to
lay up such an amount of gold but then
The house was one hundred and fifty
years old, at the very least, and had had
many occupants of which we knew moth
ing. Ii might be after all. The widows
earnest desire to have him think it was
only curiosity, likewise gave additional
probability to the supposition entertained. |
Il VIII wait and watch" thought the !
worthy deacon.
1t 50 happened that Deacon Bsnchoft
vas ore of the directors In a saving in
situated in the next town, and
used to ride over once or
.wice menth, to attend meetings of the
Board.