North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1864-03-02
TUNKHANNOCK, PA, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 1864.

odors rose upike colu,n of incense in the
summer air There Agnes established her
self for her afternoon task and there
matronly old lady, capped and spectacled,
found her about five minutes later. 81. Il
81 :" Why Agnes, child, what aye you doing? %
= Mrs. Miller looked through treacherous
mist that swarmed before her eyes, and pro-
nounced that the cotton was about the right
size.
Then she settled down stair below her
daughter, ostensibly because it was a cool
place where she might "pck over" her bas-
ket Of ruby red currants, freshly gathered
from the bushes-in reality to talk about
Harry, with Agnes for an audience
These mothers how lovingly they treas
ure up the absent ones in the very heart of
hearts '' 81
Agnes was fastening on her taper waist
the same old silver knitting sheath, set into
diamond shaped piece Of blue brocade, long
since faded into din indistinctness, that had
once been the pride of Aunt Hepsey,s heart
5" Why, mamma, how strange! The nee
die will not run in the sheath :"
" Perhaps it Is broken" suggested Mrs.
Miller. $3.50 s' 30
1T is not think something must be in
the sheath-it seems to be obstructed"
Agnes unfastcned it as she spoke, and ex-
amined the small tube closely.
1t looks like" brown paper rolled up very
tightly mamma. Please lend me a pin to
take it out"
Mrs. Miller leaned over her daughters
shoulder and took up the tiny bit of paper
that dropped from the sheath. while agnes
composedly secured the small implement to
its place again. " f {
"Agnes, my love-surely my eyes do net
deceive me, old and dim though they are
growing! exclaimed Mrs Miller. /" Tell me
what this is !" ~ E.s ~,
And Agnes saw that the desDised piece of
paper was bank note for one thousand dol
lars. -r r. r- l h.e r.n4r.
Poor old aunt Hepsey-no earthl y persua-
sion had eyerinduced her to patronze saw
iugs' banks or Investments! But when her
will was made, she had bequeathed the wick :
er basket to Agnes. her favorite niece, having
intended to reveal to her the secret of the
silver sheath. But the death. blow came sud.
denly, as il always will, prepare for it as we
may, and the old lady died and made no sign!
Mammal" said Ahges, when their first
astonishment had subsidized have read some
thing like this in fairy books of wild romance
but never dreamed thst such an adventure
could happen to me?" s's. a-
Little Anges you have yet to learn that
truth is sometimes stranger than fiction!
The poor whip poor-wilI was singing in the
fringe of woods that bordered the mountain
pastures, and the dew lay heavy on the white
lilies by the garden fence. when Charles Den
nison came up to the old door stone, where
Agnes was generally tending her border of
pansies, at that hour. She was there, all
blooming in her pink dress, and ready to
welcome him, in soft little kiss.
"Charlesq" she said /" what were you tell
ing me about the village shoe store this morn.
ing. E"@.@ @ 5-. U.s.
" That could buy it for thousand dol
lars, why do you ask2 am not likely to
make purchae at present" 'f. f" 4
" Charles" she went on hesitatingly, you
you would not scorn to accept help from
me, would you2" '17' .'r'' '.f1 81" s1s7
. Are we not one, dearest?" he returned
gaily, "But what does this mysterious ques-
tion mean2n - .9 ,"e .a.G a.5
1" You haye not come into possession of
gold mine have you?" '"''... .7'H' 1-#E
+" Almost" whispered Agnes, laying the
bank bin upon his hand i" Now, Charles, I
understand what dear old Aunt Hepsey
meant wheE she lett me the wicker work
basket" isse' a. "fst '|F .HF
OF course, Charles was astonished-
more SO than ever when he heard the whole |
history of the slip of brown paper However,
he came to the conclusion that Aunt Hep
sey's inscrutabe will had more meaning in
its clause than had been at the time supposed.
And when the golden harvest moon of
August was mellov in the sky, Harry Miller,
the "bold soldier boy" came on furlongh |
to attend his sisters wedding