Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-03-11
Lost Treasures.
BY AMANDA NJ HALE.

.
room, quite alone, for these lofty apart
ments never echo TO the glad, soft voice;
of wife or child. There is closed plane
in yonder corner, it is one of Erard's
best; but no magic fingers are here to
call out the hidden harmones. Music
would sound strangely in this house.
notice that the servants p AK in low
tones and move about with light, careful
step.
suppose something grave, prehaps
stern, has grown about me in these years
that have given to getting rich. In my
eagerness to amass wealth, forgot that
life was passing fast, and now, with my
object gained, with ships on distant seas,
and warehouses, filled with bank stock
and lands and houses, with elegance all
about me, find that the power of enjoy
ment has slipped away.
No laborer upon my estate is so poor
in the means of happiness as |. This is
the bitter thought that forces itself upon
me, whether | stroll ou I my bouse
looking vacantlY upon the pictures, the
rich furniture and the costly rows Of
books that crowd my library shelves, or
drive swiftly over the country in my lux
uriouslY easy carriage, with my splendid
thorough breds What care | for art,
for fine scenery, for the beauty and met
lie Of my horses. l come back jaded
and unhappy. Instead Of exhliration,
find only WEAKNESS and disgust.
Tonight, sitting alone as have said,
brood over my unfness for the things
in which others fad pleasure, Faces
and voices from the dead past arise to
haunt me. Memories Of simple, childish
enjoyments, of early tender affection,
even of love, that years of ambitious
striving for wealth and place could not
utterly destroy, come back to me.
Something whispers that those inno-
cent tastes, those fresh, pure impulses,
that unselfsh love, were the real treas
ures lost; alas that | should do well if
| could barter all the gold that l have
worn out lifo in ooou ulot;ng for oven a
1.-THE of the happiness they once had
power TO give me. Lost treasures nay,
blindly, willully thrown away, ignored
and orne d in the mad passion for
wealth. Heaven forbid that any other
should sit down like me, the meridian of
life long past, with wealth enough to sat
isfy the veriest miser, satiated with ma
terial comforts yet Tantalus like, seeing
the blessed boon of happiness forever
above bis reach, doomed to 90 down the
dark declivity, yearning for the treasures
long ago thrown away.
| do not know what kiDdled within me
the thirst for riches. | know not if it
were a dormant taste sleeping all my
youth up, and awaking with maturity or
a new acquisition, growing gradually as
| saw others around me engaged in amas-
sing COLDER treasures.
Once | thought should be content to
spend my life in the obscure country viii
lage where was born. Then / had no
other aim than to win a livelihood from
the few hard acres which had inherit
ed. Looking down the vista of the ad-
vancing years, seemed TO see myself
older and more grave, sitting of an even
ing at my cottage door, counting the gains
of the season, and talking over future
plans with the fair young matron within.
Ethels blue eyes and sweet, sunny
face, belived would gladden. the hum
blest spot. Yes loved Ethel then,
though in after years treated her so
hardly. We were playmates in child
hood, walked the same path to school,
shared our small joys and sorrows. l
was her protector, more chivalric than
when later l had grown ambitious.
My companions grew up and went
away from Glendale, some to return in
year or two for brief visit, clad in fine
cloth, and wearing an air of fashion and
style quite dazzling to the simple country
folks. From tn er there came from
time to time news of material prosperity.
This one had been admitted as a partner
in large mercantile house, another had
place of honor and emolu-
ment.
l was almost the only one who had re-
manned at home satisfied to plod on in the
humble ways of our fathers. Gradually
l too grew discontented. Legitimate
causes of mplaint were numerous
enough. The labor was hard and unre-
hitting, the mind was chained to cease
less round of small cares. There was
10 time for culture, for reaction. /
night work from dawn to K, year
llter year, and vet gain nothing hnt q I