Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-08-25
The Unknown Treasure.

A traveller one day called at a cot
tage to ask for a draught of water.
Entering he found the parents cursing
and quarreling, the children crouched
in corner, trembling; and wherever
he looked he saw only marks of deg
relation and poverty. Greeting the
inmates, he asked them, Dear friends
why do you make your house like
helI?"
"Ah, sir, said the man, "you don't
know the life and trials of poor man
when do what you can, everything
goes wrong"
The stranger drank the water, and
then said softly, las he noticed in a
dark and dusty corner a bible, "Deal
friends. [ know what would help you
if you could find it, There is a treas
ure concealed in your house. Search
for it.
And so he left them.
AT first the cottagers thought it a
jest, but after while they began tC
reflect. When the woman went out
therefore to gather sticks, the man be
gan to search, and even to dig, that he
might find the treasure. When the
man was away the woman did the
same. Still they found nothing; in
creaSing poverty brought only more
quarrels, discomfort and strife.
One day as the woman was lei
alone she was thinking upon tht
on the old bible. 1t was gilt trou
her mother, but since her death haC
been long UNDECIDED and unused.
A strange toreboding seized heI
mind Could it be this that the Stran
ger meant? She took it from the shelf
and found the verse inscribed on The
title-page, in her mothers handwrit
ing-"The law OF thy mouth is better
unto me than thousands of gold ant
silver" 1t cut her to the heart. "Ah !!
thought she this is the treasure, thel
that We have been seeking" How he
tears tell fast upon the leaves!
From that time she read the biDI
every day, and prayed and taugh
the children to pray; but without he
husbands knowledge. One day h
came home as usual, quarreling an,
in rage, Instead of meeting his al
CRY words with angry replies, sh
spoke to hun kindly and with gentle
ness. Husband" she said, we hav
sinned grieyouSly. We have ourselve
to blame for all our misery, and W
must now lead a different life" II
looked amazed. "What doSt tho
say ?" was his exclamation. She bro
him the bible, and sobbing, crieC
"there is the treasure. See, | hav
found itI
The husbands heart was moved
She read to him of the Lord Jesus an
Of his love. Next day she read, an
again aud again, while he sat with th
children round her, thoughtful an
attentive.
Time passed on; after a year th
stranger returned that way. Seein
the cottage he remembered the ci
cumstanceS OF his visit, and thoug!
he would call and see his old frienC
again. He did SO but he would scare,
ly have known the place; it was 5
clean, SO neat, so well ordered. II
opened the door, and at first though
he was mistaken, Tor the inmates can
to greet him SO kindly, with the pea(
of God beaming upon their faces
"How are you, my good people ?" sal
, he. Then they knew the strange
, and for some time they could not spea
Thanks, thanks, dear sir; we hay
found your treasure. Now dwells ii
, blessing Of God i'll our houSe,his peac
,, in our hearts !" So said they al
their entire condition, aud the hapE
faces of their children, declared tt
. same more clearly.