The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1869-05-20
THE ,MILLER'S TREASURE,
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BY GEORGE COOPER. -.

/ n lns the sW0nderfuI days OF 3~epee upon
timc,"" there lived worthy miller. ggNow he
was very worthy miller, indeed and he
had very large family of small and. rosy
|Iboys and girls. As you may suppose, he had
,tosstruggie with all his might aud main tc
keep his own head and his wife's head and
his childrens respective noodles above water
| Chatter, clatter, hum, hum, went the mill a i
day long; yet, when Saturday night came
round, andathe miller took from his earnings
this little amountfor the butcher, and that
little sum for the shoemaker, there were but
| few if any pence to lay by for a rainy day
In truth, the miller's purse was considerably
Hover than the water in his dam And that
is saying great deal. Week after week he
grew: more discouraged, Z Instead Of the
cheerful face which he, was wont,to show to
his neighbors. he turned to them sour and
not to speak harshly, but to give the miller
his duelaarcpulsive and i'll patured visagc,
Time went ony and5 matters grew from bad to
worse. .rayeYs, hgtg aslf7 a65 10 3gsBSua!
One winters evening, the miller sat by This
scanty fire, which, he Rugged as if he. were
trying toZkcep Che snioldering embers from
growing cold. The rest Of the family had
gone to bed lie was frowning and moping
as. usual. On his breast hung his Shaggy
head, and it was in that state of depression
that it looked as if. it were about to tumble
from shoulders into tie ashes. Sudden
ly hes heard the Epatter iof a light flotstep
outside the cottage. "a low knock fell upon
the door. -, scgs.,ss y..f.8 Il i1 :oius
y aConie in, said the miller, in no welcome
tones oi3a3's 's2s'a '1E
st7Tho door sprang open, and in popped a
fairy-7a lovely, merry-eyed fairy! ssOfcourse
the poor miller was astonished and hewilder-
cd. So would you or [ have been. A. al
" cam welcome, Master Miller ?" rang
out the sweetest little voice in the world.
~ Now the miller couldn't find it in his heart
to say ""No,"n and so he frightened up apa in
his most polite manner said Yes, quite wei.
come; thank you" ,,s;.ar
saaAre yousare I ami? ?" questioned the fairy
! ,HWhy, yes;;" queth the miller, "cone
closer to the fire, wonst you, and take a chair,
for YOU must be cold roYing about in such
pinching weather as this is" fF.aei,s.;
f2"Oh! no." replied the fairy "I'm not
cold, thank you, for you see, we wee folks
have good warm hearts, and warm heart
goes a great way toward keeping the rest of
the body warm, Master NJ iler. Besides, we
are always c9ntented, no matter what wealth
or The seasons bring and you know there's
nothing like contentment to keep one cheer
full and happy. iv 1911 gatcusiG ai baj
ssBut you are, sad and you are morose, Mus
ter Miller. know the reason, and 7 haze
come to help you" I know the reason, and
I have come to help you" The lniller's
dark!ing frown changed into a glowing smile
/; !. "You don't get on in the world, Master
Miller. You are often discouraged and aeprcsr=
ed by trifing difficulties. You often neglect
yonr work, and then sigh and bemoan Your
fate, because your work neglects you. You
have tried to make money too fast for your
own. good. Now, turn over a new leaf, Mas
ter Miller. l leave you this chest, wherein
you will find a great treasure
The miller took the chest Il was not q
very large one, bHt italooked to him as if it
were bursting with golden guipeas.6 ID Lrs
''.Now hearken to me-, said the fairy
&c ousare not to open this until your family
are actually in need of bread to cat Toll on
inlyour mill BE trustful and earnest Drive
away your ugly frowns, for they are exesad-
ingly unbecoming to that manly face Of
yours Do as | bid you, on pain of my dis
pleasure
aItell you, fairy dtsplcasare is something
awful !ee4sa.a4e a0a satE8 "a 7ssf9a' 9iiff'
The miller promised that he would obey
the fairy in everything. - .,,cl:s e. fsas
aGood-night, Master Miller" ,chirpa9 the
fairy Il T5fesfa s's pi@7- y q -
6sGood-night, and bless you aoqthousand
times p cried the miller. sssn odg s8tsiahaso
"But stay" said, the fairy, as she wasabout
to go, II have forgotten something. L. haEs
one more injunetiln to leave you, After ten
years have passed ava --recolect,, aten years
from this very night-yon' have MY fqll Eese
mission to open the chest that lis provided
your poverty does not force yout hayerecourse
to my treasure before. Remember r. TIe
fairy smiled archly, and raised her finger
warnngly. The door flew open, and away
few the fairy. 40 Fhe miller was the happiest
man ia. the whole kingdom. 3 .He, d: need with
Joy. He reused his good wife and his troop
and told them Of his good for,
tune Ha inescrlmadc any more complaints
if things atithc mill went awry He carried
another face on his shoulders He, worked
checrfully He sang the merriest songs and
he was altogether the busiest AMI happiest
man for miles around He threw off his old
habits and become new miller oOf course
he thriyed Many,a time he thought that
he would like to take peep in the chest, but
he was an honest miller, and he would have
lost his right hand sooner than disobey the
good fairy. 81 2o''o'ss't 20 .'a+ IaNat
Ten years came and went, and found the
mill, still driving, and the miller a portly man
Of Wealth and importance. 7pot ie'oI-ySf
J On the evening Of the tenth anniversary
of the fairys visit, he called his family
around him and opened the chest. a's :"
What do you suppose he found in it2 To5ss'
Diamonds r. Mo- gaI baa
Pearl's?s No. 5,eg bar sss. c
Rubics? No. t5 fsaeaag q -
Z Gold No. 7 o4t 10 nsm ~ 7ts
You capt guess. o. III tell you.a The chest
was, empty Is But engraved upon the inside
was this golden word ontcntmem. e f'
This was the milcr's treasure.
Ii COOP ADxIcE.-At the installation of a
Baptist minister, in Lower Canada, recently,
the following advice was given to the ealRlsrc-
cation, che speaker said IL; ~ Dear brethren
II suggest that you pray for your minister
daily; guard his reputation carefully; hear
him preach weekly; listen tq tha Word
,wakefully treasure il uR ioyfAllgi llaabor
with him pathctieally, both individually aud
collectively; attend the prayer and confer.