, 1870-07-17
THE TREASURE STONES,
It was Christmas eve in ; small farm in
he neighLothood Of Ptouhinec, beyond Henue-


It WAS Christmas eve In small farm in
bont
No one was At home; the master, mistress,
children, and servants were gnno 70 m,dn'Bht
nass. The suund Of church bells were still
heard aczpss the heath. DOW coyeEed With
thin layer Of SNOW. Only an old woman, GOO
old and iufirm to 50 to church, Was sitting up
besida the FIRE.
beggas was in the stsl,Ie, asleep between
lean o1 Nsaa drew the little plow, and Al old
sss, worn nth Carrying bundles OF heasher or
tescLed the farm After the departure OF the
farmer, and the old woman bad given 4 c1ke
of black bread 1nd = cup Of milk, .ud then H.
los ed him to go to bed u the etAbla
He elept peaceful1y till he wAs awakened by
voices near him He listened. thinking ii WAS
the people Of the firm coma home put be
soon perceived to his Ann&ze1neut, that the OF
and the asa beside him were converting IN
good Breton. The asa bad turned toward tho
OF. who was rePosing on hls Litter: and the
begear Sciven remembered he had heard il
sain Ly old people thst, in memory OF the hos
pitAlity eLoMn by the or and tho Asa To the tn
f.ns Jesus. once year, n midnight On CHRIST
mas eva, the inhabitants Of the stable we're en-
to converse about their adaira ike human be-
ipge- .....,
for nothing that ha had carried his wallet
from parish to parish, making capital Of his
broken les, md h,ing - 6eggar on the
leatt Eoyement that might betray his pre-
sence, lest be should silence his bed-felous,
whose convereAt1on he WAS 20 eager to hear-
The OK VAS saying to the ass, "One never
does what one wants to do. II l were not
tied here seald 80 and take walk on the
| II / met Beneadik. tue plo~msn Of Piuvigner,
| would tell him something"
:. What would you tell him7" asked tue ASS,
who seemed depressed by bad treatment.
! Al, you do net Ike Beuealtk - do. Hn
| doer not drive you; sud tha. good.for-uo'h-
I you can h2rlly stand any mora But the mag
| ter has never had such pl0Vman Il. Uenes-
dix. He talks to me as II were Christian :
and If he pricks me At nj When 80 too slow,
il II 60 gently that scarcely feel IT. He II
always afraid Of doing harm. and hhs no Wish
but to do good. II he looks often toward
Aariemik. It is no wonder. for he wants to
| make her his wife. II be only knew! He
would soon be rich enough to buy the farm.
the furniture. and all the land; and the mas
ter, instead Of suutbiug him, would stand be-
| fOrp him cap in hand"
ScEiyen began 70 listen with III his ears md
the ass, who Vas lying on bis litter OF heathor.
turned himself languidly around.
"1ou mean that yen want him 10 find the
treasure that the STONES OF Ploulnuec will
ieaFe uncovered Que OF these lAghf HF the
stable Of 1t. Joseph. il he had the cso.s-wort
and the hve-leAved clover. they would be Of
| some use to him when the stones go down to
drink at the Intel. But It happens only once
in a hundred Year,, and he will know nothing
! about IT,"
| ''Deside4." re3einea the OK, ..st there can
not be found in there parts baptized Chris
tiAn who will give his life for him. he will be
| crushed By the Stones When they come back.
Eut. after ali, he would never let another be
killed for him. and the good God will show hin,
some other *Ay Of becoming rich enough to
The ass had fallen asleep. and all WAS sgain
| silent in the stable. Scriyen alone wAs awake,
| with terrible temptation gpAxfpg 1t his heart.
Why should he not profit by tue knowledge OF
the e1istance OF this treasure which hAa just
| been revealed to him III 90 strange manner? ?
lie was tired OF begging |. was no longer
the good trade that il used to be; the hmes
were hard. and although charitable people
might still give the beEgar tho best place in
the chimney cornc1. sud the l.sgest piece ot
bread, ili-natured folks often let him wait 1t
the door, and after all threw bin onlS lsy
crust. lie knew very well where to iind the
magical IeTle-on the way as you 60 from thr
sea-ceast 10 the country where it never freezes,
where tho myitles are in flower in winter, aud
riolets open in February III the wood-- Scriseu
catle to the last condition Of tha great eater
!rlse. Where WAS he 10 tiud 4 baptized Chris.
tian WIN would give lis life for him
He did not Jet dare to ask himeelf aioud how
he should tia;ule any cue. sud alluen linn Y
his tehth. Eu: the sleyil had already suggest
ed dark scllcnlts to him. Tae treasure gilt
tered before pour Servers greedy eyes. liz
fancie,l H., saE haudsfu1 u gold, diamonds
and large bags of eilvet. aud letwectl sleeping
aud waking lie gafe himself up 10 these dan
gerous dreams. After lie was quite aslsep
the master and mistress, with their cbillre,
| and HtfrcCtf YGt1tFt,t1f frurn ff1lr,.h
When he awake il the morning he eaw Ben
cAtlik, wGo was arranging tue httaka Of tht
aAinals. lie did not know him. bu
me me, e,fesses ,a he bestowed 20. 9n tho o. ?,
sweet words 10 exchanged in low toaes will
Hariemik. who was helping her mother III th'
kitchen, induced him to examine the plowmas
moro carefully. W1ckedness had already es
tablehed itself in Sc1iven's heart. When b
left the farm about midday his wallet was vel
furnished. III looked forward to the Stone
OF FlouAincc, which stood out in the rnoE II
regular and clear, ila troop OF enlaier'
standing sti1f upon field Of battle. lie con
templated them for minute; then he wen
lack to take another look At BeneAtlik, md =
last plunged into the heath, walking in tAe di
rection Of the ae4.
Three or four days had passed, and til
short winters day bad begun to close. III
!. | ground Was etill covered with snow, and til
OF rsln,iuated softly in the stable, Mess,n,
Heaven that lad wrapped earth in whit
; ehroud.
; No work could be done, and Beneadik
uhitting gaily. in spite Of the growing dark
ness, was striking one Of the largest of th
. etonss Of flouhinee with chlsel and han
meE. Tic poor fellow was not. however. re
: ally Ely, for tho mistress. who had observe
that AAEien,ik liked to talk to him. hsd varue
her husband. who once gave the Ployigne
lad notice to leave. When Deneadik asked til
Cause Of this abrupt disg:ssa1, the maste
said, IA man who has not tNdhty white piece
il his 81; Posket ought not to think of speAk'''
.. on this. poor Beneadh hung his head, 70
! be had not more than twelve, although he ha
: received lis wages at Cllristm.s: He la
. paid for the shoes he had bought in til
autumn to dance At the "Granl Pardon, an
be had put his Offering on tho altar, aud i
: The priest purse, like / good Christian
10 cousole himself fos the thought Of lea,
? ing Ma11emik, lie had begun to carve sout
thing on big stonc, when he was startled b
hearing voice beside him:
!, Setiyen; and Bene4Iik turned round 1t seen
= ed Is il the other had suddenly risen out
1 the earth. Does the master pay sou
/. make drawings on the stonea:"
i The master has dismissed mc-that
:, = heart vas full, and he WAS surprised at II
: teggarH bold tone. - / Am going to h2,
u more time to myself than want, md meal
J, while, that may find work. am ul.rkit
:. - this stone with tho sigu Of my salvation.
i i seen human blood How in tho devils serric
- It won't do any harm now for this one to be;
= on it the -isu of the Cross
Aud Eeneadik quietly flushed his work, coz
p,eting the csoss he Ind begun to cut upon Il
stone.
% voice "What would sou giTe M it we're
4 make yon rich enough to marry Mazieuik t
~ Eorrl " il you like. or even to look elsewhe
:, ard higher il you have miud TO do 60 =
~ Eeneaalk's tools dropped from his hanc
r. "Ech. be gaeped. in choking, votc
:. =. "Af3riemik" he was so much excited that
:, - could not ind words, hut he looked eagerly
Is Is II Enow," said scrivcu, !" that these stones
- and be touched the large one on which Beat
~ y. elk had Just cut the sign Of the c1o:
N VII th!s very night tex. themselves
So e1e to sFedaaat dat q Il tsh IL 3sS sas 1t
Il Under them is hidden 1 treasure 90 g1t
7, thtt no eye has ever seen the like. A sint
IA rcrson would never be able to casry 1t on
~ tore the atones came hack to their place; but
n you will help me, swear by your patron al
20 20 head to any uaAn."
o. BeueadK eeized tho beegar's hands in h
.is not noticing hoe they trernbled. "lf sou "
=, only make me rich enough to obtain Mar
mix from her father, he ct7ed, "you N
take al the rest; you ahall haze my gratitu
iuto the bargain, and ny services by day 1
"a. by night, ID fliE weather. CT fcul; exce
y. MAriemk xnd my hope OF heaven, will rcSr
~ ,on nothing that you can ask Of me"
Scriven smiled; but il Was dark BY Il
~ ticne, and, besides. Beneadik VIA too hap
ia End TOO uustfM to comprehend the look
Ia troubled JOY thAt passed over the face Of
~ companion.
ne II will etay hero md watch beside I
nc stones," said tho begga.. II hAye somesh1
% in my gou,d which viii keep out the ca
. Sou have stin place 1t the freplAce and
- hle Of the farmhouse; 60 back 10 supper, =
n when ypn look At M4iiemik say 70 yonrs
b. that tomorrow she will be yours II our ent
ar. Prise succeeds; and then 1t eleven o'c1t
m | celne back here 10 me-"
- / ksr,;rap ,~A. a. rar u, ,nt ~ ~ Top,.d;k