Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-09-14
The Unknown Treasure.

A traveller one day called at a cottage to
ask for a draught Of water. Entering he
found the parents cursing and quarreling, the
children crouched in a corner, trembling /;
and wherever he looked he only saw marks Of
degradation and poverty. Greeting the in
mates he asked them Dear friends why do
you make home so uueomiortable2'
All, 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 dark and dusty
corner bible,) Dear friends, know what
would help you, if you could find it. There
is treasure concealed in your house Search
for it."
And so he left them.
At first the cottagcrs thought it jest, but
after while they began to reflect. When the
woman went out therefore to gather sticks,
the mau began 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; increasing poverty
brought only more quarrels discomfort and
strife
One day as the woman was left alone, she
was thinking upon the strangers words, when
her eyes fell on the old bible. 1t was a gift
from her mother, but since her death had been
long unheeded and unused.
A strange foreboding seized her mind
Could it be this that the stranger meant p
She took it from the shelf aud found the verse
inscribed on the title page, in her mother's
handwriting" The law OF thy mouth is bet
ter unto me than thousands of gold and sill
ver" 1t cut her to the heart. All,
thought she, this is the treasure, then, that
we have been seeking" How her tears fell
fast upon the leaves
| From that time she read the Bible every day
and prayed and taught the children to pray
but without her husbands knowledge. One
day he came home as usual, quarreing aud
in a rage. Instead of meeting angry words
with angry replies, she spoke to him kindly
and with gentleness. " Husband" she said
we have sinned previously. We have our
selves to blame for all our misery, and w
must now lead different life" He looked
amazed. "What dost thou say?" was bis
exclamation. She brought him the Bible
aud sobbing, cried "Therc is the treasure
See have found it,
The husbands heart was moved. She read
to him of the Lord Jesus and of his love
Next day she read, and again and again, whil'
he sat with the children round her, thought
full and attentive.
Time passed on; after year the stranger
returned that way. Seeing the cottage h
remembered the circumstances Of his visit
and thought he would call and see his ole
friends again. He did so but he would scarce
ly have known the place; it was so olean, s.
neat, so well ordered. Ho opened the doc
and at first thought he was mistaken, for tn
inmates came to greet him so kindly, wit
the peace Of God beaming upon their faces
8" How are you, my good people ?" said he
They knew the stranger, and for some tim
they could not speak.
Thanks, thanks, dear sir we have ioun
your treasure. Now dwels the blessing @
, God in our house, his peace in our hearts :
So said they, and their entire condition, an
the happy faces of their children, declares
the same more clearly.