Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-08-11
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE TREASURE STONES.

!, THE TREASURE STONES.
II was Christmas eve in small farm In
the neighborhood Of Plouhinec, beyond
Hennebont.
No one was It home; the master, mis-
tress, children and servants we're gone 10
midnight mass. The sound OF church
bells were still heard across the heath,
now covered with thin layer Of snow.
Only an old woman, too old and in6rm TO
20 70 church, WAS sitting up beside the
1fe.
a beggar was in the stable. asleep b.
tween lean OK that drew the little pillow,
and An old ass, worn with carrying bun.
dies of heather or OF PUSHES dried in the
sun. The poor man had reached the farm
after the departure of the farmer, and the
old woman had given . cake Of black
bread and cup OF sack, and then allowed
him to 20 TO bed In the stable.
He slept peacefully until he was swak.
ened by voices near him. He listened,
thinking 1t WIS the people Of the farm
como home; but he soon perceived, TO
his amazcment, that the OK and the ca
beside him were conversipg In good
Breton. The ass had turned toward the
OK, who was rcposing on his litter; and
the beggsr Server remembered he had
heard It eaid by old people that, In men,
DRY Of the hospitality shown by the OK
md the ass to the infant Jesus, once q
year, at midnight, on Christmas eve, the
Inhabitants Of the stable were endowed
with the Gift OF speech, and were able 70
converse about their affairs like human
beings.
Ecriven was sharp and clever. It was
not for nothing that he had carried his
wallet from parish to parish, making cap
ital Of his broken leg, and living a. beg.
gar on the charity Of ksud folks. He did
not make the least m. -ment that might
betray his presence, lest he should silence
his bed-fcllows, whose conversation he
was 10 eager to hear.
The OK was saying to the ass. "One
never does what one wants TO do. II
were not tied here would 90 and take u
walk on the heath, that might be at lib.
erty at once and II ! met Beneadik, the
plowman Of Pluvignor, ] would tell him
something
"What would you tell him :" asked the
as, who seemed depressed by bad treat.
ment.
"Ah, you do mot like Beneadik % do.
He does not drive you; and that good for
nothing Kaolo has given you 30 many
blows that you can hardly stand any
moro, But the master has never had such
4 plowman 40 Beneadik. He talks TO me-
= I were Christian and II he pricka
me ct oil when ! 60 too slow, Il y 20
ecptly that scarcely feel Il. He ID 81.
Vsys afraid of doing harm, and has NO
Wish but TO do good. Ifhe looks often to.
ward Mariemik, Il II no wonder, for he
wants TO make her his wife. II he only
knew-i He would soon be rich enough
70 buy the farm, the furniture, and oil the
land and the master instead Of snub.
bing him, would stand before him cap n
hand"
6criven began to listen with ill his ears
and the az, who was lying on his litteI
Of heather, turned himself languidly
around.
"You mean that you want him to 6nd
the treasure that the Stones of Plouhinct
will leave uncovered one of these days
BY the stable OF st. Joseph, II he had the
Coss. wort and the five leavcd clover, they
would be Of some use 10 him when the
stones 70 down to drink at the Intel But
e happens only once In hundred years
and ho will know nothing about II.
Besides," rejoined the or, Il there
can not be found In these parts baptized
Christian who will give his life for him
he will be crushed by the Stones when
they come back. But, after al, he would
never let another be killed for him, and
the good God will show him some Other
way Of becoming rich enough TO marry
Hariemik."
The ass had fallen asleep, and al wa
again silent in the stable. Scriven alon.
vas awake. with Q terrible temptation
gnawing ct his heart Why should he mol
profit BY tho knowledge Of the existencl
Of this treasure which had just been 70
vealed TO him In 20 strange . manner
He was tired Of begging. twas no long
Or the good trade that Il used 70 be-; the
times were hard, and although charitable
people might still give the beggar the best
place In the chimney corner, and the
largest piece OF thread, ill-nstured folks often
Let him wait at the door, and After al
threw him only . dry crust. Ho knew
very well whore 70 find the magical herbs
--on The way q you 20 rom the sea-coAst
% the country whefo Is never freezes,
where the myftles ere II flower IN winter,
and violcts open In February In the
woods 6criven stopped, however, IN his
moditations when no came 70 the last con.
diion OF the great e1tsrpSise. Where was
10 70 nnd baptized Christian who would
dive his life for himi
He did mot yet dare 10 az himself aloud
how he should delude any one, and allure
HIM 70 his death. But the devn had 4.