Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1871-01-06

----N- -AA@ AAAAAAAy 1A ktAE NAHH anna
Quickly he wedged in the hce 81
the hatchet between the panel and the
Ialnbs and pried with an immense
strength. The oal1en front bent forward
under the strain, tore from It's fastenings
with gr1dlng screech, fell heavily with q
yoHeyng cloud Of dust. and out 6f the
black, oven-lize cavity, tunibled, Mith
solid chink, portly bag Of gold, and
another, and another, and another. The
space within was fun of them. Fifty
thousand dollars were in thathole.
There was a momeht of dead stHpe-
faction. Then, with hoarse crv The
old man bounded forward, and feli upon
his knees, clutching the gold. The car
penter paced slowly to the back part of
the room Some. Of thens half-weeping
with terror and gratitude would have
seized him as he passed, ba8 there was
something in his demeanOr so cold and
stern that their hands fell away.
"Cold gold T. shouted Ellxanah, with
frightful volubility, springing TO his feet,
red, greedy, horrible with bag in his
hands Saved ! saved saved on,
the heavy, good gold Gold az two
twenty in the market. "a hundred and
ten thousand dollars won7 here-oh,
more, maybe-more, Hiote-wfY not
more All, hah but am saved 4And
d-proud-proud No war ior me
now. To the eternal pit with the heart
shattering country, that robs me Of my
money, my peace, my boys All, but
Pllhave them back-they shant 60.
John shan't 60, nor Tom-ll disown
'em, and III curse them, if they Try Il
on. No, they shan't go And I'LL have
George back, if he's living-ill track
the States for him-I II ransom him from
the rebs, if they've got him. And Rupe
iii kill him if find him-ah, bah,
hah, hah l''--he pealed with maniacal
laughter. "And here wei live, all hap
py and free. Happy and free, with gold
are we. Substitutes, # they draft U.s.
oh, no oh. no And my old wife
where are ye, birdie 3--T can { see ye in
my new gold spectacles-she.H have q
new silk gown, heavy and rich--oh, two
of EN-, if they don't cost too much.
And oh, my neighbors, but I'LL be re-
venged-I'u tramp on EN- Oh, you
half-Union, half-secesh ours but
don't care which ye are, now. Only III
nav We back for your looks and whis-
pers Oh, the faces I've seen for a week
| back They've got it rumored among
EN- that the old man was going down ;
and oh, the GOODNESS, the hanging back,
the sneers, the smiles, the looks the
whlspersl But the old mans up again,
and I'll pay EN- back for the old
mans up again, with gold, gold, sweet.
sweet gold; Oh what is better moth
ing-nothing- othing-nothing-
ing
He ceased, choking with bis hungry
fury, and in dead stiffness, while every
white and frighted face stared mulely
at the other, he fell to kissing the bar.
In the silence, a mighty blast Of wind
arose and sighed around the house with
| solemn suspiration, and from the other
room, the wind-harp rang hollowly and
loud, and failed in delicate and eerie
spirie-music. Following upon the after
i silence, came the voice Of the carpenter,
clear, scornful, and still
Love is better than gold, he said
slowly.
The old man slightly started, turned
very white, and shivered as the warning
voice smote heavily in upon him II was
but a spasm, and could not be maintains
ed with such as he. Already ashamed 2
little of his vulgar rapture, yet turtiVeiJ
hugging it in secrecy his greedy teein8 6
meanly creeping, yet lingering IN me
refluent tumult of the noble elements
which were so strong in him. with a
dim sense Of how poor a figure he made
with his new wealth and newborn
ayarice. in contrast with the august
poverty and towering loYingness OF the
Imam behind him conscious, too, how
much of love and gratitude he owed
him, vet afraid to turn and face hIm,
now he stood, silently, almost cover
ling. his face. like his soul, puckenug, p
red heat tingling and prlckling over hlrl
humiliated and i'll at ease, with the heavy
weight Of money in bis hands. Ahefe
was an utter suspension OF an soaAe
| and motion.
! syaslssyTrz la.ala WAS hIalzsl- @
, hubbu5 Of ilrirrls-si iass.-..
children s voices anQ Itttllh8 lattoQ
4 at the front door.
"Ouick e. shouted Elkanah. starting
and tossing the bags into the cavity, as
these evidences of the returning human
world struck upon his ear. "Quick the
guests are arriving. Silence, all Not a
word of this. Hurry! Up with the panel
again Ouick--the hatchetI "a broom
to sweep this floor Fanny, my robin
red-breast, not a word. Silence an. So.
A minutes activity and confusion
and the room had resumed its usual arp.
pearance. The gray Christ on the pane
again shut in the bale and blessing oi
the gold. Composed and silent DeLois
HI. as one to whom good and evil wer,
, the same, stood the carpenter. lh,
, family, relieved. though frightened sun
had hurried to receive theIr guests "a
, was in a hustle Of welcoming IN lH'
: rooms beyond. But in the fre-ht cham
r Der. while the carpenter stood solitaIl
' | in the room adjoining, was EiSanea
: also alone ; and all to himself, his yole
' was booming.
4 "Better, better.-yes. love is better.
4 he said, again and again. But on
II he added at last, "oh, that calila- iss
q It as well as say III Oh, unless solnetl'in ni
e happens to change me, that could %
J as i was a little while ago. happy. happy
! happy in my trouble loving my oi
= wife. my boys, my home, my country
., and what every damned fool M ines
I. United States calls ruined
fF0 mre CONTINUED.