Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1873-03-22
A TREASURE TROVE.


was sultry and still, the sunbeans
filtered dazzlingly through the
leaves of the great elm that shelter
ed q quaint, old-fashioned house.
The flowers in the little border in
front of it seemed scarlet and yellow
in the gorgeous light, and the long
shrilI cry of the locust was the only
sound that disturbed the silence.
Miss Polly Tomlinson, sitting on
the high window of the front room,
knitting monotonously, looked out
little wearily on the brightness
outside, and brushed away an in
trusive bee, which came bouncing
drowsily in through the blinds.
Miss Hepzibah Tomlinson, who
was walking in the garden, went up
and down among the flowers, and
at last came slowly up to the open
window.
"Polly," she said, "this day tires
me! 1t is very Warmp
"Then why don't you come in out
of the sum-" asked Miss Polly, a
little Grossly.
Miss Hepzibah pushed back the
large sunbonnet that shielded her
worn face, and said, al feel restless.
l cannot fix my attention to any
thing" Then, after a pause, "Pm
haunted all the time with memories
of another August afternoon twenty
years ago"
Miss Polly dropped her knitting,
and looked up with quick interest,
her faded cheeks growing a little
paler. -,
''What do you mean, lIepzibah %
she asked sharply.
"The day of the picnic to Lake
shore-the day when Gertrude ran
away" said Miss Hepzibah, in low
sDon't, don'tp' exclaimed her
sister. GLOW can You speak of it,
HePzibah ?"
"Because 1 canrot help it, Polly
Twenty years now we have kept
silence; surely time enough to for
givep
"But-but, 1t is so shameful to
think of! We ought TO forget it il
we can"
"We never can forget it," replied
Miss Hepzibah, gravely. eve have
L
In all these years l suppose there
has not been a day in which we have
not thought of it many times day.
Sometimes, too, have thought that
we did not do right" dropping heI
voice very lew.
"Rightl we did as papa told u.s.
exclaimed Miss Polly. "But really
Hepzibah, you ought not to talk OF
it now-some one might hear us !!
The silent, deserted shed seemed tC
forbid the thought of eaVes-drop.
pers, but as she spoke q young Lao
came round the corner, walking
briskly towards them, and she add
ed, "There comes John Wilson
now"
Miss Hepzibah turned and pulled
the bonnet over her head once more
as she saw the young man, who, IN
another moment opened the gate
and came towards her.
"Good afternoon, Miss Hepzibah,
he said in a CHEEKY voice. Here il
letter for you"
"Thank, you, john" replied Miss
Hepzibah, as she took it, somewhat
absently.
Miss Polly, pushing open tn,
blind, said, "HoW is your mother
John, this warm day 2"
every well, thank you, ma'am.' ,
Then as a great bee buZzed past hin
he said, 'EHow many bees you al
ways do have here, Miss Polly
more than any other place in the
village"
Eyes, and they are very trouble
some," said Miss Polly-for the bees
were one of her standing trials.
The young man walked of, anC
Miss Hepzibah came slowly into thG
house. When she reached the sit
ting-room where Miss Polly sat, hel
face was pale and troubled.
"Who is the letter from?" asked
Miss Polly.
'I don't know. 1t is postmarkeG
New York." she replied sit is II
a strange handwriting" and she sa
down, looking much agitated.
Miss Polly watched her sistel
sharply while she slowly opened thu
envelope and took out the letter
which shook in her now trembling
hand. Miss Hepzibah read it thro
once, twice, growing every instAn
psler. The room was very still
only the faint rattle of the pape
and the hum of the many bees, dis
| turbed the silence. At last Mis-
Polly could keep quiet no longer.
''What is it, Hepzibah? ? what i
the matter 2"
"Gertrude is dead" said her siste
in husky voice. "This is from
lawyer. She was married, though
Poliy''-her face Frightening into
look of exullation. Married to MI
Knox, after she went to EUrop
with him, and has lived there eve
since. He died years ago. She hs
been very yoor, and there is littl
Girl" The last words were addet
sadly but very tenderly.
Miss Polly had turned pale, toe
while her sister spoke. Her fac
now was strangely disturbed as sh
said:
1Iet me see the letter"
1t was placed in her hands, an
again there was silence as she rea
and re-read the few words that tol
so much. 1t was an old, old story
Gertrude Tomlinson had been tn
Youngest and fairest of three sisters
| In her confding youth, a handsom
stranger from New \ Ork, who spen
the summer in the village, had wo
her affections. How lar the int
macy between them progressed wa
onlv dimly guessed, but one after
noon. in the late summer, she fe
with him without one word of e.
nlanation, and as her friends ha