Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1874-05-02
The Bag Of Gold.

widow Peckington, impressively. I
declalc I did not know what caro- meant,
before brother Gabriel died aud left me
all that money"
Well, cousin Clarissa," observed
George Merrilton, who was assiduously
engaged in entangling the widows
work to the very worst of his ability,
"in case you find yourself unequal to
tho strain, all you have to do iso leave
me the s5,O0O."
"The first thing in the morning."
went on Mrs. Peckington, unheeding
MIR. Merrilton's modest hint, "and the
last thing at night, I'm thinking about
it. First I put it in Deacon Elijah
Horizons bank, and then drawed it out
again-banks aren't noways safe now
adays. And then I buried it in the
east cellar, close to the apple bin, and
then there came the doluging rain, and
l knowed the cellar would be three
inches deep in water. So up it come
again, and then 1 could not rest in
my bed for fear of fire. So got it
changed into gold, and 1 guess it is
safe enough"
"In the bottom of your big red
chest?" mischievously hazarded George.
No matter where, SIR said the
widow, nodding her head.
90, but cousin Clarissa, you might
tell u.s. persisted Mcrrilton. "We
are all your own folks, Cora and l."
Cora Dalles sat stitching quietly in
the corner--the pretty orphan whom
good Mrs. Peckington had taken out of
tho orphan asylum, "to bring up"
five years before.
~ don'texpect to;leave you nothing" >"
Mrs. Peckington had said, "for Two
relations of my own; but I'll give you
u good deestrict school education, and
decent bringing up, and a good
chance to do for yourself"
And Cora had accepted tho good
DANES offer with meek gratitude.
She had grown very prettily in tho
last few years, this solitary child of no.
body. park-eyed, with hair full of
deep chestnut golden shadows, q peach
blossom skin, where tho rosy blood
slowcd brightly through on the slight
est provocation, and Il mouth like Hcbe,
it seemed as if nature had made SOL
emn compact with herself to atone for
all social Sights that might bo cast
across Cora Dallas path.
Well" said Mrs. Pcckington, Sc
riously, 81 don't mind telling you two;
but mind you don't repeat 1.-THE
bags hung half way up the chimney
on an iron hook"
"But suppose the chimney should
take. .fire?' said Merrilton.
"It won't. I'll keep it we'll swept,
and besides if it should, it takes pref
ty good heat to melt gold"
Upon my word cousin Clarissa, :"
said Merrilton, "you're a second Ma
chiavelli."
"Who in PHYS sake was he ?" asked
Mrs. Peckington. There's neighbor
Simpkins at the door Jump and let him
in, Cora, for it's beginning to snow
like all possessed"
And neighbor Simpkins came in, q
broad-faced jovial agriculturist, who
lived on the next farm, and was sus-
pected of matrimonial designs on the
heart of the widow.
".Set by, Mr.. Simpkins," said the
widow, Hospitality, putting another
moss-fringed log on the fire, "seems
like we're going to have another spell
of weather"
And while tho widow and her::middlo-
aged lover discussed tho weather,
George took occasion to help Cora get
down half-bushel OF red apples from
the garret and was unnecessarily long
about it too.
81 should think you would be
ashamed of yourself, George Merrill
ton" said Cora, dimpling and blushing
! and trying to look very angry, in which
she sncceede1 but intliffarently.
"What for?' audaciously demanded
George. "One doesn't get behind q
garret door with pretty girl every day
in the year."
"What would Mrs. Peckington say?
81 dare say she's doing the same
thing herself down stairs with Jehorun
Simpkins."
And Cora burst out laughing at the
preposterous idea, just as the widow