Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-06-03
NO. l3l.
Tales and Sketthes.
THE TREASURE.

tiuS III sudIl Uut neatly IuIuIoucu dtlIC.
The setting sun lighted up the girls apart
hair. The soldier (for such he was), rested
his wounded feet on cricket, and he
gazed abstractedly at his companion, who
was reading aloud to him from a news
paper. She stopped abruptly and listened.
"What's the matter ?" asked the inva-
lid.
Nothing" said the girl, looking dis
appointed.
"You thought you heard Charles?' in-
quired the soldier.
YES" she replied, blushing slightly
his days work must have been ended; it
is the time when he comes home"
"When he ought to come home" inter-
rupted Vincent.
Susan opened her lips to justify her
cousin. but stopped, embarrassed. and
then fell into reverie. The invalid played
with his mustache impatiently, as was his
habit when things went wrong.
''Our conscript is making bad march,"
he said at last he comes home cross, he
leaves his work to go to public houses,
and festivals out OF town; this will end
badly for him and u.s.
Don't say SO, uncle, you will bring
misfortune upon him." said Susan. anx-
iously. II hope he will be cured some
time he has not had courage to work."
why Pn
Because he has nothing to look for
ward to, he says, so he thinks it best to
live from day to day, without foresight
and without hope"
$50 that's his system? well, he hasn't
the honor of having invented it. There
were some soldiers in the army who got
exempted from starting for foreign lands,
under the pretext that the route was too
long, and they lounged about in their
barracks while their companies went to
you see, does not know that by putting
one foot before the other, the shortest legs
can travel to Rome"
stand that said Susan, earnestly. II
have tried to convert him by showing him
how much good book binder, such as he,
could lay up, but when come to the sum,
he always shrugs his shoulders, and says
that women don't understand addition"
And then your despair, poor girl.
know now why your eyes are red so Of
ten"
Uncle, | assure you-''
"And why you forgot to water your
gilly flowers, and don't sing any more
"Uncle :"
Susan, confessed, cast down her eyes,
and began to roll up the corner of her
newspaper. The soldier placed his hand
on her forehead
II don't mean to scold you," he SAID,
kindly, "you are interested in your cousin
Charles, that's all, who hope will be
some day
The girl made a motion as if to stop
him.
well. we won't speak of that" said
the invalid, Il forgot that one must not
always tell what one knows. We won't
speak of it say. but will return to that
good-ior-nothing fellow, for whom you
feel SO great friendship; that's the right
word, isn't it? and who feels the same for
you"
Susan shook her head. "He used to-"
said she, ''but for some time-if you knew
how cold he is. and how tired he seems"
Yes said Vincent. thoughtfully.
when one has tasted exciting amuse-
ments. household pleasures seem tame,
like claret after brandy; great many
people have felt thus"
"But they have cured themselves" OBJ
served Susan. 80 Charles can be cured.
Perhaps if you should speak to him un-
Gle"
! The old man made an incredulous gest-
ure.
"Such failngs can't be cured by words"
he said, "but by acts. 1t is difficult to
mprovise reasonable man as good
soldier. Experience is needed, and the
baptism by cannon. Your cousin, YOU
see. wants will, because he has no end in
view We must find one which will
arouse his ambition. but to do this is no
small affair. | will think about it,
This time it is really he, interrupted
Susan, who had recognized her cousins
hurried step on the staircase.
Then silence in the ranks" said the
invalid; "appear as if you were thinking
of nothing in particular, and begin to read
again"
Susan obeyed, but her trembling voice
would have easily betrayed her emotion,
to an attentive observer. Whilst her eyes
followed the printed lines, and her mouth
mechanically pronounced the words, her
thoughts were taken up with her cousin,
who had opened the door, and placed his
cap on the table in the middle of the gar
ret. Constrained to silence by Susan's
continuous reading, the young workman
approached the window and leaned his
elbows on the sill. Susan read on me-
chanicaly
"A poor Besaucon pedlar, named Peter
Lefevrc, wishing to make his fortune at
any cost, thought he would start for India
which he had heard was the country for
gold and diamonds. He sold the little he
possessed, reached Bordeaux, and en-
barked as assistant cook on an American
ship. Eighteen years passed before Peter
Leievre was again heard from. At the
end OF that time his relations received q
letter from the ex-peddler, stating that he
had reached France, with fortune Of
two millions, although with but one eye
and one arm, having encountered unim-
aginable dangers, experienced great IA
tigue, and made unheard-of exeriions.n
Charles, who had listened to the article
with increasing interest, exclaimed, as
soon as Susan had finished reading. 1.-TWO
millions!'
"He could buy a glass eye and wooden
arm with it," the old soldier observed,
ironically.
NV \