Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1877-05-04

the shore, ana uhbheu ~ iutO huOWy iOaW,
for sympathy. Scarcely had the sound died
away among the rocks when the sharp crack
Of pistol.shot rang out on the beach, sue
ceedod by hoarse cries, and the noise Of a
furious struggle. The skipper paused, hest
tated a moment with his eyes fixed on the
cottage window, and then, with set teeth
plunged down the bank and into the midst
Of tho conflict. In his hand he held pistol.
A tall, military figure stepped out TO con-
front him, and demanded his surrender. For
answer, the skipper raised his weapon aud
fred the tall military figure reelcd aud fell
hcadloug into the snow but the skipper also
staggered back, catching at the air with his
hands, aud so sank down upon the shore.
The custom-hoase officers gathered up their
prisoners and their dead leader, and rode
away, leaving Donnc lying where he fell.
As the oak tree stood horror stricken the
door Of the cottage opened aud woman,
with white, terrified face came swiftly
across the snow, and knelt down by tho body.
She strained the rough form fercely 10 her
arms, aud tried to breathe her life through
his lips. There we're no tears in her eyes
they we're unaaturally bright. After awhile
faint, quivering smile aiOkered over her
drawn features. She broke forth 10 tremu.
lous laughter.
WAKE up Win, dear Will, wake up
baby's waiting to kiss thee; wake up, my
darling"
Though her voice was weak and orazcd,
yet, wakoning the endless echoes Of immortal
love, IL made itself heard even across the
mighty chasm Of death. For a moment, life
huttered back to the mans heart. He felt
her with him, and was, perhaps, dimly con-
scious that he was leaving her destitute in a
lonely world. lie partly raised his arm, and
pointed upwards TO where the oak tree was
growing on the summit Of the slope.
There J" he whispered, "thero is treasure
seek for it !"
The woman STOPPING down, caught his
words, aud they remained forever written in
her brain. But what their meaning was she
comprehended not, aud when she was found
the next morning sitting by the dead man,
stroking his cold face with q hand scarcely
less cold, all she could do was to look va.
cantly at the group Of plying faces, aud say
pointing upwards =
There is treasure--seek for it !"
They led her back to the cottage, where
the child was crying in the cradle from cold
and hunger. At sight of it her wandering
gaze softened and concentrated; she took it
to her bosom aud became quiet and silent.
But if any one questioned her or sought to
attract or divert her attention, she only fixed
her weird eye upon them, and said gently,
pointing upwards:
"There is treasure-seek for il J"
So passed that Christmas day, hundred
years aud more ago. During all that time
the heavy secret lay hidden and unsupported
at the oak trees root.
The widow Dome lived for many years,
and her sou grew up to be stalwart fisher
man, known throughout the country side for
his strength and courage, and for the tender
care he took Of his widowed mother. Sue
had become a gentle, quiet woman, with
strange, unfathomable eye, that fascinated
aud overawed those she looked upon; aud
the country people scarcely knowing what to
make Of her, decided among themselves that
she must be a sort of sibyl or prophecies, and
her insane wanderings were quoted and dis.
cussed as though they contained a germ Of
wisdom all the more invaluable because no
one could comprehend it. Most often on
her lips was that mysterious saying about the
treasure it was generally considered to be a
religious exhortation, meaning that the treas
rres of heaven were to be sought for aud il
is said that more than one stubborn spirit
whose heart refused to be touched by the
good words OF the parish minister, was quell.
ed aud sottened with the crazy utterances Of
this old fishermans widow.
But the war of the Revolution devastated
the land, and times grew harder and harder
The oak tree, standing immovably in its
} place, saw poverty tighten its grasp, day by
day, and year by year, on the inhabitants OF
the little cottage The brass-clamped chest
seemed to burn at its root, but it was power
less to speak, or give forth the wealth which
had been entrusted to its keeping. Often it
questioned the ocean, but the answers it re-
ceiyed were hard to understand, and gave
the oak tree but scanty comfort. 1t seemed
that it must wait and hope, and that in time
perhaps, the solution Of tho problem would
be attained. Sometimes, in the urgency o.
its DESIRE the tree half regretted that il had
ever become mixed up with human Interests
} and sorrows almost preferable seemed 1t:
former lonely but more undisturbed and quie
: existence But the link which bound it Il
mankind could not be broken with wishl
the oak was held to its destiny, and in j
, found its only happiness, sad though it were
One Christmas eve, when the widow DonnI
7 had grown very old and infrm, she rose ~
) from her place before the fire and seemed /,
, be making preparations to go out Her son
: accustomed always to humor her fancics
wrapped warm cloak around her shoulders
, and followed her forth into the night. Sh'
walked along the shore to a spot just beoV
} where the oak tree grew and there stoppet
and threw herself upon her knees. A llttl
! mound of snow, blown together by the wind
CHANGED to lie close beside her as she knell
: She stopped down aud pressed her lips to il
a.; and strokcd it with her aged hands, murmur
ing uninteligible words. Suddenly she rails
! ed her head and pointed upwards to wher,
8 the oak stood. bare and brown against tn
t sky.
There |" she cried, "there is treasure
Q seek for it!
Her son lifted her up and carried her bac
t to the cottage, musing over her strange be
, havior. "She seemed to point to the old GA
] tree !" he said to himself and ever after
8 wards the saying about the treasure was as
f; ISOLATED with the oak tree in his mind. Tha
: night tho widow Dome died but that nigh
I also, child was born to her son. And s
i another Christmas passed away.
, The war had been over now, and the Ian
i began to be prosperous once more. TIL
little cottage began to look moro comforta
BILE an addition had been built to it, an,
Q the little plot Of ground adjoining had bee
0 enclosed with picket fence. Near the fuI
n Their end Of this enclosure stood the venerable
G oak tree it was looked upon with respeC
Q and reverence, as being in some way col
!. nected with the destiny Of tho family. III
d saying Of the old crazy woman about th