The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1877-03-14
CHAPTER XIV.
HOME GUARD.

Saul Macy, after re-locking the stable
door, behind DIR. Plato, first went to his
new furnace, and examined the wall be-
hind it, where he had replaced the shattered
marble manger slab, to conceal that aper-
ture in which they hadreplaced the treasure
casket.
Thirteen years have known this old
place" said the proprietor to himself; ''and
no tramp or thief ever troubled it before.
Yet, that burglar sought plunder; and my
secret must be known to him 90
Saul Macy was as honest a man, in will
and nature, as ever struggled under long
adversely, and came to a fortune without
being spoiled by it. Nevertheless, when, as
he reflected, no merit of his own, and no
inheritance from ancestors, entitled him to
call those jewels his own, he felt some men
tai and moral qualms about his possession
OF the secret store. He could not reconcile
it with his sense of justice, however, that
any midnight marauder should lay rightful
claim to the ancient deposit, and still it
was evident to his reason, that the rObber,
whoever he might be, must have concocred
his scheme and made his approach upon the
stable, in knowledge, or belief, that the
wall contained a reward for his risk and
labor.
"The man knows something" was his
firm conviction. eff he possessed an honest
SOuQnI
for it in that felonious way. A robber he
is, undoubtedly; and if a robber knows
where these jewels are, he may have So
creted them himself, before / came to live
here, thirteen years ago"
Then he recollected the sealed place
whence his ''power" had unearthed the
casket, and its rusty and ancient condition
when he first saw it. This negatived any
suppOsition that its deposit in the wall
knw- -. H. L
first knowledge of the stable. So a sur
mise that the burglar came, after thirteen
years, or even twenty, to reclaim his own
plunder, could not convince him. He
noiselessly shifted the marble slab, by a
spring which he had fixed to it, over the
furnace, and satisfied himself that the cof-
fer was still safe; and, this being all he
could do, that morning, he reixed the slab,
and turned his thoughts TO little needed
rest, with a determination to remove the
temptation, as soon as possible from any
proximity to his home "There is no Sc
curity for these jewels here" he reflected.
Moss Cohen must place them in a safe de-
posit vault"
The wounded soldier was asleep, when
Saul looked in upon him His handsome
face was pale, from loss of blood, as it lay
upturned on one of Susie's white pillows.
Saul Macy remembered how he had seen
his daughters face, in sleep, upon an hum
bier bed on that wide sea-chest, which his
fatherly thought had retained, to be used
as the bedstead of their new s'spare room"
and he could not but feel the working Of
an eVentful Providence in those rapid incl
dents of day and night which brought the
lover of his child to find repose, after suf-
fering, on the couch which had in past years
been a resting-place for Amelia, in that
corner of his poor habitation sanctifed by
the morning and evening prayers Of mother
and daughter.
Could a young lover be better placed,
in the presence of father like Saul Macy
than upon those white pillows, gilded by the
manly blood he had lost in defence of those
he sought alliance with?
"PoOr fellow % said his fellow mechanic,
now man with "power," to make the
youth happy. He stood for some moments,
looking upon that placid but expressive
countenance. cit is Gods mercy that he
is not lying here now, awaiting his grave
clothes. If he be all trust he is, as he
sleeps on her bed tonight, he shall stand by
her side in his wedding elothes-rich or
poor-some day." #
And then, with his frank smile-the smile
that won his Susie's heart, when she was
a rich mans child, and he a poor young
workingman-tha husband of twenty years
sat down in an armchair, yielding 10 q
train of thought which quickly carried
him away from his own habitation to fields
of marching and fighting armies, until,
under the flag of q restored Union, be shook
bands with Edward Bolton Revere, in q well
come home to their cottage, and felt Susie
winding her arms about his own neck,
while Amelia was hugging her handsome
goldier-and-
'sBurglars!'' was the sudden cry, awaking
him from that dream; and he .sprang up, 70
see Revere still asleep, and to hear knock
ing at the stable-door; while broad day.
light was shining through the window Op-
posite his chair. He looked at his watch.
"Half-past six. I've been asleep" !" said
Saul; going to the door, at which Captain
Hooper was impatiently laundering.
"I'ye been hammering here an hour,
do believe 20 said the father-in-laW. 81
saw you both asleep, through the western
shutters-and Amelia is awaiting break
fast -
''Yes. you had a good nap, husband"
added Susie, close behind; 1--WE peeped i'm at
you But, hush we mustn't wake him 70
la,evere. however, opened his eyes. and
smiled, as he saw them.
And in few moments he was propped
up on pillows, to partake of an inyalid's
breakfast; while Captain Hooper read the
HerGld's full account of that last battle IN
which his cavalry troop took part, at some
loss Of its rank and file.
Then Saul Macy left Captain Hooper on
watch, and went back to the cottage. where
Amelia, with a thoughtful eountenance,
was ready in her place, 70 pour out his cof-
fee.
Full Of thought, indeed, was thatyoung
maiden. For the evening and the morn
ing We're the first day. Of her life-with O
lorel' in it.