Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-02-24

| faIe, yet calm, she proceeded 10 look
about the swollen cover for an opening,
when suddenly her eyes fell upon a
worn lap, carefully doubled and fasten-
ed down over the binding
With beating heart she took tiny
knife and began loosening the spread
ing that held it firm. Once, twice,
thrice she uplifted the creased fold,
then turned back the limp cover.
There, tremblingly, the eyes Of the
bewildered girl beheld mass of papers
stitched to the side of the book, each
sheet revealing as she took it from its
place, 81 900 L. S. government bond,
stamped and dated with its bunch of
glittering coupons, drawing the nation
al interest from the time it was issued.
And as the last golden paper was drawn
forth, Faith, dazed and bewiidered,
counted them; and there they we're
| ten Of them.
Ten thousand Of dollars, bearing their
interest for six years. And as she
placed the last bond upon the heap, she
saw written on its back these words:
Respice finem."
Look to the end" muttered Faith
can it be then light broke unto
her, and, awed and trembling, she
turned to the rear cover of the book,
and there, likewise, fast to its sides was
a document, a deed of valuable estate
the large domain of her deceased
aunt-the bulk of Aunt Hester's mys-
teriously-hidden fortune.
How the girls heart throbbed with
JOY and gratitude. A thousand visions
sprang up before her, framing them
selves into air castles, faltering, then
vanishing and drifting silently affair, as
| they came.
'What boundless wealth." she whis-
pered to herself, hardly daring to trust
her senses for fear the reality would
vanish into dream. us it a dream?"
But no! it could no be-there it was
the clustered harvest before her, I'M
changeable still, and real.
Out, out into the street fastened the
Happy girl, into the din and hustle, past
the great warehouses that looked up
giant-like in the distance, picking her
way through the traffic about her, down
one avenue, then another, until foot
sore and weary she reached the out
skirts of the city. AT the terminus OF
a road, before a poor-looking cottage
that bespoke the poverty of its inhabi-
tant, Faith paused. Here dwelt her
sister-the once beautiful and proud
Maud-friendless and forsaken by
every one except the trusty little sister.
Fate had strewn her path with thorns
Of misfortune. Faith had entered and
found her listlessly gazing out of the
small window that fronted the barren
fields beyond. MAUD Maud! You
shall be happy again-you are rich
here take it! 1t is yours" And
in another moment Faith had
thrown herself and her precious
burden about her sisters neck, and was
weeping tears of Joy. Then she told
her how the dear old Bible had proven
faithful, how its pages had brought her
heavenly riches and worldly wealth.
And Maud listened, in silence, Of the
wOndrous book that had hidden in it
the harvest of gain," and Aunt Hes
ter's "hidden treasure so dear to the
hearts of mOrtals."
In the beautiful home of advanced
thought lives Faith and her husband.
With them, contented and happy,
dwells Maud, their sister, for she never
could be brought to accept aught of
| that harvest which her sister alone had
reaped and won.
Their home is one of splendor and
elegance; yet, conspicuous above all
its luxury, upon a simple stand lies a
simple old book, its leathern back gold
en-lettered with three simple words:
Faith TWINS Legacy"