Connecticut western news., 1881-08-03
AUNT SABRINA'S TREASURE
BY RUTH CHESTERFIELD.

There was great disappointment among the heirs-at-law when Aunt Sabrina died suddenly, for she had been reputed rich, but in the light of legal investigation her possessions had dwindled down to few thousands and the house and grounds inherited from her father. -
 Why she was reputed rich it was difficult to say, for she had lived simply, and had held herself aloof from society. Her father, Col. Henderson, had been a stauneh patriot in time of the Revolu- tion, but his brother Boyd was Tory, and betook himself to England when the first hostile gun was fired, where he was afterward knighted.
 Strange to say, Sabrina, who was at that time young and beautiful, sympathized with her uncle, though some said this was not so much from loyalty to King George as from loyalty to one of his officers.
 Very certain it is that she was once arrested for giving aid and comfort to the enemy by means of secret informa- tion, and was only released out of respect to her father, who promised to deliver her up with his own hands if she ever sinned in like manner again.
 In process of time the war came to an end, and so did Col. Henderson and his contemporaries. The British officer never appeared to claim his bride, and Aunt Sabrina grew old in s1ngle-blessed- ness.
 And now, she too was dead, and another head-stone of slate was added to the row in the family lot.
 As I said, there was disappointment among the heirs, chief of whom was Sabrina's favorite nephew Anson, to whom fell the house and most of the money. He shared the general i'm pression concerning Aunt Sabrina's wealth. He knew that she had received letters from the Tory uncle, Sir Boyd, while he lived, and believed he had bequeathed her something at his death.
 He moreover believed that the title to this inheritance, if not the inheritance itself was contained in certain cabinet which Aunt Sabrina had always guarded with jealous care.
 It was not known that any mortal eye beside her own had ever looked inside it, and he had once seen her defend it with absolute fierceness from the in- spection of her father, the colonel.
 The key was found tied round her neck with black cord after her death, and was immediately captured but the cabinet was nowhere to be found, although the house was ransacked from top to bottom.
 Then, after much the usual experiences of life, Anson died and was gathered te his fathers and his aunts. He left 2 widow and a son-a second Anson-whc was at the same time the pride and the torment of his mothers life l.; her pride because he was a bright, strong, hand some boy; her torment, because he wal as headstrong and manageable little sprite as ever lived. What he wanted to do, he did; what it did not suit hin to do, he left undone.
 Unfortunately, the story of Aunt Sa brina's lost cabinet had taken stron. hold of his imagination, which is no greatly to be wondered at, since he ha' heard it repeated from his earliest in fancy with such additions and emenda tions as time and tradition are sure t effect.
 The probability that it contained
 treasure became to his mind certainty When he was four years old, he was on day missed, greatly to the alarm of hi parents, and just as they were on tn !! point of summoning the town crier,
 servant found the child behind the gres
 chimney in the garret, searching fc
 Aunt Sabrina's cabinet.
 ; By the time that he was ten, th
 marks of his little hatchet were foun , in every part of the house where board or timber gave promise of havin hollow space behind it. As he gre ! older, the conviction which had so earl taken possession of him became man
 which bade fair to be the making, or tl : marring, of his future life. He was fifteen when his father die , bequeathing him the estate which, aft ! the English fashion, he, the fathe
 wish cd tn keen in the Handarsnn nam