The Penn's Grove record., 1882-04-01
PENIS GROVE, SALEM COUNTY. N. j., SATURDAY, APRIL l, 1882.

trusted her small property, had usec
IL in speculation and lost 1t all. Sh,
had, as we knew, sold all her jewelry
and valuable furniture, and the OILY
thing left us was our century plant
She had thought of this, and stopped
at a florists to try and dispose of it SC
we should not suffer until she could
get some work. Fortunately, she met
there a gentleman who would give
fifty dollars Tor a plant in full bloom,
and he was to come that very evening
to take it away.
1--WE could hardly believe this
strange news. To think that she had
sold our dear old plant! No wonder
she cried. We'cried too. How could
we part with it? Every day of our
young lives we had sc ZEN it and tended
it SO lovingly. 1t did indeed seem like
selling one Of our own selves. 1t was
the last of the treasures of u home,
the last thing that hound us to the
happy past"
"In a few minutes there was a
knock at the door, and mamma open
ed 1T to admit a gentleman who was
followed by two stout negroes. He had
a kind, pleasant face, and spoke very
politely to mamma, saying that he
had never seen q finer plant.
Mamie watched him very closely,
and saw her shut her lips in a way
she had when she was thinking
hard. Then she stepped forward and
asked him if we could not keep the
jar. The gentleman smiled down at
brave little Nan, and she told him
how it had belonged to our grandma,
and how much we loved it and the
beautiful plant too. And, sir she
added, looking up at him with very
bright, earnest brown eyes, you can
get another jar, but we a never have
another like this.' How proud we,
Julie and J, were of Mamie thenl We
looked eagerly at the gentleman.
"He spoke very kindly, laying his
hand on Nannie's curly head:
"'True, my little child. You shall
keep your jar. Here, James, turning
to the men, go yer to Palmer's and
get that brown stone tub we looked
at this morning. Be quick
Then he sat down and talked with
us all very pleasantly, and In a few
minutes the man came back with the
tub. They loosened the earth care
fully from the sides of the jar. 1t was
not an easy thing to do, for the leaves
We're so long and prickly, but the gen.
tleman took off his gloves and helped
them, while we looked on with great
interest.
"At last it was all free and they
lifted 1t out. They moved it slowly
and steadily SO the earth should not be
shaken away from the roots, bat just
As they were about 10 set it into the
stone tub, some of the earth gave way
and something heavy fell to the floor.
1t was a small tin box, three or four
inches square, and as many deep. And
what do you think it was? Mamma
opened it and there fell out a little
piece of paper. 1t was yellow and
faded, but still could be easily read.
"The Indians are coming. 1 dare
not take this with me so leave it here.
If don't come back you will find it
some day. JULIA DURAND."
sour grandmother! Yes, it must
be! When she saw the red men COM
ing she must have buried her little
box of treasure In the jar with the
century plant. All these years the
faithful old plant had Kept its secret
well.
"We all gathered about, and man
ma emptied the box in her lap. There
was a good deal of money, more than
we had seen for many a long day.
Golden English sovereigns and
guineas, Spanish doubloons, and a
few bank notes folded in the bottom
of the box. Besides these, there was
some valuable jewelry that our grand
mother had brought from England.
ut seemed too good to be true, just
like a real fairy tale! We could keep
our dearly-loved plant, and our
little need not work so hard
any more.
1--WE had a gay jubilee that evening,
and you may be sure that the century
plant and its quaint blue jar had a
large share of honor. But bark
there comes papa" and the children
ran away to tell him the wonderful
story,