The Brookhaven leader., 1883-03-01


riosity. BY the way, did you say how
much interest you allowed on such de-
posits as come within your limitP"
Five per cent, madam"
Thank you. / only asked for curl
osity. What beautiful morning it is,
and the widow tripped lightly out.
Shortly after the elder entered.
"How's business, Mr.. Cashier?" he
inquired.
"About as usual"
"Had many deposits lately?"
"None of any magnitude"
81 brought over woman this morn
ing who seemed to have business with
you"
"The Widow Hayes?"
eyes"
"Do you know" asked the cashier,
"whether she had any money left her
lately ?"
"None that l know OF" said the eld-
er, pricking up his ears. Why, did
she deposit any?"
"No; but she inquired whether We
received deposits as high as $4,000"
"Indeedp calculated theeldcr. SIS
that all she came for ?" he inquired, a
moment afterward.
"No, she exchanged gold piece for
bills"
"Ha pIpondered the elder, reflect
lively. "Did she give any reason for
her inquiries?"
"No, she said she only asked for Curl
osity.. ~,
The elder left the bank in deep
To 70 fhn lno
that this curiosity only yelled deeper
motive. He Low no longer entertained
a doubt that the widow had found POT
of gold in her cellar. and appearances
seemed to indicate that its probable val
ne was at least equal to $4,000. The
gold piece which she had exchanged at
the bank appeared to confirm this the
ory.
81 rather think" said the elder to
himself, complacently, 81 can see into q
milestone about as far as most people. J"
A statement, the literal truth of which
defy any one to question, though as to
the prime fact of people being able to
see into milestone at all doubts have
now and then thrust themselves upon
my mind.
The next Sunday the Widow Hayes
appeared at church in a new and stylish
bonnet, which led to some such remarks
as these:
How much vanity some people have,
to be sure p
"How a woman that has to keep
boarders for living can afford to dash
out in such bonnet is more than can
tell. I should think she was old enough
to know better"
This last remark was made by young
lady just six months younger than The
widow, and whose attempts to catch q
second husband had hitherto proved ut
terly unavailing.
"I suppose" continued the same
young lady, "she is trying to catch a
first husband with her finery. Before
drown myself"
In this last amiable speech the young
lady had unwittingly hit upon the true
motive. The widow was intent upon
catching Elder Boyd, and she INDUCED
in a costly bonnet, not because she sup
posed the elder would be caught with
fnery, but because this would strength
en- in his mind the idea that she had
stumbled upon hidden wealth. The
widow calculated shrewdly, and the dis
play had the effect she anticipated.
Monday afternoon, the elder found an
errand that called him over to the
widows. It chanced to be just about
iea- time. He was importuned to stay to
tea, and, somewhat to his own surprise,
sctually did.
The polite widow, who knew the eld-
us weak point, brought one of her best
mince pies, o piece OF which her guest
partook of with zest.
you'll take another piece, I know"
said she persuasively.
Really, I am ashamed" said the eld-
er but he passed his plate. "The fact
is, he said apologetically, "your pies
are 80 nice I don't know when to STOP"
"Do you call those nice?" said the
widow, modestly. "I call them COM
mon. I can make good mince pies
when I set out to. but this time l didn't
have as good luck as usual"
"I shouldn't want any BETTER" said
the elder, emphatically.
"Then l hope, if you like them, you
will drop in to tea often. We ought to
be more neighborly. Elder Boyd"
Elder Boyd assented, and he meant
what he said. The fact is, the elder
began to think that the widow was very
charming woman. She was very comely,
and then she was such an excellent
cook. Besides, he had no doubt in his
own mind that she was worth consid-
erable sum of money. What objection
could there be to her becoming Mrs.
Boyd? He brought this question be-
fore her one evening. The widow blushed,
protesting to be greatly surprised. In
fact, she had never thought of such
thing in her life, but, on the whole, she
had always thought highly of the elder,
and, to cut the matter short, she ac-
cepted him. A month afterward she
was installed as mistress of the elders
large house, somewhat to the surprise
of the village people, who could not con-
ceive how she had brought him over.
Some weeks after the ceremony, the eld-
er ventured to inquire about the pot of
gold which she had found in the cellar.
SPOT of gold |" she exclaimed, in sur
prise; at know of none"
"But, said the elder, disconnected,
"you asked me about whether the law
could claim it.
"Oh, Lor', elder. I only asked for Gu
riosity."
"And was that the reason you made
inquiries at the bank 2"
"Certainlyl What else could it be y
The elder went out to the barn, and
for half an hour sat in silent meditation.
At the end of that time he calculated,
as closing consideration