Weston weekly leader. [volume] (Weston, Umatilla County, Or.) 1878-189?, 1885-05-15
AKIDDEN TREASURE.

he great, gloomy, cherries room,
through whose small paned windows
one caught glimpse OF a view not
altogether ealivening.
A long stretch Of barren land,
great sterile fields at right and left
of the stopping old brown farm
house, which locked as if it we're
ashamed Of it's own existence, and
would haYe hidden from the gaze
Of critic4l eyes, as it crouched at
the foe5 Of a slopins hiii covered
with. dead verdure.
Masgaetite ArnaId's seft browa
eyes followed the tlisoonsoiate gaze
Of her mother's, then she choked
back q sob which threatened to
break down the barriers of her SELF
control, and smiled bravely into her
mothers worn, anxious face.
"But, mamma" she cried, cat
least it is eur own. Think what
relief to be forever rid Of land
lords and exorbitant rents. There
isn't much beauty about the place,
to be sure; but Uncle Jared be-
queathed it 10 you, and since poor
papa could leave us nothing, this
little brown house alone stands be-
tween us and absolute want. And,
mamma darling, we will soon fit up
the old house comfortably. Wait
until we have familiar objects about
US, these bare floors carpeted, our
piano and books and pictures, hang
some lace curtains before these
ugly windows, and scatter vases of
flowers about, and with a bit of a
fire in the big freplaces night and
morning, you will be surprised at
the change, and pronouncs me a
veritable fairy"
$50 you are," said Mrs. Arnold,
leviaglv. "Heaven only knows
what [ would have done with you,
my child. Yeu have besn my only
comfort in my trials. Such sorrow
and affliction as we have endured
within the past few months! First
your peor, dear fathers death, then
the discovery that we were penni-
less! How my heart sank when
we learned the bitter truth and
knew the worst"
Eyes, mamma; but EVERY dark
cloud has silver lining" quoted
the girl bravely, "and we must not
forget Gods goodness, and how,
right at the darkest hour of our
lives, when we stood bewildered by
the gloom all around US, we were
informed of this bequest to yen, this
farm in the backwoods Of Alabama
And, although I admit that it i:
humble, there's no place like home
you know. And | prefer to live
in cabin, untramneled by th'
shackles of debt, than have a palace
home, which, after all, is not justly
ours, and where we would fee
every day of our lives that we wer
defrauding papa's creditors Of thei
Just dues. So let US be brave, N,
mother, and make the best Of tn
situation. [ will procure help t.
work the little farm, and a woman
to attend to the household affairs
you will teach music and enbroio
cry while ] conduct my little schoo
and we will soon be above wan,
After all, we have great deal t
be thankful for"
And Marguerite Arnold wen
oheerfulIy to work to make the oil
house as cozy and comfortable 8
t possible, hiding from her mother
. watchful eyes, the sorrow that We
! gnawing away at her heart string
.'Alas, the heart knoweth its ow
!. bitterness" and Marguerite ceul
not tell her mother of her hidde
grief. That Lawrence Allen WI
6 false to her, seemed more than tt
girl could endure.
In comparison with that sorro'
e the evils of poverty dwindled in
IS insignifcance. And yet VIII
II meant the long silence which Is
l. between them like a shadow
'e For she had not heard from hi
L. not. line, even-in long, wea
l. weeks, ever since be had said fa1
'e we'll to her, his betrothed wife, al
f. had gone to Lyndehurst College
lie accept the prodered position of pl
a. fessor. True, Marguerite and h
'e mother had removed to Alabar
ly Immediately after#ard, but S
knew that his letters would be fl
I'd warded to her new address, and
an ready she had received several, b
,v none from Lyndehurst not Ii
Ie from Lawrence Allen. He W
nj false-he mast be false! If a NJ
Of loves woman, and is assured
70 her love IN return, no matter
= distance that divides them. S
nj, felt this to be true, and her pre-
so. heart quivered with shame and
sr, euish, to think that she had b.
:; deceived, and that he had gro
las weary of her SO soon.
But, ne matter what she ,
fated to endure, her mother n
not know. Her cup was aires
he full of sorrow, and Marguerite
he termined to shield her from fut
:::y suffering as much as lay in
IL IL pcwer. So she fitted about
he old house with cheerful, hope
of words and gentle smiles, encoul
fly ing her mother as much IS posi-
~ 5 1t was astonishing to view the
.ct, tamerphesis in the ugly bro
ces farmhouse under Marguerits's
tn, hands: with the assistance of
zen stout maid of all work, it soon
the came quite honne-like. A man
isn engaged to cultivate the barren
ach field lying back of the house; a
en- II flowers in the doorway made ,
ler. derful difference, and before RI
,sia wee ks had elapsed, the place