River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-07-15
IN THE OLD WE'LL.

ediah never was known to help any
body said Phiney Metz. despOndently
But we might ask him. Tina
wouldn't cost anything" said her sis
ter Tilda. who sat on the table. swing
ing her pretty. shabby little feet 10 ans
fro in a perplexed fashion
Josephine and Matilda those wer,
the real names of those browu-faced
sturdy little lassies who were trying Il
battle in the hard. uncompromising
world Old Mr. Metz was dead; tn,
Metz farm had passed into other
hands and all the distant relatives had
made up their minds that Phiney art
Tilda were really no business of theirs
There was only IL in the slender
purse, which belonged to their join;
firm, and something. they felt. must b,
done And so their thoughts reverted
% an ancient grand-uncle; one Jede-
,i.ah Jackson, y no had gone 10 Har.
7 p.r~si.,e aud there vcgetated in dim
o.d jeN,lry-shop. where he mendod
. WA eh,~. replated white ware. and re-
Pair,! damaged Spectacles for sll the
.'3 gentlemen and ladies in the neigh.
uorhDJd
TO Uncle Jedediah they went went
He viewed them with lack-luster eyes.
with magnifying glass in one hand
auj a channels leather in the other
En-" said he. My niece Mary
daughter? Ii seems To me do remem-
her ~omething about her diving ami
tlc- beinga lawsuit about the farm.
t.ra,r gone. too-eh? Well. wei, this
!, !, world Of changes.
Il you could find something for us
lo 10. Uncle Jedediah." family began
Phiney.
There always something for peo-
pc 40 DO in this world. At least that 5
my experience. Take of your bon
nets. -irl- You are welcome TO a
hone here, such as it is he said.
Uncle Jedediah was very kind in an
odd. ab~eut-minded way. 10 his grand
Hi.cc~- IL obtained place rs shop
Eiri -: rEiuey. and kept Tilda ut home
~ hIu>eNeeper and general factotum
aud tGc fresh, rosy country girls lost
never "a shade of bloom in the quaint
city home.
Two le3fy trees whispered over the
window where hung the watches
auu Eyeglasses. and Just opposite the
door singular depression ia the pave
meh; held the light July rains long after
,hcy tad dried away from the other
places
.Uurie Jsdediah why don I you have
that place filled up2' said Phinev.
My dear. have; but the pavement
settles again. Its the site of an old
well that used 10 be here long before
the houses were built. answered the
old man.
1t cant be healthy" said Tilda.
III amt unhealthy .hst ever found
oJ.. said Uncle Jedediah, searching
uouy 1 drawer fun Of tiny screws
t.r some desired variety of spiral
The next morning was SUNDAY All
the simple household slept an hour or
so later on this day OF rest, a gener-
al thing, - thai the sun was shining
through ;he shutter cracks of the little
sop Wien Phiney came to call her
uncle 90 breakfast. But, to her sur
pri>o. ne faded morcen lounge upon
which hc usually slept was empty; ne
sat IN an armchair near the pickering
ga,.ght which ShOnc 80 yellow and
muTky in contrast with the golden
morning beams bending over his
work
Uncle Jedcdiah. didn't YOU know
that it was sunday cried Phiney in
dismay
Bat Uncle .Iedediah did not answer
her. lie never spoke another word in
this world. lie was quite dead.
The place. the property. and all
were left To wiudfall. for Uncle Jede-
dIah Jackson had always been an hon
est. harj-workiug man.
What are we 20 do" said Tilda.
We cant carry on the business Of
repairing iewelry. said Phiney.
But while the girls were considering
various offers a strange thing came To
pass. Matilda came down to breakfast
one morning with q troubled face.
.-Phiuey, / have had such a dreadful
dream. said She
"Oh. Tilda dear. so have ~ ex-
claimed Josephine
II uclc Jedcdiah2' gaSpcd Tilda.
..lc-, Uncle Jcdediah Looking 1T
me a. pale a death. and trying To tell
me something. only no sound issued
from his lips said Phincy.
..Uncl, Jeicdiah. with a little rusty
old pickaN. trying todig up the paving
stones over tine old well, said Iilda.
"Nhat do You suppose it means,
Tiida2" asked her sister.
.'Oa, dear | don't know. cried
Tiida, wTingin@ her hands, "but
shall not res, quietly until we have had
the OLD well opened.
Phiuev and Tilda summoned two or
three >talwaTt men and set them TO
digging Aud they dug steadily for
nearly half day.
Halo" cried one of the red-shirted
giants. whose head had long ago dis
appeared below the level Of the pave
ment. here's an old iron kettle.
soldered up as light rs a brick-bat!
And its as heavy as if il was weighted
with lead. Look alive, up there
There Won are
II was the ola larry story over AGAIN.
4 pot Of buried treasure the savings
Of Uncle Jedcdiah's lifetime hidden
in the aried-up well.
They excavated the whole front of
the store. but found nothing els. except
mould aud creeping beetles; and The
next week they commenced the work
of tearing down the ancient structure,
from which, PhTniX-like. a dry goods
emporium was about 10 rise.
There was not 50 much money IN the
iron pot. after all; only about one hun
bred pounds in old silver coins. But
that.with the price paid 10 our two her
Dimes by the emporium company, made
theu Independent.
Then they went back to the little
country village aud sought back tn,
homestead. settling quietly down there
for life. 10 the great delight Of all the
relatives. who. if their own testimony
could ae believed. had not experienced
happy moment since Matilda and
Josephine had gone away.
And when they marrled-a> marry
81 curse they did and entered on the
sweet .iugd0m Of homes of their own,
they Hc=sr forgot good L ncle Jededlah
Mrs. stanton on Dress.
Mrs. Elizabeth Cadv Stanton contin
ues to pour her yials upon the topic Of