The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-07-05
TREASURE TROYE.

TREASURE TR0VE.
"Our own house, Jackr cried Mrs.
Jelf, in perfect gale of glee, as she
danced about and elapped her hands
like thirteen-year-old child.
.'Our very own," said Mr.. jeff, nod
ding his head complacently, with
the tritiing exception of a mortgage Of
sixty pounds"
But we shall soon pay that"
''Yes, we shall soon pay that"
''Six rooms" said the wife, running
from one end to the other of her do
mains, peeping into closets and ex
amining cupboards with truly bird
like velocity of motion-''six whole
rooms. Jack-kItchen, parlor, two bed
rooms, studio, and dining-room! Who
could possibly want more? Jack, we
are rich! Look at those purple-tOpped
hills rolling on to the west; see the
magnificent plain on the east. You'll
paint the grandest pictures evel
dreamed of! Anybody would be in
spired in snch an atmosphere as this
And you will be famous, and l shall
shine through your reflected lustre
The wife of a great artist, Jelf!' That's
what people will call me, and oh, how
proud shall ber'
But" said Jack, smiling affection.
ately down on Nanny's plump face
where's your servants room? You
seem to have left that out of your cal
culations entirely"
Servants room, indeed! Who wants
a servants room, when we aren't going
to have any serVant?" nodded Mrs
Jelf. Aunt Prue and l have planned
to do the work between us. Such
economists as we're going to be
There's only one pity-that the
water-supply is so far away from the
house. Lnoki the stream is clear of
under that knot of willows!"
'.Whewm cried Mr.. Jelf, craning hi,
neck to look out of the top row of win
dow-panes. "Do you mean to say thai
all the water has got to be brought
from that placer"
Except what we catch in the hogs
head at the kitchen caves"
THAT won't do" said Jelf. 81 com.
prehend now how the place came to bt
sold so cheap. The man that lived
here last had three wives, and buried
every one of 'em. l understand thai
now. Nan, what fools we have been
Why didn't we enquire into the hy
draulic side of the question before We
bought this place?"
I'VE supposed everybody must havt
water" sighed Nanny.
"Never mind, dear; I'll bring in {
supply every morning before 1 go to
my studio" encouraged jeff.
And what is to become of you
nicely of chand steadiness of hand?'
cried Nanny, aghast,
well, who is to bring it, thenP YOU
or Aunt Prue?"
I'VE can lay pipes to the kitcher
sink" suggested Mrs Jelf.
its uphill all the way, with not al
ounce of pressure to be had"
just then Aunt Prue came beamine
..Eurekal'' cried she. 81 have found
itl''
Found what?" cried both the married
lovers.
THE teeniest little spring, close tc
the stone wall by the beach just
thread of water, but the purest anC
sweetest you ever tasted. l had to holC
a gourd-shell under it for five minutes
for drink of water, but"
Then" sighed Nanny, lit won't dt
us any good. One can't spend one'
whole time drawing water"
Wont it, thought" said MIR. Jelf
"We'll dig a we'll"
"A wellr' cried Nanny, clasping he
hands together. "Why has no on
ever thought of this before? A we'll
and SO handy to the kitchen-door! ANT
We'll have the curb painted rust.
orange, and delightful old-fashione'
well-sweep, and"
mo, we won'tr' said Aunt Prue
who served as balance-wheel in tn
erratic machinery of this artisti
young household. .We'n have
boxed in with pipes into the house, ant
a faucet to turn on"
..Well we'll have water, anyhow,
said Nanny, "but isn't it dreadful joI
to dig a well, Jack, dear?"
Ill soon find out whether it is o
not" cheerfully remarked Mr.. Jelf
I'D as soon spend my time in digging
as in carrying water half mile day
rain OF shine"
but wells have to be stoned up, don
they? And you don't know anythin:
about stoning up a WE'LL" wisely re
marked Nanny.
..Very well, then. I'll exchange wOr
with some of the fellows hereabout
that do understand it,"
So the troublesome water question
was settled; the jeff family move
their little belongings into Sedg
Cottage, as Nanny christened the ne,
abode, and Mr.. Jelf before he even lai
in solitary background of his believe
canvases, began to dig under the pink
blossoms of the old apple-tree, wher
the moisture turned the grass to
more vivid green and the bright drop
soaked away among the roots OF tn
violets.
After a day or two, however, h
systematised his work more carefully
daylight is daylight" ;" said he. g
can paint by the light of the sun, an
I'll put in the time digging before tn
moon sets.
Il wonder you hadn't thought @
that before" said Nanny, who wa
diligently sewing together the breadth
of her new ingram carpet, while Aun
Prue polished the windows and kel
watch over the bubbling dinner-pot o
| the stove.
When she and Aunt Prue had tn
kitchen tidied up, and the ingram cal
pet nicely tackled on the parlor-tioor,
ten o'clock that night. they went int
the spring moonlight to see how Jac
was getting on in his self-imposed tasi
To their surprise he was not alOni
Half-a-dozen stalwart men, in various
lly-eolored shirt-sleeyes and diyel