Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1890-10-23
A POT OF GOLD.
Tt Was Found Down in the Old
South Lot.

"Tho storm s just about over, Mollie.
can see the rainbow"
"Then you can bring in an armful of
wood, Hiram" came from Mollio's voice
in tho kitchen. This waters never
goin' to boil"
at does beat all how some folks mako
money" Hiram continued. Seem to
pick it right up off the ground, some
way. They say there's pot of gold at
the end of every rainbow; | wish ! could
find one of 'em, that's all"
''Are you going after that wood,
Hiram Briggs?" demanded Mollie, APP
pearing in the doorway "lf you don't
you won't get your pot of coffee for
breakfast an l reckon you'll miss that
more'n you will tho pot of gold that's
at tho end of that rainbow"
ooh, I'm goin', Mollie! You're al
ways in sech hurry about every
thing!" exclaimed Hiram, testify, drag
ging his lank figure to its full height
and sauntering off toward tho wood
pile.
spot of gold, indeedr' said Mollie to
herself as she returned to her work "lf
there was pot of gold in every acre of
the farm Hiram Briggs'd never dig
deep enough to find it. lo might a
had deal moro gold out of it than he
has if he'd "a dug a little harder"
"Aro you goin' to the south lot this
morning, Hiram9" sho asked at break
fast. Hiram was slow in replying.
-"Well, you see" he began at last, I'm
rather afraid that'll have to wait till
afternoon. There's somc men prom
ised to meet down to the village"
Mollie madc no reply. twas not much
for ten years experience of Hiram
Briggs character to have taught her
that replying was apt to make matters
worse instead of better.
''The fact is, Mollie," he said, as he
rose, "l've about decided to sell the old
farm and investin somethin' paying. l
can't stand any moro of this cverlast-
in drudgery!" lie looked at her with a
little apprehension. Mollio had risen
and stood confronting him with blazing
eyes. The thought flashed across him
that Mollie was handsome woman.
sell tho farm!" she cried, sell the
place where l was born an where my
father was born before me! That you
shan't! Not one inch of ground or stick
of timber. May be you have the right
in law" She held mp her hand as he
was about to speak, "but you know you
haven't the real right, and I'll never let
you do it, never!"
Hiram's only reply was a strong slam
of the door as he passed through. She
watched him cross the orchard and
strillc'into the road leading to the viii
lago. She watched him as far as she
could SEQ him. and then turned to her
work with a sigh.
81 don't know how itll end" she
thought dtearily. "Tm tired Of fight
ing and scelding, but III fight to the
very end before he shall sell my father S
farm, she finished, with fierce, tears in
her eyes.
Hiram did not come home to dinner,
but that did not alarm Mollio, He very
often did not como home to dinner
when thorc was a south lot waiting fol
him. Night camc and still he did not
return, but ho had even staid away q
night before now, so at midnight she
closed tho house and went to bed.
MAY be / said more than | need,
she thought, as she blew out the light
Toward evening of the. next day q
man sauntered up to the house. ''BC
you Mis- Briggs?" he. asked of Mollie
eagerly watching from the door.
"Yos," she said. WHAT'S ftp"
"Wall,I got letter r somethin' fel
ye," fumblng in his ragged pockets.
"Wail swan" he exclaimed finally
''ef heven't lost itv'
i 3''Lostit!n cried Mollie; "where'd YOU
get it?'
+. .'Wall, Hi Briggs sed ef l was aeon
in your way some time to-day nigh
bring it. He said as how 'twould expla'I
itself, an to tell you tibet he was a-goin
after the pot of gold under the rainbow
r some sech stuff"
The next day Mollie folded ari
packed away Hiram's clothes. IF h
don't como back till no finds his pot o
gold" she thought, ''ho1l never conn
, back at all, and if he comes back with
out it ho'll need EN-"
. II wonder what could have been il
: the letter." she thought She was sool
. to know
/; In less than q week buggy drove u
to the door, a man alighted and tied hi
horse, and Mollie opened the door'fo
him with strange feelings of foreboding
: What he told her was what shc-ha'
already dimly suspected, that Hiram
. had mortgaged the farm months befor
! and invested the money in mining stock
j The mortgage was due and had not bee
paid, and homeleSsness stared Mollie il
the face.
For few moments she was stunned
but the natural courage that had born
her through so many trials soon nc
turned to her, and with it plan where
by she might save her inheritance frer
the consequences of her husbands folly
, She would run the farm herself and pa
Of the mortgage with the proceeds
IsmaY have been the tears in Mo-