The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-18

the shekels, but only in the spirit of the
Yankee who lost a cent and spent three
days hunting for ii, and when twitted
about 1t, said he didn't care nothin' bout
the cent, but he'd like to know where
the darned thing went to-"
Chris" said Winifred, poring over
large picture which was glued to the
inside of the desk lid, isn't this
funny? See this long-walsted lady
talking to the sworded gallants, her hair
isn't much longer than theirs; and see
this horse walking with his hind legs
and trotting-no, galloping-with his
forelegs. And see the ship in the back
ground, apparently stranded in syl-
van grove but l suppose We are expected
to understand that this brook in the
foreground winds through these woods
and in the course of a few minutes
walk becomes many miles wide and
deep enough to float a large ship.
And what an odd inscriptions: A
view Of EXton park, belonging to the
Rt. Houble, the earl of Gainesborough,
to whom this plate is inscribed by his
lordship's most duriful and most obedt
serVt. r. Smith l suppose this is L.
Smith sitting ON the bank with sketch
ing book in his hand, absorbing AT his
leisure the lovely effects OF the deer, the
waterfall, the rowboat ON the river ana
the castle in the background. see
that the fashion of docking horses talls
is not at all modern, for these poor
things have their tails docked, and the
picture is dated October, 1764. Do you
suppose it is really as old as that?"
Very likely"
Chris" continued she, "this picture
is a curiosity. Let's have it framed"
Certainly, If you wish
81 will unglue it carefully and you
shall take 1t in town for suitable
frame and glass, and / will hang it-let
me see-in the upper hall between the
windows
"As my lady pleases."
His lady forthwith pleased herself by
ordering hot water and various cloths
and towels and sponges, and with these
appliances went through process OF
soaking and loosening the picture,
which left its old quarters with some
reluctance. She finally lifted 1t dain-
tily by it's moistened edges and laid II,
time-stained, yellow, but unharmed, on
the table. At the moment she dld TINS
she saw another paper, also yellow ana
time-stained, which the removal OF the
picture had brought to light.
What Is that?' inquired Chris.
Winifred carefully smoothed out her
picture before glancing at her nus
band. He was standing entirely mo-
tionless, looking at the paper
"Winifred," he said, II believe
you're a witchn
Certainly" said Winifred; "can
you doubt it?'
"This paper, unless am attacked
by softening of the brain, which seems
| to me very probable, was secreted by
Uncle John and tells the whereabouts
of the debatable money"
Really, Chris? Really? l don't be-
| lieVe it,"
Listen to what the old gentleman
says: AS | have q comfortable home
and am in no present need OF money,
| l shall put three Thousand dollars
| in gold at the bottom of the well OF
Dancing Damaris, which my half-
| brother is now engaged in filling up.
At my death, when this paper will be
| found, the money shall go to Christie
pher Schuyler. Signed John Vande-
water SCHUYLER The spelling is phon-
etic. Can this be authentic? Winifred,
| is this q hoax you have arranged for
my benefit?"
'T?' said Winifred, Indignantly.
"How can you say such thing"
"How absurd it would be for me
to go hunting up well that disappear
ed from sight fifty years ago"
mo matter, you must do It, cried
Winifred. But suppose there has been
house built over it, All sorts of things
| may have occurred since then!
81 happen to know that the site OF
the old we'll is nearly if not qite in
the middle of old Mr.. Murphy's potato
patch"
"Dreadfully unromantic.' sighed
Winifred. But, oh. to relieve my mind
do, dear Chris, go and dig"'
ITO dig | am ashamed, l must con-
fess, for such purpose in the nine
teenth century, but shall never know
peace if don't, for l shall always think
there laid fortune to my hand and
l would not grasp it,
"Oh, yes, of course you must lnVes'
tigate"
AS a side issue the tale of Christoph'
ers dealings with Mr.. Murphy became
a standing joke with the young couple
The astute son of Erin, who could Meth
er read nor write, nevertheless succeed
ed I'm obtaining double the worth of his
potato patch from the young man, who
deemed 1t best to purchase the land be-
fore digging in it.
Then one day the daily papers related
a romantic tale of the discovery of Ger
tain hidden treasures in an old unused
well. The types set the amount at s
very large sum, but Christopher ant
Winifred knew it was neither more MOI
less than the sum mentioned by Uncle
John; yet not inconsiderable addition
to the income of the poor StoryWright.
"Winifred," said christopher one day
"how does it happen that you do not In
quire about the landscape you wanted
framed?'
81 forgot it," confessed Winifred
when one becomes unexpectedly pos
sessed of fortune, one forgets lesse
things"
Chris took his wife by the hand, lie,
her to a sofa, sat down beside her witt
his arm around her and with her hea,
on his shoulder Qet 1t not be forgotten
as some palllation of this conduct, tina
they were very lately married) thus re
lated:
when I took the landscape to b
framed the dealer asked various ques
tions about 1t, and finally said he woul