The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-11-15
TCCPYRIeHT, 1921


the southern end of the isthmus
which keeps the Atlantic foam from
ridirg into Tough Fintragh, small,
aari1-watered nook niched in the
shadow of steep mountain slopes. An
pther murkier shadow broOded over it
In the opinion of the Kennys, who. like
most of their neighbOrs, at least half
believed that its recesses harbored a
n1oasIrcus indweller. Their thin
white house stood fronting the sea-
shore, with narrow grazing strip
behind, while their yard and sheds
lay along the dwindling isthmus,
which becomes a mere reef-like bar
d powders and single before it
again touches the mainland. In calm
weather Joe Kenny might see his I'M
imposing ricks reflected from ridge to
butt, with CLEANS OF Ochre and amber
and gold in both salt and fresh water,
but in stormy times, which came
oftener, It might befall him to witness
h less pleasing spectacle of hay wisps
md straw stocks strewn bodily, float
ing aaG soaking on the wastcful
waves. So he was not surprised to find
that this had happened when he
walked out one December morning
after wild night, whose clustering
had mingled menace with his dreams
Despite its ciose-meshed roping and
shick fringe Of dangling stone weights,
,hc more exposed haystac1 had been
sericusly wrecked and pilIaged. "Och,
bad cess to tho ould win and its whilla-
halloos,~ said Joe, as he surveyed the
distorted outlines and made a ruefuI
estimate of the damage. IF / got
the chance 90 slit its bastely bellows
Coz it 'taould be apt to keep its
huff an putin quiet for one while
it would So" This was not, how
ever, .he limit of his losses. Pres
emily he stood looking vcNcdly over
the doo- of half-roofed shed, which
contained a good deal of sea water
11id weed; also 4 very small red calf
Rn2 z large jellyfsh. The calf was
drowned dead. but the jellyish seem
sngly lived as much as usual '-Eyah,
get ont wild you, You unnathural-look
IN blob of a baSte," said Joe. giving
1his improbable addition to MS stock
D. ,contumel;ous flick with his black
fhorn- There's another good fifteen
shiilin's gone on me. I'd never ha'.
thought 'twould ha' tux and stopped
over the wall that way. Sorra the bit
Of Christmas box Ill be able to con-
thrive her this year, and that's a fac;
and to-morra fair day and all-weary
Oh it,
Her" was Rose OMeara, Joe's sweet
heart; and since he had long looked
forward to the opportunity of the
Christmas gift as likely to bring about
a favorable crisis in his courtship, the
falling through of his plan made him
feel dejectedly out of humor, in which
unenjoyable mood he strolled on to-
wards the pigstye. Traces of the spent
storm lay ali around him. The tide
had receded some way, but the waves
were fast by, still kissing and seething,
md ilinging themselves dJWn with
hollow boOms end thuds They had
evidently been beating high against
the yardwaI, for all along it they had
left great masses of brown sea-wrack
tossed in bales and ciumps, as if loaded
put 81 cart: and these were connected
b. trails Of green and black weed,
skeleton branches, shells. clothed froth,
nriftwood and other debris, all in an
lndeScri bal BILE tanele. As Joe stumped
through it, he struck his foots harply
against something hard, and nearly
+ripped up. When he recovered his
balance. he saw that the obstruction
was not the bowlder which he had al
ready execrated in haste 1t was
wooden box. In much excitement Joe
picked IT up, and set 1t on the top OF
the wall for exacter scrutiny. The
tides We're constantly sweeping in with
miscellaneous fringcs on the kennys'
Gemcsne, but seldom did they bring
anything that might not DC justly
termed ''Quare Ould rubbish" During
all the course Of Joe's life. and he was
not in his FIRST youth, no waif had been
washed up SO promising in appearance
as this box. About ten inches square.
il was. and made of 4 fine grained dark
wooG, which seemed to have been very
highly polished. The corners were
clamped with bronze-like metal. elab-
orately wrought, and plates of the
s>@-iAN AsA-e--N. liz iaf'AN anu mn -
SO strong was the lock. that when he
tried 70 wrench of the lid he seemed
80 have a solid block in his hands. and
j shut so tightly that the lines of
1unctu.e were almost invisible. Its
weight was considerable, enough TO in
crease mis- conviction that 1t held some
thing very precious.
Joe's first impulse was to rush home
with his prize, exhibit and examine ii.
Immediately afterwards. however. it
flashed across him like an inspiration
Iha: here was Roses Christmas box:
ana upon this followed a more leisure
~ resolve 10 keep it secret until he
keould present her with i: intact on
Ihristula> morning, Stiil distant three
whole days. This course would cost
him the repression OF much impatient
curiosity. blt il was recommended To
him by sense that it would enhance
the value Of The gift. lie would be
making over 10 Rose all the vague and
wonderful possibilities Of the treasure
trove, which in his imagination were
more splendid than ANY better defined
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