The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-09-28

"AND THE MOUTH GRINNING AT MEL"
nothing that quite suited me- Finally was
taken into an electrical engineers office;
and then knew / was right. The people
soon found out that i took an interest
in the business, and that i was quick at
picking up ideas; so the head man began
To look after me, and give me opportuni-
ties TO learn. / studied aud worked for
oil l was worth. One day / made sug-
gestion about piece of machinery; they
tried my idea and found il was an i'm
provement; the boss got IL patented for
me, and you may imagine how pleased
WAS 1t brought me some money, and l
used ii in books and study; l made up
my mind to be another Edison, and
then to come back and make you rich =
you two girls and vindicate my reputa-
tion. For the last two Yeas worked on
a plan had conceived of making things
grow by electricity applied through the
soil. i managed it, finally, got my
dress in gold lace and diamonds, IL you
want to, Aunt Nancy; and as for you,
Nellie, you are going to be famous
beauty and heiress!'
"But you said you'd tell about the
fairies, said the child.
''Oh, yesi Well, the beginning OF that
is away back, before was horn, or Aunt
first knowledge OF II was on the very
night OF the Corvin robbery.
"I'd been out that night after wood
chucks, as i said al my examination next
morning; but didn't tell where else I'D
been. You see, / used to make sort OF
store-house and hiding place OF the cave
but there was secret at the end OF the
cave that no one but / knew Of, and there
used to put my most precious valu-
ables.
SIT was faced up with planks then, just
as you and i saw them the other day,
Nellie. i had never explored the hole TO
the end; didn't suppose there could be
anything interesting in it; but on this
night, when went to put in my wood.
thought I'd see how far it went. Some
body before my time must have known
about it, i thought, because the entrance
had been SO carefully kept there! i had
a lantern, and in / went.
cit was quite a good corridor; didn't
have to stoop, though 1t vas very mar
row. Instead OF going down, as / ex-
pected, it slanted up; and soon. to my
astonishment, l came to the foot OF q
sort OF shaft, four or five feet in diane
ter, and going straight up. IL was like a
chimney. A kind OF rough ladder was
fixed TO the side of it, and ! began to
climb it. At first 1 couldn't imagine
W hoit WINS, thc bluts vi sNu CHttuHoy
seemed TO be OF wood. but crumbly and
rotten. There was q strong smell OF
wood dry -rotted. Gometimes / heard q
faint cresking and rustiipp sound. Then
all OF c sudden, solved tho mystery. 1 |
was IN the trunk o. the big 5utternnt!
Up vens. 1 was pretty we'll excited |
wit the adventure by that time, but ]
had no conception OF what was 70 come |
got 10 the top OF the ladder, and there |
was little, Irregular chamber, in the |
heart Of the tree, not much bigger than |
sentry box. partly fioored with plank, and |
with bench or shelf running round II. |
There were things hanging or fastened
TO the walls; an old gun, for one thing,
aud leather bag, and various queer |
odds and ends, as IL some one used TO |
live there On one side OF the shelf there
was box OF hard wood. bound with iron.
tried the lid, and found il unlocked. j |
Iited 1t, ana saw great heap OF gold
coins, and bundle OF papersl
81 thought Twas Aladdin, sure enough,
hen. i turned to find place to hang my
lantern, so | could have both hands free.
There was a heap of something lying or
propped up on the bench behind me;
old clothes IL seemed to be; took hold
Of II TO move II aside, and got hold of
that made my hair rise. 1t
felt like bony hand. / pushed aside
he folds of decaying cloth, and looked.
|
lowish white in the light OF the lantern,
saw face-a tkull, with the skin |
streto he'd dry over the bones, and the
mouth grinning at mel'
"Oh, land sakes. bless my hearti,i
luavered Nancy, who had heard the tale
before, but was more scared with every
'epetiiion. "To think OF poor dear Mari
,u these years. My soul alivelp
~ didn't know 1t was Uncle Matt at
hat time" continued Tom, giving his
land to Nellie, to cling to through the
errors of the narrative. II don't think
knew anything till ! found myself out
n the open air nj the mouth OF the cave.
No boy ever was more frightened than /. 4
md i lived through 1t. I lay awake the
est OF the night, i'm succession OF cold
wea,s, wondering what II all meant.
md what ] should do about IL. The next
morning, before lhad made mp my mind,
was arrested, as you remember, and so
vas prevented from doing anvthfng