Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-02-07
A CAPE COD LEGEND.

Tho house Is old and low, tho windows
hre broken, tho roof Is covered with gray
moss, and II will soon fnli to the ground,
for II sta on tho brow OF n hill overlook.
ing tho sea In sheltered little harbor ON
the bleak Now England coast, and Il can.
not much longer Withstand tho force win
Ter gales. There arc no trees on the hill.
side and the old house stands ont In bold
relief above the thick growth Of pines that
are below ON the lower land
Many years have pp,cd since tho old
place was inhabited, kNoo the friendly
light from It's windows aided tho fisher.
mon 20 nnchor safely within the harbor.
No sounds nro heard now save tho WIVES
as they dash upon tho sandy beach. Iiut
thcro Aro some people who remember whom
Aunt Esther lived In the old house, and
many woro tho incidents Of Interest In her
quiet life. There she was born and lived
all through her girlhood and married life
and only loft Il for tho little cemetery un
the hillside She had no children, but was
dearly loved by the young people, some
OF whom woru nearly always with her.
Aunt Esther was ever busy. when her
great loom In tho chamber above, where
sho wovo cloth for homo usc and for sails
also, was silent, there were many things
60 be done on the farm. Aunt Esther
knew Just how and whore every rod Of
their possessions was situated. aud they
covered an area NJ several miles. She
know every boundary Of their woodland
] hnyo heard my grandma rotate how she
Ind gone for little walk with Aunt -
thor Just NJ sunset, when sho became 40
absorbed In tracing some boundary line
~ not 20 return 10 tho house till quite
late In tho evening, grandma becoming
meanwhile quite exhausted.
But II Is Of tho adventure Of night
In the old house. when Aunt Esther was
young, that grandma hns often told mo-
Aunt Fathers parents woro away. and
grandma spent tho night with her, tho
two girls being the only occupants NJ tho
house. They retired early, sleeping In tho
large spare room up stairs, its windows
looking out over tho sen. They must have
felt n little tlmid, for they took tho pre-.
caution Of drawing heavy chest In front
OF the door. In those days houses were
never locked.
Grandma, always n light sleeper, was
aroused about midnight by tho sound Of
footsteps beneath her window After n
few minutes tho outer door opened, and
tho girls, now fully awakened, huArd some
one enter and begin 10 look about tho
house opening doors md finally coming
with heavy tread up tho stairs.
can imagine that 10 have been try
ing moment for them; but, TO tholr 70.
lief, nftsr coming about half way up, tho
steps paused, and finally tho person went
down. Soon, by tho stiffness, grandma
know tho pcrson had left tho house. Thon
their courngo returned, and rising they
quickly dressed and seated themselves by
the window.
II being n comparatively Hight night,
although there was not n star 20 be seen,
they saw largo ship, riding At anchor,
close In 10 tho shore. while they wero
wondering over this, for none hut small
fishing vessels ever anchored thoro aud
not sail had boon In sight whom they ~.
tired, their attention wns suddenly drawn
10 two men, coming up from tho shore,
whore they could make out the outlines Of
n small boat with shoyols on their backs
and bearing between thum largo box.
This box was apparently very heavy, M
thuy stopped twice and sot it down for
momont before reaching the woods. whore
they disappeared from sight. Il seemed
that they wanted TO DO sure Of tho house
being unoooupiod before they yonturod to
bring their burden ashore.
After an hour had passed tho men 70.
turned TO tho boat, having left the box
With rapid strokes thcy soon left tho shore
and reached tho vessels side. Then tho
sails were unfurled, and as silently rs sho
had como tho ship left the little harbor.
Now that nil was over the girls lay
down upon their beds and slept until
morning.
Whom Aunt Esthers parents arrived,
they listened with interest To tho story of
the night. Grnndmns father, then an old
man, said Il was without doubt pirate
ship, and In tho strong box was stored
some Of their III gotten gains
Others had seen tho ship. Some boiat.
ed flshormon had seen tho boat ~ shu was
rowed away from tho shore.
Then began an eager quest to find the
box which II was believed tho mon had
buried. Some thought II was notorious
rohber Of that time, who was far famed
for his bold and daring deeds, and that
being closely threatened with capture he
had hidden this treasure away until such
time as he should return for H. Parties
were organized and search mndo for tho
box, but all without avail Even many
years after mon woro known 20 dig la tho
vain hope Of finding tho buried treasure.
ono mnn, whose mind was somewhat
unsettled, dug u cave within the forest
and hore lived n hermit life, searching al
why's for tho hidden gold
with what awe do tho children even
now walk through this OF trccsl As
they listen 10 tho story tho woods look
very dark and gloomy and they seem to
SEQ tho hard faced mon digging silently
In the solemn night, They Imagine all
sorts OF things the box might have con.
tained and talk OF tho hormit, pointing
out tho plnco that was his care, and thoy
draw breath Of rollcf whom once thoy arc
out OF the woods into tho sunlight again.
In after years many n night did Aunt
Esther arise from her bed and galo out
over tho pillows In vain hope OF again see.
ing the pirate ship. All hor watching
was mover rewarded. Whether tho pirates
If pirates they woro-camo and silently
took their treasure away, unseen By any,
or whether II moldered away In tho forest
shades romans an open question. -Ex.
change,