The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1896-09-17

sedd, and assure ourselves X 10 net
all q dream"
Ruth was Just a triffe piqued at this
remark; but we ate our supper and
went afterwards to the pit Of the New
Adelphl and saw THE Bottle Imp"
we were % elated, and found 1t 20 I'm
possible to sit quite at home.
Such an Easter Monday. IT was like
the middle of June. The constable and
his wife were all ready to let US take
care of the house. I showed them the
document that gave me the right to
rent or buy. My wife brought with her
half q pint Of the best gin and a little
packet of tobacco for the caretakers.
and the man and woman went on de-
lighted.
When they had been gone about ten
minutes we locked the outer gate, un-
packed our pick-ax and prepared for
business.
Ruth suggested that It would be best
to wait a little while longer. They
might return for something. I couldn't
wait.
go you. dear, and stand by the
door, and If they come cay I have
thought better Of that burying busi-
ness, and resolved to let the man place
the poor cat where he wished"
"Oh, than would be nonsense" said
Ruth, "and why tell a fib about it?
One can offer plenty Of excuses without
exactly telling an untruth."
"All right, leave it to you." said,
and I begun to clear away the earth
just above where the man had been
digging, and felt as If could see the
ty~nn .,Ir x-,4r 4 49, a
on II, my imagination SO quickened.
When l could do no more with the
spade I set to work with he pick.
dug until the perspiration poured down
my face. Presently Ruth left her post
Of observation and came up to me.
Pound anything?" she asked.
The question irritated me for . mo-
ment, as If should go on sweating and
digging II ! had found anything.
suppose had been working half an
hour. The excava ton was quite extern
sive, I thought, but Ruth in her sensi-
bic and sympathetic way, said l had
not gone down far enough he would
have been sure to bury the treasure
deep down. I slaved at it again,
widened the hole. broadened the exca-
walton generally.
you needn't hurry, you know" said
Ruth; I'VE have all day to work in.
Let me help YOU"
She took the spade and cleared away
some of the earth. worked on for at
least an hour, until I was thoroughly
exhausted. I flung the pick down dis
heartened, with the remark: IT'S only
dream, Ruth: only dream"
Take a rest" she said; IT have
brought some ginger wine"
She ran into the house and returned
Don't be down hearted" she said,
drink this, it will do you good, but
don't you think you are little too
near the poplars? Let US try further
to the right"
The ginger wine and the bun revived
me and pipe Of tobacco steadied my
nerves. By and by I went at it again.
For two mortal hours, off and on, I
shaved at the hole until it was as big
as a grave, and left off, feeling that 1t
was the grave OF all our hopes.
That's all It is, Ruth, a dream; why
should we think Providence or good
fortune is going to interpose for us in
a miraculous way"
"Why. indeed" she said; "but don't
think I would give 1t up"
With that she got down into the hole
and asked me for the spade. I gave it
to her with disheartened smile, and
sat down upon the earth, worn out
She began to thrust the spade at
right angles into the sides of the pit.
Il feel sure you have kept too near
the poplars," she said, because, you
see. ne would be likely to keep free Of
the roots as far as possible, in case the
trees were blown down.
L 1s> -
to snatch in my despair at the smallest
vestige of hope.
The roots, you see are deeper down
than this. Here is one of the branches
They say tree Is the same almost in
its roots below ground as it Is in it's
branches above. No, it Is not"'
She had stopped over the shovel as
she was fiddling with 1t against the
side of the pit.
mot what?" l asked
mot a root! No; it is somethingl
Oh what is it? I thought it was tree
root But"
But what?" I said. dropping down
by her side
See, it's the end of boxv'
1T is, by heaven" I exclaimed.
And, by Jove. 1t was-the head or top
or side of an oak chest
"Give me room, Ruth, my darling;
give me room"'
BY Jupiter. how I did go for that
chest! ! felt new man. l could have
hewn down the biggest oak. removed
mountains. The earth flew before my
shovel l excavated for that chest like
the brawniest navy. l nearly tainted
when l had uncovered it and dug the
pick into 1t and burst out it's treasure
of gold, not that living gold that Ruth
had found in the daffodils, but mans
gold, the gold that is power the gold
that is life, the gold that is a blessing
If you know how to use 1T. Yes, there
1t was; heaps Of it. Guineas, golden
guineas; yellow, bright, beautiful i'm
ages of the king.
Whats to be done?" l asked, as soon
as we had sufficiently recovered from
our joy to be able to look our fortune
fairly in the face.
1--WE must not leave the place." said
Ruth.
No" l said I'VE will fill our pock-
cts, and carry as much as we can in
hos rat. hA-