Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-12-25
BE PEERED CAUTIOUSLY ABOUT HIM.

surprise discovered stone cist or coffin
constructed of rude blocks He crept In
and was still further surprised when he
found within q pot containing charred
bones and ashes. and near 1t cup OF vel.
low metal and some rings and hoops, some
Weighing 8. others 10 and Is ounces apiece
He hastily scrambled forth, and as the
setting sun cleaned out he examined his
find by its light He rubbed the cup and
the rings on his sleeve and by gingerP
said he. "I'm darned II 1t ain t all solid
gold Come. I'm In luck way This
shall stand over against rainy day -"
+ such was his first thought; the second
was this If it be known that I have
found a treasure, then l shall have the
duchy putting its fist down on it the
lord of the manor demanding It. the
crown exacting 1t. the parson holding out
his hand for tenth and every householder
In the parish, as this is col unon land,
clan1oring for his share, and nero be l43
have rights There'll be naught left for
me but the disappointment Of having
found and lost treasure"
Josiah stood turning over the gold cup
and rings Then he peered cautiously
about him to make sure that he was unob
served
Then the young man replaced the cover
ing block, then heaped the small stones
and ear5h over it and disguised the fact
that the place had been disturbed
He returned home very satisfied with
himself and with his prospects Now he
could look forward without blinking to
the inevitable rainy day At present he
had health. strength and youth, and with
these ne could earn his livelihood. but, y
as Jos put 1t, II can t reckon on these last
ing knows several young chaps as has
had colds settled on their chestesses anu
have died of a decline. And Tom Endi'
colt, he dislocated his hip and now can't
hobble up on to the moor after granite no
more, and as to old age and decrepitude-
there's no denying it, every day and hour
and minute brings me higher to 1t.
Accordingly Jos went on breaking up
stone and inclosing, and instinctively he
extended his new take" wall in the direc-
ton of the cairn and stone chest that con.
tanned his treasure
1t must not be supposed that Jos was
not tempted to realize. but fear OF discov.
cry and the consequent confscation of the
gold. above all his prevailing dominant
passion of caution against future unpro-
vided for, prevented his doing so.
On the verge of the moor lived girl
named Mary Aggett with her bedridden
mother She made livelihood out Of
some poultry she kept, out Of flint arrow
heads, which by searching she found on
the moor and which she disposed of to an
ho ole
work
Jos passed the cottage twice daily on his
way out and on his way home, and very
frequently he saw Mary at her door, and
they never met without exchange of salu-
tations On one occasion when overtaken
by hailstorm he had been invited into
the cottage and had been given cup OF
tea that warmed his heart as If it had been
peppermint and got into his head as If 1T
had been whisky.
On leaving the cottage he said to him
self: II might 20 farther and fare worse
The old mother is well cared for, the house
neat. the maid is pretty and bright and
pleasant But"-he shook his head-''it
don't do to marry early; that means q
family coming fast and nothing drags a
mans head under water like lot Of ba.
pies clawing hold Of it. If Polly Aggett
had money. that would be another matter
altogether Then it might be worth con
sideration.
One day when they met on the moor the
northeast blast was so cutting that they
retired together under shelter of rock to
eat their lunch Considering how cold the
weather was Jos put his arm round Polly
and, having an overcoat he threw one
arm of it over her shoulder
The ensuing night was one of sore temp
tation to Jos He tossed on his bed He
could not sleep He sailed very early
from his house and went to the moor, re.
solved to raise his treasure, dispose of it.
dare fortune and marry
AS he passed the cottage of Mary Aggett
he did not see her He was glad of this
lest she should have asked him why he
went to his work two hours earlier than
usual