Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-10-20

| ing to speak lightly.
"And I shall have the pleasure OF
working my way through college, after
ALL" said Ellen Ann, with quivering
lip.
I fnieknamed Molly swallowed
something in my throat and burst out:
Girls, we m-must find that box il we
| h-have to blow the h-house up TO
do it," then broke down completely
All of which but showed the sad
straits we were in, and that each had
secretly nourished hope that Aunt
kllen's will would bring us snccor
For If ever there was family of four
dilapidated women in need Of money,
we were that family.
We moved to Strangetown.
Being young, we soon were more
hopeful, and came to regard this queer
episode in our lives in the nature OF
prolonged lark which might terminate
at any minute in something quite
splendid. An acute sense OF the ridicu-
lous. coupled with our love Of mys-
terry, did much to bring about this
state of affairs. Then, too, our pride
was aroused. II was clearly our duty
to disprove Aunt Ellen's accusations,
and only when the prize mad been
found and divided flor, of course, we
expected to share it equally could we
fnoI 10 fbtc had happ dpna
The homestead was spacious, COM
Portable and well furnished in the fash
ion of fifty years ago. The grounds
surrounding it were large and well
kept. Years before we had heard tales
of secret drawers and closets in this
very house, and Aunt Ellen's habit
Of keeping large sums of money con-
cealed in the house and about her per-
son. Already our wits were sharpen
ing and a delightful expectacy per-
vaded our every action.
One night about week after our ar
rival in Strangetown, Ellen Ann and
were awakened by Caroline She
stood at our bedside in her nightgown,
a tall candle shedding its rays upon
her excited features. Get up, girls,
I'VE found the sign" she whispered.
Half dazed, we followed her to where
an ancient chiffonnier stood against the
wall Caroline placed trembling
finger on the quaint carving which
embellished its old sides. Sure enough
there, family outlined between a dra-
CONS claws, was a circle within a
circle.
We became very wide awake, indeed.
We had hardly expected to find the
treasure so soon, yet here we were just
on the verge of its discovery. At first
we thought of calling mother to share
the fun of unearthing it; then conclud-
ed that, after all, it would be pleas
anter to surprise her with it at the
breakfast table How we worked? We
removed drawers, measured partitions,
examined corners ana peered into crew
ices. Our teeth chartered with the
cold; our heads ached with the excite
ment. At dawn we crept back to bed
with our spirits at zeru
AtSdinner the next evening we again
discovered the sign in the carved legs
of the old black walnut table at which
we sat. Later the sign appeared on
chairs, bookcases, bureaus and ward
robes. In fact, nearly every article OF
furniture in the house seemed to have
been carved after the same pattern.
We carefully examined each in turn,
until we became convinced that no
iron box could possibly be hidden
within it.
Then we attacked the walls. Two
rooms were newly papered, the design
being trailing vines festooned in circles,
one within the other. We examined
every inch of those walls, first with
mallet to detect hollow places, then
with a magnifying glass to bring to
light otherwise invisible cracks.
After that up came the carpets, some
of which were replete with that pattern
which now required with sickening fire.
quency. Under the carpets and on the
board floors were circles painted in dual
hues; black within white and red with
in yellow. We invested in a tool chest
and took turns in saving. We removed
sections of the floors and poked long
sticks between the joists, listening
meanwhile for the sound of clanking
iron. This we kept UP for week, then
stopped to rest. Old Amanda, who had
stayed with US for a song, cleared up
the muss, smiling grimly.
The conviction was growing within
us that there was method in Aunt FL
lens madness. She had gained one
point-she had made us work at last.
Instead of devoting six hours day to
her music. Caroline now practiced by
fits and starts, and Ellen Ann read
Greek only as diversion. AS for me,
though my body sometimes Jagged my
spirits never did.
The necessity for secrecy about the