The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1903-05-01
rich in a day. But, nv bow, Cham.


world" 1t may be 80; one must not
peril his life for gold. Bctrue to your
soul. Pierre. whatever YOU do; the
soul first, then life. then gold. Good
by, Pierre, | can trust your heart. II
beats true. | am a dying man
"He turned his face TO the wall and
Pierre left the silent body. saying:
My soul, my life, and gold
"One day Pierre said to his mother;
Il cannot stay. must CO. d,
"'wherc, Pierre: hope not far
from home
"'To America where grandfather
lived. He told me to 60 when he was
dying
"'Why, PIERCE
"'why? Oh. mother. YOU toll, you
wrinkle. Why! To get gold that
you may not have to toll in your old
age
"'How would YOU get it, Pierre?
There is gold that does not enrich
fools gold
al know how to get ii, mother. |
do not like to see YOU wrinkle. !
must do something for you
"'But not in a way that would
harm your soul. You know what
Champlain said. "that n soul was
worth more than an empire Not
gold against your soul, Pierre
"'No. but honest gold, mother
he added. 4 carry in my heart a So
cret. Ny grandfather told ii to me-
"'You may try your fortune.
Pierre. What he said you may do. He
was a good man
Pierre sailed away from st. Malo
and came to Montreal. lie went to
the old clearing where his grand
fathers cabin had been. The high
rock was there and the great tree.
The ruin Of the cabin was there.
Near by a bend Of the river were
some fisher huts and the fishermen
and their families were good. simple
folk. They came there in summer
and went TO the pine forest in winter.
"Pierrc diggcd for the gold and
silver in the leather bag. lie found
the bag and treasure as HE grand
father had said, but the bag was
heavy with silver pieces. lie bore it
on his back to the shore in the night
to a place near some rapids and rocks,
and there found an Indian canoe, and
put it on board, and planned to cross
the stream to the French settlement
on the opposite side Of the river be-
yond some rocks in a bend Of the
rushing tides. lie hoped to hide the
treasure in the cabin Of a wood
ranger or river hunter there till he
could return to France.
"lIe padded out into the waters.
when the canoe began to whirl around
and around: lie padded hard, but
the canoe moved in a circle among
the high rocks and cddics. He pad.
died all night. In the morning he
was still beating the waves and the
fisher folk saw him from the shore.
The little canoe whirled around like
a top. for the tide was growingstrong
II shot suddenly toward a rock amid
the foaming eddics.
"'Picrrc,' cried the folk from the
shore, throw oyer the bag, Pierre;
but he needed not.
"'Gold,' he answered back. Your
life
pierre they cried again, throw
over the weight and tighten the boat
You may then paddle back
"'Gold, gold" he answered.
Gle tried TO paddle past the rocks
"'Pierre, Tighten the canoe or yor
will lose your life,' shouted the fish.
crmen, again and again. Your life
your life!
"Pierrc took hold ofthc leather bal
as IL to lift il. Then he hcsitated
lie could have lifted the bag, bu'
something held him back. Gold
Gold! Goldv he cried. He wishet
them TO know that he had treasure.
suddenly the canoe shot behinC
the rocks, out of sight of the fisheI
folk.