The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-08-16
BETTYs GREAT FIND
BY FLOYD CLAY.

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
1t was the biggest garnet fer fifty
miles around. He who had planr I'd
and built the house lad not paid spe.
clal attention to the rooms and halls
below. but he had provided a garrett
that all who came after him should be
proud of. II was long and wide and
contained treasures beyond enumera.
tion in the shape of spinning wheels
and bedsteads and bureaus and chairs
and what not of the long ago.
An antiquarian who came one day
and was allowed to look but not to
touch, said &c the eldest sister:
There is nothing like 1t under the
sun. If you will let me dig here for
week | Will give you hundred dol
lars
mot for a thousand" was the re.
ply.
''But why?"
Because you would make a dust
and litter"
When Retty Lawrence, a cousin, at
the age Of ten had visited the Misses
Shaw and become homesick and shed
tears, the sisters comforted her by
promising;
Now. Petty. chirk up and be good
girl, and you shall see our garrett"
Now, at nineteen, she was a visitor
at the old house again. She had a
lively remembrance IF that quaint
room, and was determined to over
haul 1t if given half chance She
dwelt upon the idea so constantly
that she came to believe that some
where in that collection Of musty
relics of the past there lay concealed
document which would bring a
treasure to its finder. She even pic
turcd herself standing before her
startled old cousins, document in
hand, this announcement on her lips:
My dear cousins, | have found a
great treasure"
One day, while waiting her oppor-
tunity to explore the rarret, Young
man known to the sisters called Oh
an errSEd fer his mother and was in
PRODUCED to Miss Betty as Mr.. Ford
kirkwood. The following day while
she was cut for a walk. he turned
up as If by accident This happened
again on the third day and on the
fourth he forgot to offer an excuse
for its rather marked recurrence.
Within a week il had happened so
frequently that neither saw anything
unconventional in the matter.
This rapidly developing acquaint-
ance did not escape the vigilant eyes
of the cousins. One day the elder
sister observed frankly:
Il suppose ought to warn you
against love at first sight"
"Iut as you never loved at first
sight or second sight or any other
sight, how can you. Cousin Phoehe?"
At this the gentle old woman
smiled fecbly
Ford Kirkwood is fine young
man, hut he has no money" she went
On Gutifully.
Nor have 7. shall not fall in love,
dear cousin. l shall not elope shall
never marry-at least not until
Until when, Betty"
Until l find a treasure" declared
the girl as If she meant it. In her
soul she believed there was treas
ure in that garnet. She felt like de-
manding the privilege Of exploration.
but still she bided her time.
Her opportunity came suddenly.
There came day when the sisters
were called away on matter of bust.
ness which demanded their personal
attention.
Il am so afraid you will be lonely"
said the elder sister sympathetically.
we shall be away at least three
hours"
"Oh, no; can take a long walk
and then read awhile after coming
back" said Petty, trying hard to keen
her voice steady
Scarcely was the vehicle bearing
the sisters out of sight when Betty
wv to the garrett Once within the
forbidden treasure house she stood
for long five minutes feasting her
and most battered trunk of the en-
tire lot for inspection
Letters and documents? Why, tho
trunk was full to repletion with them.
There were deeds, mortgages, re-
ceipts, bills of sale, private letters.
grants and what not. and the girl had
only a glimmering of what had once
been their legal value. Three hours
had gone by and the return of the ,
sisters might be expected at any mo-
ment when she selected a parchment !
almost at random. replaced tho 9TH {;
ers In the trunk and left the fascinat- !
ing spot.
Nobody but an old pirate could ,
have written hand like that, and of !
course II he was pirate he must |
have written about treasure. I
shall ask Mr.. Kirkwood to help to .
unravel It,"
When he saw it Ford Kirkwood
agreed with Betty that II was the I
work Of an old pirate, but he ad-
mitted frankly that he was not an
adept at deciphering hieroglyphics.
ut will have to be dcne," said
Betty, deterrninedly, "before-before
-"
WHY not postpone 1t until"
"Until?"
Until after we are married" he
finished heroically.
But ] have promised Cousin
Phoebe I shall never marry until ]
nave found a treasure" she said With