The Best Treasure

| Discovering A Mystery |

It was a murky Tuesday afternoon as Penelope Crest walked along the paved path of her family estate. She had the most lovely green eyes that frequently wondered and a mind full of thoughts frequently pondered. Today’s curiosities included the specs found on the backs of toads (how did they get there?) and the way the wind blows (where does it come from?). As she watched the Irish hillside ruffle and curl, she saw a dark rock denting a cascade of sweet vernal grass along the road. Naturally, she had to move closer to inspect the object. She recalled a conversation with her governess about her curiosities which led to an agreement to, at the very least, wear gloves when exploring found treasures. She took out her trusted hand gloves before moving closer to the specimen of interest. Come to find, it was not a rock at all but a smooth and slightly fuzzy black book. She had never seen such a well-bound book before. She scanned the area for its potential owner (as workers often move about the grounds). There was not a person in sight. As she picked it up she questioned whether she should look inside of it. It could be quite personal, she wagered, and her governess often says to “mind one’s own business until the business of others is permitted”. Penelope decided to keep the small bit of stretchy material that fastened the pages in place and continued along the path that led to her front door.

She ran quickly to her bedroom, concealing the book best she could from the other members of the household. Though the motto “The Crests share everything” was often declared, Penelope did not agree that it applied to her found treasures. Skipping over to the adorned chest at the corner of her room, she opened it discreetly and shuffled to the bottom where her collection remained hidden. It was cataloged as follows: two clear blue stones found on the coast, a dainty yellow teacup, a cracked gold pocket watch that occasionally turned upon its merit, a small patch of silk, an unfinished round of lace, and a long shiny metal object that looked rose in the light. She placed the flat book at the bottom of the chest. “At least if it is at the bottom, it will be harder for me to open”, she proclaimed. Distracted by the sound of footsteps, she quickly gathered her things back into the chest, closed it softly, and hopped over to her dollhouse to pretend she was engaged in light play. “It is time for supper Miss Penelope”, called a maid from the hallway. Much encouraged by the accomplishments of her day, she left her room with the little black book safely hidden.

| The Secret Playdate |

The following day Penelope arose from sleep quickly remembering the unopened black book. She ran over to the chest to ensure her treasure was secure. Holding it tightly, she began to question whether or not to open it. “What if the owner’s name is written inside of it?”, she bargained. She determined that the decision on whether to open it should be taken into counsel with her closest ally, Cornelia. Cornelia was the daughter of one of the estate tenant farmers. At an early age, Penelope decided if she were left to her own devices during the day, she may as well make use of it. So on her breaks from reading, writing, and arithmetic, she would take long walks to entertain the mysteries she had yet to find answers to in her studies. On one of these long walks, she discovered a small abandoned farmhouse just over a ridge of the estate. After careful consideration of its safety, she slowly entered. To her surprise, it was adorned with flowers, trinkets, and parcels of fabric. Just on the other side of the back wall she also found Cornelia, petting a kitten. They became fast friends and decided to meet weekly, in secret, to share their various discoveries. Penelope placed the book inside of her satchel and took off to meet Cornelia. Both were ecstatic over the discovery and equally puzzled as to whether or not it should stay closed. While the mystery intrigued them, their manners were strong. So they did what they often do when puzzled- they placed a small slip of paper into what they called ‘The Think Box’. This way they could take some time to think about what was written and come back later to see if a decision was clear. They also decided their fortress was the best place for the little black book to be kept. After all, the fortress was home to all their best thoughts, all their best treasures, and all their wildest wonderings. They bid each other goodbye, as Penelope had a trip to the city to prepare for, hopeful that next week they would come to a decision.

| The Finder’s Fee|

Penelope was glad for the distraction of a trip to see her Aunt. Her mind often pondered the contents of the mysterious little black book, so much so that she could hardly think of anything else. But in the city, and in the company of her Aunt, she would be far away from the temptation to open it. The trip from the estate into the city seemed to be much shorter than usual. Upon graciously entering her Aunt’s drawing-room, she found a stately man, tall and handsome, speaking with an alarming tone. He had a pocket watch similar to the one hidden in Penelope’s bedroom and very smooth hair. This man, later announced as Lord Huffenban, was describing an object he lost while visiting a local estate. He seemed distressed, as much of his life’s work was concealed within it. He had stopped by to share this worrisome news in the event that her Aunt had heard of its whereabouts. Penelope blushed and sat straighter than she had ever before. She quickly realized the man was describing the little black book. As he parted, he stated that he would be willing to give as much as 15,000 pounds (that’s 20,000 American dollars) to the person who finds his book. Penelope had a feeling in her chest she had never felt before. Her mind quickly calculated several outcomes until she arrived upon the most delightful conclusion. Her friend Cornelia’s family could really use the money. She recalled just last week when Cornelia described how difficult it was to have to ration bread because the wheat harvest was smaller than the last season and they did not have the funds to go into the city to buy flour. So it was decided. She would tell the man that it was Cornelia who had obtained the little black book. If she worded it just so, then it would not be a lie but instead a discovery of new truth. For Cornelia did obtain this book by agreeing to keep it in their shared haven. “Sir, My Lord! I have information regarding a little black book that I overheard you inquiring about!”, piped Penelope. Lord Huffenban was absolutely thrilled by the news. With permission from her Aunt, he summoned his carriage promptly and escorted Penelope back to her estate in order to procure his precious life’s work.

| The Best Treasure |

Penelope carefully considered how she could relay all of this information to Cornelia without Lord Huffenban overhearing. She did not want Cornelia to be caught off guard by the situation and thus fail to claim the finder’s fee. Fortunately, by the time they arrived at the estate, it was nightfall and too dark to walk the grounds. As Lord Huffenban was welcomed into his guest quarters, Penelope settled on a plan. She would sneak over to Cornelia’s house, try her best to quietly wake her, and then share the splendid news. Penelope waited until the house was quiet before grabbing a lantern and sneaking out through the servant’s quarters along the back stairs. She hurried over the grassy hills, but not too fast so as to keep her balance. She knew the land well and was not afraid of the dark (for the dark was quite fascinating when explored without fear, along with the certainty of light that a day will always bring). As she surveyed the outside of Cornelia’s home to find the proper window, she saw a small trail of hanging, woven daisies. She was certain that it was Cornelia’s window. Finding a few tiny smooth stones, she tried her very best to aim right into the opening of the window so as not to break it. Fortunately for Penelope, she had spent time throwing stones in the pond experimenting with how many it would take to cause a lily pad to sink under the surface (the answer is 9, depending upon the weight of the stones). She never expected her experiments to be found helpful, but in moments like this, she was grateful to steward her curiosity.

It took three stones to wake Cornelia, who was thrilled to see her friend back so soon from the city. Cornelia had the most beautiful dark braids that night. She tip-toed across the porch to come as close as possible to Penelope without touching her feet to the ground (if they were dirty in the morning, her mother would not be happy). Penelope shared what had happened that day. She told Cornelia about the man, the book, and the finder’s fee. Cornelia immediately wept at the generosity of her secret friend and the dream of her family’s new fortune. She agreed that the following day she would do her best to be agreeable without deceit and thanked Penelope at least 7 times. This noble act would forever change both Cornelia and Penelope’s lives.

The following day Penelope guided Lord Huffenban along the paved path, through the small patch of trees, over the crest, and into the abandoned structure. He was just as stunned as Penelope to see the delicate ornaments touching every corner of the inside of this dilapidated structure. It was there they found Cornelia, sitting behind a small wooden box (the think box) with a little black book sitting on top. Lord Huffenban clasped his hands together and gasped as he saw his most precious book. Cornelia tried to keep her composure as she handed the book to the tall man. He exclaimed, “I must see your family at once!”.

Cornelia, Penelope, and Lord Huffenban walked in a parade-like fashion up and down the gravel path that led to Cornelia’s family home. Her parents were startled by the unannounced guests but took ease by the cheery spirit of the group. Lord Huffenban shared the story of how he thought he had lost his life’s work contained within the little black book and how fortunate it was that Cornelia found it. He presented the family with 15,000 pounds. Cornelia’s mother was so overwhelmed with emotion she restlessly searched for her handkerchief. Her father was so stunned he immediately sat on the floor. She had never seen her parents lose control so quickly. It was quite amusing.

Amidst the squeals and the excitement, Penelope had a grand smile. She realized in this moment what a special treasure she had found. She was no longer thinking of the little black book. She was experiencing a change of outlook. For one man’s lost treasure became a treasure of its own for an entire family. And for Penelope, one treasure given away became two treasures kept: the power of generosity and of a grateful heart.