shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com November 30, 2010 • Page 7 LAURA ON LIFE What ancient treasures could you find? Everyone at one time or another has dreamed of winning the lottery or finding something worth millions of dollars. Each time we go to a beach, the topic of hidden treasure comes up. What if some scurvy sea-thief buried a chest filled with silver and gold somewhere on the beach and then forgot that he did that? Maybe he had early-onset Alzheimer’s. Who knows? What if an ancient ship filled with gems and doubloons sunk in a storm and the treasure chests floated to the beach and buried themselves in the sand? It could happen… couldn’t it? When you think about all the millions of people who have walked the earth before us, anything is possible. People do hide things for safe-keeping, even today. It’s also a fact that every person that ever walked the earth was a child at one time. Children are curious and precocious. They have all done much weirder things than burying their “treasures” and then forgetting about them. However, their treasures are not likely to be chests of gems and gold. It would have been extraordinarily irresponsible of their parents to put children in charge of the gems and gold. However, it is not unheard of for a child to receive something special or rare for a coming of age event. Or perhaps they simply found something “cool.” Consider 6-year old Little-Skips-in-the-Mud (Skippy, for short). He lived 1000 years ago. His mom made cookies… um… raspberry crème cookies using raspberries and goat milk. (I’m guessing here. Did Native Americans have goats?) She gave little Skippy two cookies. He decided to eat one and save one for later. So that his sister wouldn’t steal it, he placed his cookie, and a pretty yellow rock that he found in the river, and his lucky bear tooth in a bison intestine pouch and buried it behind unearthed. It also isn’t very difficult to imagine an ancient warrior dressed in a loin cloth and riding a horse, bareback. He might have found a “treasure.” Where would he have put it? His loin cloth didn’t have pockets and neither did his horse. The only logical thing to do would’ve been to bury it and come back for it later when he had something with which to carry it. Chances are that men haven’t changed much since the Age of Antiquity. In his language, “later” probably meant “never” too… which may explain lost pirate treasure as well. Though, it’s also possible that the warrior might have tried to carry his “treasure” home anyway and may have lost it along the way. All this means that it is possible for we modern-day American’s to go for a walk in our backyard, see something sticking out of the ground and dig up an ancient treasure. I can use my own life for an example. Considering how many times in my life I have lost something after putting it in a “safe” place, the number of things my decendants might find would be in the triple digits. Do the math. Even if every person who ever walked the earth lost only one item in their lifetime, assuming that item could withstand the rigors of time, there could be millions of “treasures” still unaccounted for. I suspect that sales of metal detectors will spike this week. Just doing my part to end the recession. But… What if your backyard is the resting spot for the treasure lost by the Native American with no pockets? What if there was a precocious 6-year old who used to wander around your backyard and bury his treasures? My advice to you? Never stop believing in lost treasure… and always look down when you are walking in your backyard. Laura Snyder is a nationally syndicated columnist, author & speaker. You can reach Laura at lsnyder@lauraonlife.com Or visit her website www.lauraonlife.com for more info. Laura Snyder the tepee. Why did Skippy bury his cookie with gold and a bear tooth? Six-year olds don’t need a reason for anything. Two weeks later, after the tribe had broken camp and followed the buffalo herd south for the winter, the little boy remembered his cookie. “Mama, we have to go back! I left my cookie there!” “Oh, Little-Skips-inthe-Mud, I will make you more cookies when we get to our new home.” A thousand years later, you could be rototilling your garden when a hunk of gold covered in red goo is Estate Land Sale Hutchinson County and Bon Homme County The Josephine Pietz Estate will be offering for sale the following real property located in Hutchinson County and Bon Homme County, South Dakota: TRACT #1 - The West Half of the East Half of the Southwest Quarter (W1/2E1/2SW1/4) and the West Half of the Southwest Quater (W1/2SW1/4) of Section Three (3), Township Ninety-seven (97) North, Range Sixty (60), West of the 5 P.M., Hutchinson County, South Dakota. (According to FSA there are 120 total acres with 35.4 acres designated as cropland and 80.3 acres designated as native grass) TRACT #2 - The West Half of the Northwest Quarter (W1/2NW1/4) of Section Ten (10), Township Ninety-seven (97) North, Range Sixty (60), West of the 5th P.M., Hutchinson County, South Dakota. (According to FSA there are 80 total acres with 60.5 acres designated as cropland and 16.7 acres designated as native grass) Tracts 1 and 2 will be offered for sale separately with Seller reserving the right to combine these tracts and offer them for sale in order to receive the greatest return. Location: From the intersection of SD Hwy 37 and US Hwy 18, east 3 miles on Hwy 18. Tract #1 is located on north side of highway and runs along 413th Ave. (east side) and Tract #2 is located on south side of highway and runs along 413th Ave. (east side). TRACT #3 - The Southeast Quarter of the Northeast Quarter (SE1/4NE1/4) of Section One (1), Township Ninety-five (95) North, Range Sixty-one (61), West of the 5th P.M., Bon Homme County, South Dakota. (According to FSA there are 37.79 total acres with 23.64 acres designated as current and former cropland and 14.15 acres designated as native grass) Fred Haar C o. Inc. Freeman — Wagner — Yankton We will match any canned goods or paper products (toilet paper, napkins, etc.) that are brought to any of the three Fred Haar location’s. Goods and matched goods from each store will then be distributed to each location’s local food pantry. FREEMAN .................Freeman Food Pantry WAGNER ..................Wagner Food Pantry YANKTON ..........Yankton Center Food Pantry DONATIONS WILL BE TAKEN UNTIL 12/17/10 Let’s all get in the Christmas spirit and help people have a great holiday season! Thank You From Everyone At ANNOUNCES TRACT #4 - The South Half of the Northwest Quarter (S1/2NW1/4) of Section Six (6), Township Ninety-five (95) North, Range Sixty (60), West of the 5th P.M., Bon Homme County, South Dakota. (According to FSA there are 80.72 total acres with 61.29 acres designated as cropland and 19.43 acres designated as native grass) Tracts 3 and 4 will be offered for sale separately with Seller reserving the right to combine these tracts and offer them for sale in order to receive the greatest return. Location: From the intersection of SD Hwy 46 and 409th Ave, east one mile, then 1/4 mile south on 410th Ave. Tract 3 is on west side and Tract 4 is on east side of road. All of these tracts provide excellent farming, hunting and investment opportunities. Terms: This property will be sold for cash with 10% of sale price paid by successful bidder upon acceptance of bid by Seller and the balance of sale price paid at closing on or before January 18, 2011. Seller will pay 2010 taxes due and payable in 2011. Title insurance will be split between Seller and Buyer and possession given on closing date. Procedure: Interested bidders should contact Glenn L. Roth Law Office, PO Box 137, Olivet, SD 57052, or call (605)387-5530 to obtain a bid form, FSA, NRCS, assessor information, soil ratings, and for particulars regarding the bidding process. All bids must be received at the attorney’s office at 130 3rd Street in Olivet by 1:30 P.M. on December 15, 2010. The 5 highest bidders will be invited to a private auction with opportunity to raise bid. The property is being sold as is, and bidders are encouraged to inspect the property and verify information concerning the property prior to submitting a bid. Seller reserves the right to accept or reject any and all bids and to waive any irregularity as to any bid. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION contact Glenn L. Roth of Roth Law Office, PO BOX 137, Olivet, SD 57052, 605-387-5530, e-mail rothlaw@gwtc.net You’ll Grow With Us Freeman 615 N. Hwy 81 (800) 251-6912 Wagner 645 E. Hwy 46 (888) 384-4580 Yankton 2200 E. Hwy 50 (800) 952-2424