Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-01-21
From Arthur's Home Gazette.
THE GOLDS SOYERE EIGN.
ny PAUL CRSYTo:

The story of the gold sovereign related
to me by Judge y, a gentleman of
wealth and influence, in Western New
York, is we'll worth repeating-not for
artificial interest which it does not con-
veys to young persons commencing life.
regret that l am unable to reproduce
the spirit and humor, with which the in
imitsblc Judge graced his simple story !;
but | will do my best to remember his
own words.
When l was only eight years old, :"
sal Judge n, my father and my
mother being poor. with half dozen
children better than myself, to take care
of, l was given to farmer, in the town
of F., who designed making plough
boy of me and keeping me in his service
until was of age.
'Well,-I had not very gay time, in
Deacon Webb's service; for although he
was an honest deacon, and a tolerably kind
man in his family, he believed in making
boys work, and understood how to avoid
spelling them by indulgence.
So had plenty of work to do, and an
abundant lack of indulgence to enjoy. 1t
was consequently great treat for me to
get the enormous sum of one or two pen
nies into my possession, by any sort of
good fortune-a circumstance of such rare
occurrence, that at the age of eleven, l
had learned to regard money as blessing
bestowed by Providence only on favor
ed few.
We'll, had lived with deacon Webb
three years, before l knew the color of
any coin except vile copper. By an ac-
cident, learned the color of gold That
is the story am going to tell you.
'One Saturday night Mr.. Webb sent
me to the village store, on some errand ;
and on returning home, Just about dusk,
my attention was attracted by little
brown package lying on the roadside,
i picked it up to examine its contents,
without the least suspicion of the treasure
within. Indeed, it was so light, and the
volume of brown paper appeared solarge,
that l undoubtedly suspected that was
the victim of an April fool; although it
was the month of June. / tore open the
folds of the paper, however; and discern
ing nothing, was on the point Of throw
ing it into the ditch, when something drop
ped out of it, and fell with ringing sound
upon a stone.
1 looked at it in astonishment. 1t was
yellow-round-glittering-too bright &
too small for penny felt tit-I squeez-
ed it in my ingers-I spelled out the in
scriptiOns-then something whispered me
that it was gold coin of incalculable va
lue and that If did not wish to loose
it, had better pocket it as soon as pos
sible.
Trembling with excitement, put the
coin in my pocket. But it would not stay
there. Every two minutes, had to take
it out and look at it. But, whenever
met somebody. was careful to put il out
of sight Somehow, l felt guilty dread
of finding an owner to the coin. PrOvi-
ded found none, thought it was hon
estly mine, by right of discovery; and
eomforted myself with the sophistry
that it was not my business to go about
the streets, crying. Who's lost?'
2 Il went home with the gold in my pOck.
ct. would not have had the deacon's
folk know what had found, for the world
1 was sorely troubled with the fear of To-
sing nyvast and inealculable treasure -
! This was not all. It seemed TO me that
my face betrayed my secret. j could not
lcok st anybody. With an honest eye