Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-10-14
THE COUNTERFEIT DOLLAR.

ter woman. The lady offered a FIVE dollar bill
which the huckster could not change. A man
making some purchases at the same time. offered
to Oblige the huOkster by taking the bill. and
giving FIVE gold dollars for it. He gave them
20 her, and she returned the just change to the
lady
The latter had not walked a square before she
discovered that one Of the gold coins was cOun-
terfeit She took 1t back to the market woman.
who insisted upon her taking good dollar in
stead, saying that she would see the man who
had given her the bad one. the next time he
passed. and make him take it back
Quite willing not to lose the dollar. the lady
consented A few days afterwards she passed
the stall again, and stopped to ask If the woman
had yet seen the man who had given her the
counterfeit dOllOr.
- Laws To. honey was the reply Il
WASH going to let You keep it. being as you
arc my best customer; but just passed it the
very next time 1 had to make change and no
fuss. Never you mind. honey, the woman as
gave 1t to, served me the very same trick
last week. L was glad to get chance to pay
her of"
.. am very sorry it is going any further
said the lady. - l came here on purpose to get
IL. and destroy it l thought | could better af-
ford to lose it than many another Now shall
always be sorry did not do my duty when |
had it in my power"
Laws, then, wish L d kept it, for Peg Bly,.
who gin 1t to. will likely pass il off on some
poor body; and il does seem fair that the big
bugs should lose what must be lost, anyhow
VIII just see If Peg has got it yet, if you re
willing TO wait a bit.
NO-PeS had not got it She would have
scOrned to keep it so long. But choosing her
victim with some discretion. among those she
called big bugs. she gave it to a middle-aged
man: whose fingers were so cold that he was less
particular In examining his change than usual
Arriving at home, he found the dollar bad. but
could not remember at what stall he had re-
celved 1t; so in great mitigation at the dis
honesty OF those huckstcrS, ne had made up his
mind TO pocket his loss
He went to church regularIy-or rather, to
Methodist meeting-but of all things he hated
the poor-platc, which was passed around every
Sunday Tor contributions. Yet he generally
put something into it, because folks ewes were
upon him. The next Sunday when il came
round he maliciOusly pat therein the counter
feit dollar There. thougt he. you are
welcome to that.
lie did not blush, or look or feel ashamed.
Observers would never know the cheat How
ever. when the preacher read in the Bible-Ies-
son about AnaniaS and Saphira he had 10 COIN
tort himself with the remembrance that the age
for miracles is past.
That afternoon. lady called upon him. and
complained that n counterfeit dollar which she
had given to such huckster had been trans
ferred TO another, who had given it to him
She bad come to redeem that dollar as her
conscience troubled her about it. and she sup
posed IL was still IN his possession of course
The ayaricIOus man always took great care
OF his reputation. lie protested that the mar
ket woman must be mistaken n ne could show
her every dollar in the house and thew were
all good She must have given it to some other
man
The lady was so sure that she hesitated. and
was inclined 10 urge the matter, when the un-
lucky wife said 10 her husband
UeOrge you put gold dollar on the poor
plate. That must be it,
= Shame and anger sufused his face: but he
SAID plausIGly, " On. perhaps so! did not think
OF that Now what pity, should have OBJ
served more closely But l Will make il mn
another time
'' feared it would re so Ithas gone to the
poor Who can least bear its loss" said the lady
sadly :. But il is Iuy fault, and must trace
II out Who Il your pastor. SIR
Being Informed. the persevering lady called
upon him
To 60 back n little When the deacon. or
whatever be may be called. saw the little gold
coin deposited amidst the copper and small Sill
yer on the plate he was passing arOud the meet
ing, he was rejoicel and as he was also treasn-
Ter, he took the amount home and placed IL in |
the fund The ministers 10 tina: church are
supported altogether by voluntary confirm
tons, and the time being come for paving the
allowance to their pastor. il was counted out
ana 10 make change, some money was taken
PONA AOAuT NllC dollar being
part Of it
The good man received his pittance with low.
WhleA was shared by his needy wife and their
nice children There was much planning and
plotting as to the spending Of the small sum
All extrayagant hopes from il. were brought
INTO due compass, and every dollar appropri-
ated IN the most absolutely necessary manner 4
1 be father retired TO write IA sermon upon the I
bounty OF God. and the wife who was banker |
Gtu dIsburser, went to put away the money |
Then she detected the base com With in !
di8nant flushing cheeks she took it to her hus-
band.
Oh - be said, it is hard hard. Eut The
Lord will teach us how to do without it. lie
leeds the young ravens"
-' Do you think il would be wrong 10 psss II
husbanh' mean al some OF those rich DIV
goods stores | can't do very well without my
gown. We are 50 poor Others would not mis-,
H. 1t came TO us as Z good one. We need not
be too particular
oh wife. was the reply, - thu is a temnta-
tIon Of Satan. Passing IL cOuterfcit dollar il
J1st the same aS telling lie, aud setting other
folks 10 tell lies too Throw il into the FIRE
that 1t may deceive and disapDoiut no one
else and Ior8et We ever hai il. That lie all We
can DO.
The wife, dis:Ontented an | sad. returned TO
heT work OF hendng the children clothes Her
eldest daughter, girl Of twelve, was ironingi in
the Kitchen She came in with a woeful face,
saying
Mother dear, look here Fathers best
linen neck cloth was hanging on the chair and
baby pulled IL of and switched the corner of il
into the IRE L was half burned up before 1
uld pull 1t out. What Will father do
The child was reproved too sharply, for not
taxing more heed and went away crying TO her
work
e IL !: 100 bal, .ail the mother that we
must be the ones u suffer always But father
shall Lot DC the loser by the carelessne.s Of his
people. / won't put up with it, That bad
dollar came from the congregation, and it shall
@ back To them
20 she put her bonnet, and went to the
gentleman = furni,hing store, kept by Mr. B
II member Ot their church She bought her hus-
band new neck cloth, which she hoped he
would never know from the old one
That very day the lady called and asked to
the Rev Mr. -. She told the story Of
the counterfeit dollar and as ked if he had seen
hnytllng " II. slyIny Tint she hal cNme 10 re-