The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1860-09-28
The Almighty Dollar.
BY GEO. LIPPARD.


He took it, clulched it in his long.
skinny fingers, tried its sound against the
bed post, and then gaz d at it long and
intently with his dull, leaden eye.
That day, in the hurry OF business,
Death had struck him, even in the street.
He was hurrying to collect the last
months rent, and was on the verge Of the
miserable court where his tenants herded
like wild beasts in their kennels-le was
there with his bank book in his hand,
when death laid his hand upon him.
He was carried home to his splendid
mansion. He was laid upon a satin
covcrlct The lawyer, the relations and
preacher were sent for. All day long he
laid without speech, moving his right
hand, as though in the act Of counting
money.
At midnight he spoke.
He asked for dollar, and they brought
one TO him, and lean and gaunt he laid
upon his death bed, and clutched it with
the grip Of death.
A shaded lamp stood on table near
the siken bed and lofty ceiling; all said
gold. MS plain as human lips can say it.
His hair and eyebrows were white ;
his cheeks sunken, and His lips thin and
surrounded by wrinkles that indicate the
passion Of avarice. AS he sat up in his
bed, with his neck barred and the silken
covcrlet wrapped about his lean frame, his
white hair ana eyebrows contrnsted with
his wasted and wriDkled face, he looked
like a ghost. Aud there was life in that
leaden ere-all that life was centered on
the dollar, which he gripped in his
clutched fit.
His wife, a pleasant faced, m,tronly
woman, was sealed at the foot Of the bed
His son, a young man Of twenty one
dressed 10 the last touch of fashion, sal
by the lawyer. The lawyer sat before
the table, pen in hand. and gold spec
tacles on his nose. There was huge
parchment spread before him.
"Do you think he vii. make will -
( asked the son.
} Hardly compos mcntis yet" was the
whispered reply. "Wait. He'll be lucid
after while" ..... ..
"My dear" said the wife. chad no
better send for preacher ?"
She rose and took her dying husband
by the hand, but he did not mind. Hi
r eye was upon the dollar.
He was a rich man. He owned paaceI
on Walnut and Chestnut streets, ant
novels and courts in the outskirts. III
y had iron mines in the States coppe
:. mines on the lakes somewhere he hat
! golden interests in California. His nam
was bright upon the record OF twent
= banks he had half dozen papers IN hi
pay.
: He knew but one crime-to be in del
without the power 10 pay.
He knew but one virtue-to get money
The crime ne had never forgotten
the long way Of thirty five years.
To hunt down debtor, 10 distress
in tenant, to turn few additional thousand
by sharp speculation-these were Il
main achievements Of Lis life.
lie was a good man-his name VI
upon the pew door of velvet-cushont
s church. ..n
He was benevolent man-for ever
thousand dollars that he wrung from Il
r. tenants OF his courts, or from the debt
who writhed beneath his heel, he ga'
ten dollars 10 some benevolent iuslil
tion.
He was a just mantle gallews al
! the Jail always found him faithful al
Is, answering advocate,
ls, And now he is a dying man-see !
IIe' he sits upon the bed Of death, with Il
- Dollar in his clenched hand.
o! !holy Dollar, object OF his life -lol
pursuit, what comfort hast thou for hi
. now, in his pain of death 4?
gy At length the dead man revived al
It's dictated his will. 1t was strange to 6
the mother and son and lawyer mutteri
and sometimes wrangiing-beside {: