Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1868-02-07
THE DYING MIsER.
Thoy brought him q dollar.

ue took it. and clutched it in his
long skinny fingers, tried its sound
against tho bad post, and thon gazod
on it long and intently with his dull
leaden oyo.
That day in the hurry of business,
Death had struck him evon in the
street. Ho was hurrying to collect
the last months rent, and was on the
vorge of miserable court, whore his
tenants herded like beasts in their
kennels; he was there with the hand
book in his haud, when death laid his
hand upon him.
lIo was carried homo to his splon-
did mansion. IIe was laid upon
bed with satin covcrlct. Tho law
yer, tbs relations, and the preacher
wcrc sent for All day long he
lay without speech, moving only his
right hand, as though in tho act Of
counting money.
At midnight he spoke.
IIo asked for dollar, and they
brought ono TO him and, lean and
gaunt, ho sat up in tht bed, and clutch
ed it with the grip Of death.
A shaded lamp stood on the table
noa, tho silkcn bed and lofty ceiling
all said, Gold as plain as human lips
can say it.
His hair and eyebrows were white,
his checks sunton, and his lips thin
and surrounded by wrinkles that in
dicato Avarico AS he sat up in tho
bed With his neck barred, and tho sill
ken coverlet wrapped about his lean
frame, his white eyebrows contrasted
with his wasted and wrink'ed face, ho
looked like a ghost. And there his
life was conferred in tho dollar which
hc g,ipped in bis clenchcd fist.
His wife, o plcasant-faced, matron.
ly woman, was seated at the foot of
the bod. His son, q. young man OF
twenty. one dressed in the last touch of
fashion, sat by tho lawyer. The law
yer sat by tho table, pom in hand, and
gold spectacics on his nose. There
was o hugo parchment spsad before
him.
"Do you think he'll make will z
asked the son.
"Earil ,::::eomnos nsentis yet," was the
whispered reply. ."'ait. Holi bt
lucid aficra while"
"My DEAR" said tho wife, chad
not hotter sond for prcacher"
She rose and took her dying hus.
band by tae hand, but he did not mind
His Dyes was upon the dollar.
uo was q rich man. lie owne
palaces in Walnut and Chestnut
streets, and novels and courts it. th
, outskirts. He had iron mines in thi
state !; copper mines on tho lake some
, where; ho had golden interests
California. His name was bright up
on the record Of twenty banks; b
, owned stocks of al kinds he ha
half dozen papers in his pay.
!, He know but ono crimo, to be
deb, withou tho power to pay.
lie knew but oae virtue, to 6
money.
a That he had never forgiven, tn
II virtue ho bad never forgotten, in tt
st long way Of thirty-hve years:
!. TO hunt down . debtor, to distre
q tenant, to turn a tsw addition
j thousands by q sharp specuiatio
\. =! these wero the main aehievemen
ID of his life. -.
n .He was good man; his name "
,e upon the siIvor. plate npon the p:
10 door Of velvet cushioned church.
d. lie was q benevolent man; for ev
d. ry thousand dollars which he 'wru'
iiSl from the tenants of his courts, OF fre
nd the debtors who writhed beneath
he heels, he gaye ten dollars 10 some i
60; nevoIent institution.
q He wasa just man the gallows
ng tho Jail always found him faith
nd and answering advocate.
IL And now he is dying man; 81
TO as he sits upon the bed OF dea
: With dollar in his clenehed hand.
lie O.! holy, dollar, object OF his .
no long pursuit, what comfort hast Il
raj for him now in his paia of deatha
Of = At length tho dying man. reyi
,ht and dictated his will. II was sttal
ing to see thsmotherI And son, md IL
ar ger mutteriag, and 'somatames wra
to ling besides the bed of death. !.
ons tho while the testator clGtched
rest dollar in hiae right hand. y
sep, ). While the VIII l.Wss being aade,
!, An prspoher came; even heWtao; held
.she pasatorisl charge Of tbe great sha
To- whose peW doors bore saiatiy na
lHe, Oh silver platss, and whoss seat.
sp.~ Sabbath psy }gr6snsd bseeAsa
ard Wsight;et sbisisys, hrosasl s.isl
iaofE Eena Satip.
asth :, He came, ,and seif. .bie .psaysss5
,Sn A o6reasiy and dasiin asdfsd Sttdss,
-l.Al - XXI,