Wyoming democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Wyoming Co., Pa.) 1867-1940, 1868-01-22


~ am very sorry" said our mortified
heroine, but / have not dollar"
Mrs. Fitzgerald bowed coldly-evident-
~ she did not believe the protestation-
and Mrs. Wharton saw her enter her coupe
and drive away, with the comfortable con-
sciousness that she would be invited to no
more of Mrs. Clarence Fitzgerald's de-
lightfully exclusive parties.
Mrs. Wharton" said the cook, there s
boy at the door from the fruiteries-he
has an Elegant pine apple Mrs. Pepper
sent round"
1t will be the very thing / want for a
dessert" said Mrs. Wharton 8" how much
is it"
A dollar, ma a'sm"
Once more the everlasting dollar Mrs.
Wharton bit her lip with vexation.
"Tell him to leave it, Bridget, and I'll
call and settle to morrow
He says, ma'am, Mrs. Dalton wants
it, if you don't happen to have the money
handy. Pine apples doesn't 60 begin S
this season of the year"
"Let Mrs. Dalton have it, then | will
never buy another article of Pepper.
Mrs. Wharton was considerably annoy
ed 4" To think dollar should be such
useful thing p she muttered to herself, tax
ing up the portfolio.
A half finished letter lay there-one to
her sister, who was the wife of clergyman
ont West, with flock of little children
round her. The last words she had written
were Il send you dollar to buy doll for
the baby, my little namesake."
Glow provoking~ she exclaimed. 81
can't even finish the letter, for lack of the
everlasting dollar
She leaned back in the velvet cushion of
her chair, and, drowsily watching the blaze
and listening to the patter of the rain
against the window, fell fast asleep.
Where was she j? In the spectre-boat Of
Charon, gliding across the river Styx-and,
as the bark touched the shores of the other
world, the ghastly toll gatherer extended
his hand, relentlessly: "Your fare, if you
please, ma am"
Mrs. Wharton had her fare ready-she
handed it up, eager to pass through the
Gates where she could see the musical wave
Of palm trees and the sparkle of glittering
tides that flowed beneath their shadow.
"Short, by dollar, ma'am-short by the
single dollar that you cheated the poor
seamstress out Of You carnot enter v'
Mrs. Wharton drew a hundred dollar bill
ont. The grim Ceberus shook his head :
"If you had ten thousand, it wouldn't do !!
Nothing will serve our purpose but that one
dollar !"
Charon turned the boat briskly round
Mrs. Warton was just opening her lips to
utter wild cry of anguished pleading
when she woke up
II have been dreaming" said Mrs. Whar-
ton, looking round the cozy room : "but
dear me, what very frightful dream it
was. That one dollar will the recording
angels really set it down against me, in the
latter day accounts ?"
She sluddered, somehow the dollar had
assumed preternaturally large dimensions !!
"Charles Charles" How welcome were
the footsteps of her husband, upon the
stairs.
"Well, what is it ?"
"Have you a dollar p
"Half dozen of 'eti, if you want"
"But only want one-a one dollar BILL"
He gave it to her-she rang the bell.
"John, want you to put on your India
rubber cloak, and take this bill round TO
Mrs. Leggett Tell her it is what | o*e
her! p
John departed, and Mrs. Wharton
breathed more easily.
"Perhaps they will let me into the Gates
now y she said, dreamily.
"My dear what do you mean ?" demand
ed her astonished husband.
And Mrs. wharton told him the story OF
her days adventures, and the dream that
had closed them.
"Helen," said her husband, gravely
''let this be a lesson to you never to neglect
the just dues of the poor. A dollar is not
much, to us--to them it may be the last
frail bulwark between them and starvation
ButIthere was no danger of Mrs. whar-
tons forgetting the lesson she had received.