The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1868-02-07

the rain and tempest Of the dismal
November morning.
"Ma'am, if you please" said Mary
the waitress, "here's the newspaper
boy-he says master told him you
would pay the bill this week."
'How much is it, Mary?"
ga dollar, ma'am."
How provoking, haven't a dollar
in the house."
"He says ne has orders not to leave
the house until it is paid"
"He is very impertinent," said the
lady, coloring up, and, for the first
time in her petted life, feeling the
want of dollar.
Mrs. Clarence Fitzgerald was the
next person announced-a lady Of the
utmost style, whose acquaintance Mrs.
Wharton had just succeeded in max
ing.
"You will stare at my being out in
this storm, my DEAR" floating grace
fully into the apartment, "but / am
raising a dollar subscription for poor
musician who has just broken his arm.
OF course may depend upon you?"
Mrs. Wharton colored: II will send
it round in nthemorning."
THAT won't do" said Mrs. Fitz-
gerald, struggling her shoulders. 81
am determined to settle the business
to day"
81 am very sorry" said our morti-
fed heroine, "but l have not a dol
lar"
Mrs. Fitzgerald bowed coldly-evi-
IDENTIFY she did not believe the prOtes-
tation-and Mrs. Wharton saw her
enter her coupe and drive away, with
the comfortable consciousness that she
would be invited to no more of Mrs.
Clarence Fitzgeralds' delightfully."- ex-
elusive parties.
"Mrs. Wharton,' said the cook,
there's boy at the door from the
fruiteries-he has an elegant pine ap-
pie Mrs. Pepper sent round"
sit will be the very thing l want
for DESERT" said Mrs. Wharton; chow
much is it?
GA dollar, ma'am."
Once more the everlasting dollar -
Mrs. Wharton bit her lip with vexa-
ton.
"Tell him to leave it, Bridget, and
I'll call and settle tomorrow"
"He says, ma'am. Mrs. Dalton wants
it, if ye don't happen to have the mon
ey handy. Pine apples doesn't go
beggin' this season of the year"
"Let Mrs. Dalton have it, then; I
will never buy another article of Pep
per-"
Mrs. Wharton was considerably an
noyed.
"To think dollar should be such
a useful thing!" she muttered to her.
self, taking up her portfolio.
A half-finished letter lay there-one
to her sister, who was the wife of a
clergyman out West, with flock of
little children around her. The last
words she had written were, II send
you dollar to buy doll for the baby,
my little namesake."
"How provoking she exclaimed, 81
can't even finish my 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? In the spectre-boat
of Charon, gliding over the river Styx
and as the bark touched the shores
of the other world, the ghastly toll
gatherer extended his hand relentless
ly: "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 mu-
steal wave of the palm trees and the
sparkle of glittering tides that flowed
beneath their shadow.
"Short by dollar, ma'am, short by
the single dollar you cheated the poor
seamStre5s out of. You cannot enter ~
Mrs. Wharton drew hundred dol
lar bill out. The grim Cerberus shook
his head:
eff you had ten thousand, it wouldn' t
do. Nothing will serve our purpose
but that one dollar!'
CharOn turned the boat briskly
round. Mrs. Wharton was just open
ing her lips to utter wild cry Of an
xious pleading-when she woke up.
"I have been dreaming" said Mrs.
Wharton, looking round the cozy
room; "but dear me, what frightful
dream it was. That one dollar! will
the recording angel really set it down
against me, in the latter day accounts" "
She shuddered; somehow the dollar
has assumed preternaturally large de-
mensiOns!
Charles Charles ~ How welcome
was the footstep of her husband upon
the stairs.
"Well, what is it"'
"Have you dollar ?"
"Half dozen of 'em, if you want"
"But l only want One-a one dollar
bill"
He gave it to her-she rang the
bell.