The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1871-06-29
leave the house until it is paid

Vic 4hNJJ III
first time in her petted life, feeling
the want of a dollar.
Mrs. Clarence Fitz Gerald was the
next person announced-a lady of
the utmost style, whose acquaint-
ance Mrs. Wharton had just succeed
ed in making.
"You stare at my being out in
this storm, my dear, but I am rails
ing dollar subscription for a poor
musician who has Just broken his
arm. OF course I may depend on
you"
Mrs. Wharton colored. 81 will
send it around in the morning"
"That won't do" said Mrs. Fitz
Gerald, struggling her shoulders !;
81 am determined to settle the busi-
ness to-day"
81 am very sorry" said our NOR
titled heroine, ''but 1 have not sin
gle dollar in the house."
Mrs. Fitz Gerald bowed cOldly !;
evidently she did not believe the
protestation, and Mrs. Wharton
saw her enter her coupe aud drive
away, with the comfortable con-
.sciousness that she would be invited
to no more of Mrs. Clarence Fitz
GeraId's delightful exclusive parties.
"Mrs. Wharton" said the cook,
"there is a boy at the door from the
fruiteries F.; he has an elegant pine
apple that Mrs. Pepper sent round"
"It will be just the very thing 1
want for dessert" said Mrs. Whar-
ton, chow much is it,"
GA dollar, ma'am."
"Once more the everlasting dol
lar ~ Mrs. Wharton bit her lip with
vexation.
"TeH him to leave it, Bridget,
and I will call and settle with him
for it tomorrow"
"He says, ma'am, Mrs. Dalton
wants it if you don't happen to have
the money handy. Pine apples
doesn't go a beggin' this season of
the year."
"Let Mrs. Dalton have it, then (;
III never buy another article of
Mrs. Pepper"
Mrs. Wharton was now consider
ably annoyed.
"To think dollar should be such
useful thing" she muttered to
herself, taking up her portfolio.
A half-fnished letter lay there
one to her sister, who was the wife
of clergyman out West, with a
flock of little children around her.
The last words she had written
were, 81 send you a dollar to buy a
doll for the baby, my little name
sake"
"How provoking !" she exclaim-
ed, 81 can't even finish my letter
for lack of the everlasting dollar"
She leaned back in the velvet
cushions of her chair, drowsily
watching the blaze, and listening to
the patter of the rain on the window
fell fast asleep.
Where was she ? In the spectre
boat of Charon, gliding over the
river Styx-and as the bark touch
ed the shores of the other world,
the CHASTITY toll-gatherer extended
his hand relentlessly :-fYour 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 ofthe palm
trees, and sparkle of glittering tides
that flow beneath the shadow.
"Short by a dollar, ma'am. Shorr
by the single dollar you cheated the
/ poor seamstress out of. You canno
enter"
Mrs. Wharton then drew out {
hundred dollar bill. Thegrim Char
on shook his head.
"If you had ten thousand it would
not do nothing will serve our pur
pose but that one dollar"
Charon turned the boat briskly
around Mrs. Wharton was jus
opening her lips to utter wild CT!
of anguish, pleading, when sh,
aWoke.
She shuddered: somehow tn
dollar had assumed preternaturall!
very large dimensions.
f "CharIes ! Charles !" how wei
come were the footsteps of her hus
band upon the stairs.
"WeIl, what is it?"
"Have you a dollar"
"HaIf a dozen of themif yor
want"
"But I only wanted one-just
dollar bill"
He gave it to her, aud she imme
diately rang the bell.
, "John, 1 want you to put on you
India rubber cloak, and take thi
bill around to Mrs. Leggett, and tel
her it is what owe her !'
John departed, and Mrs. Whal
ton breathed more easily.
perhaps they will let me in tn
D gates, nOw," she said dreamily.
"My dear, what do you mean?
demanded her astonished husband.
And Mrs. Wharton told him th
story Of her days adventures, an
the dream that closed them.
"Helen," said her husband grave
ly, "let this be lesson to you, ne1
er to neglect the just dues of tn
poor. A dollar is not much to US
to FbpDo If V,oy, no H. L.. FL L.