Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1880-12-23
The Golden Dollar.

Sunset FURNISHED the apple trees 0nC
/ cheCkered the path winding through them
and crossed the ragged and discolorec
coat of the man crouching III the tall blue
grass, munching great red apple. There
was ravenoUs look in his glittering black
eyes as he turned them restlessly from side
/ to side; ravenous expression III his pinch
ed and swartby face, and something eX-
ceedingly ravenous iC the way he set his
/ small white teeth into the apple, and bolt
! ed the mouthfulS
| There was also al alert look in his eyes
as if he dreaded detection. and he shrunk
back behind the tree, and crouched lower
in the grass, as the laugh of child and
! the patter of little feet came down the
! beaten path near by.
There came simultaneously with these
sounds the clatter of horses hoofs on
the turnpike road beyond, and the hun
gry black eyes, peering through the tall
grass heads, saw the blue dress and white
apron of little girl dying down the path
towards the gate ana large bearded man
| entering it, and at the same time throwing
! the reins of his horse over one of the
/ posts.
little girl as she ran gleefully towards him,
and folding them around her, tossed her
| lightly upon his broad shoulder.
whats that 2" asked the child, cling
! ing with one arm to his neck, and pointing
/ with the other to a small bag he carried in
| his hand-a linen bag lettered with blue.
"Money, my little lady" he SAID, shak-
! ing the bag until it gave out a metallic
ring. Little, shiny gold dollars, as bright
as your eyes and as yellow as your hair"
''Give them to me" said the child, i'm
periously reaching down her dimpled
hand.
"Too many, ; he said, shaking his head
| in her imprisoned arms, as he walked slow
ly up the path. ''It's too heavy for you.
Chow manyl" she inquired, still reach
ing down her hand.
Three hundred. he answered "three
hundred round, yellow dollars, and I'll
| give you one Of them with hole in it to
/ wear around your neck when we get into
the house And they passed out of SIGHT,
over the checkered path and under the
Furnished trees.
The mamie was very young man
scarcely more than a boy-crouching low
in the grass, stared hungriIy after them,
until their voices, as we'll as their forms,
were lost TO his sight, and then, as, he rails
ed himself to a half-sItting posture, he
muttered:
Three hundred bright, shiny dollars
| oh 'and there was given TO the respiration,
long drawn out, an exceedingly raVenous
sound.
The FURNISHED light died on the treetops,
to be replaced by the sllvcrY tissue oi
moonlight. The dove hushed her silvery
song on the hill near by; and perfect quiet
settled down over the white washed house
in the orchard, where the bearded man
slept with the golden head of his mother
less child on his breast, and the bag OF
golden dollars under his pillow.
The ancient clock shows in the dim
light of the night lamp like tall sentinel
in the corner, telling out the seconds, throb
by throb. With preparatory gurgle in
its throat, it hoarsely proclaims the hour
midnight. Its voice browns the slight
noise at the window, as the sash slides up.
A dark figure, with eyes that CLEAN in q
pale scared face, creeps stealthily through
and stands within the room, breathless and
shivering.
The head of the sleeping man moves,
restlessly, and he throws up one arm,
raising corner of the pillow, and an end
of the blue lettered bag becomes visible.
The silent figure, standing like statue
near the window, steals nOiSelessly towards
the bed, and reaching out a shaking hand,
grasps the bag of gold and begins TO draw
| IL carefully from ito hiding Dlapp
Just at that moment the blue eyes of the
child open, and she shrieks out in alright.
The sleeping man suddenly awakened,
springs from the bed, and fastened his
hands on the neck of the throat of the in.
tSuder.
Thief !" he exclaims, 'tyou would stea
my money, would you2" And he shakes
him until the slender man in his grasE
sinks upon his knees on the floor, gaspinG
and purple-faced.
Papa, don't, don't, !" and the hands o
the child grasp and tug at her fathers arm
''Let him go!" she shrieks, ''let hin
go!"
AS these words, half pleading, half com
manding, and wholly frightened, rnl
through the room. the muscular hand
| ITOlu lLc VI bLC NlNllllJ dhd III
spurns him with his foot. The blue letter
ed bag has fallen upon the floor.
go, you scoundrel." he says In fierc'
anger, ''but for the child think | shoul(
kill you, sneak thief that you are |"
The man remains crouched upon th'
floor, and look about him IN dazed way.
The little girl goes up to him, and halt
before him.
Ibid you want to steal papa's dollars
There's too many of them, and yol
oughtn't to steal-it's wicked. III Civ
you one, "and she draws blue ribbon upol
which is suspended gold dollar over he
curly head, and gives 1t into his hand
which mechanically closes over it.
eva" says her father, sternly, and h'
reaches out his hand to take back th'
coin.
"Let him have it," cries the child
stamping her small, bare foot, Imperionsly
and again her father harkens to her voice
and drops his hand.
$50" he says, contemptuously, pointin!
to the open widow. ''Go as you came
through the window"
The man, grasping the blue ribbon il
his fingers, rises slowly, and goes to th'
| window, and chmbs out He returns anC