Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1880-06-16
He stopped to dine at a little tavern

Iio htoppcu 70 uihc w llttlo thN'I'
attached to toll.gate, and with
vague hope that the money nigh
have been, picked up on the road b.
some one, mentioned hisi loss. tn
toll keeper shook hls head,
Bottoms your only chance, no said
III twas on the road you dropped II
there's no likelihood that you'll eve
hear Of It again. The dasts eigh
inches deep, | should say. and there
been three big droves Of sheep an'
one of bullocks along since yesterday
so II your wallet was lying there, the,
must have trampled 1t under preti!
thoroughly. II Is buried deep enough
you may be sure, unless, which is just
as likely TO happen, some one ha'
picked it up and made of with It
Your chance is a slim one, reckon
Cold comfort this but John wa
forced to agree with the opinion
Dcspondingly he rode through the at
tenoon, scanning tho way as he went
for, despite the toll-kecper, a faint hope
still fingered in his heart, though the
track, still deep in dust, and churned
and trampled by the crowding drovcs,
presented a sorry field for either hope
or discovery.
lie had ga ined the top Of a long
hill from which Bolton was plainly
visible, when a moving object far
ahead caught his eye, and he rose in
his stirrups in order to see more clear
ly. AS he did so, his horse made a
false step, stumbled, and threw him
forward IN ,he saddle, SO that his head
grazed the horses neck. II was in
this position that tiny object, patch
of red not over an inch square, in the
dust beneath, caught his quick eye.
His heart gave little leap; then he
called himself fool; but all the same
he djsmounted to examine. Already
a random hOof.stroke had buried the
red patch from sight, but John recol-
lected the spot, and STOPPING dug and
scooped till it became visible. Ills
fingers recognized solid substance.
Trembling with excitement, he con.
tinued to dig; in another second the
object was uncovered, lifted out and
with u wild, lncredulous whcop Of JOY,
John Boyd held in his hand his wallet,
buried deep by the hurrying herds,
and uncovered for one passing mo-
ment that his eye might detect it, and
no other. Except tor that lucky
stumble, he too would have ridden
over the lost treasure, and never
what lay beneath his horses
hoofs.
"AndSome folks say there amt no
God" was his mental comment, spok-
en- half aloud. Then-for John Boyd's
religion, though homely; was a true
one-be bent his head and said a few
words Of thanksgiving; after which,
jumping on his horse, he took the
back ward route, eager to tell bis good
fortune, and exonerate the poor girl,
who, as he now remembered with self
must have passed painful
lay under the stigma Of updeserved
suspicion.
The heat was yielding to evening
freshness, and he urged his horse, i'm
patient to set matters straight: but,
With his best endeavor, it was after
'leven before he at last drew rein in
ront of Nash's Hotel. FIe was ex-
,ected, that was evident, tor lights
we're burning, and both Nash and his
wife hurried out to meet him, wearing
aces of lugubrious length, which only
u rrt changed to cheerfulness when
hey heard of the recovery of the
Wallet.
'There, what did | tell you 7 cried
be husband. Haven't l been Assay
ng all day that likely as not this
care would turn out all for nothing?
Aud You would not listen to word,
ut just kept on that poor thing inside
here, and she nothing to blame all
he time. | declare. it's too bad the
yay women act to each other-and
,lks calling them the softer sex ! A
ian would be ashamed to be 30 hard.
Veil. do tell and SO the money was
Lying there in the dust all the time
Veil, I'm mighty glad, for your sake
nd ours too. Go right in, sir, and
life II give you some supper. I'll
70 to the horse
Mrs. Nash waited on the meal in
lin silence. She seemed only half I
,ioiced at the denouement.
It's mighty queer she remarked,
she set the last dish on the table. II
don't feel as il we'd got to the bot {