The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-12-21
The Golden Dollar.

ouiiset DurnlShed the apple trees anC
checkered the path winding through them
and crossed the ragged and discolored
coat or tho man crouching IN the tall blue
grass munching great red apple. There
was rayenors look In his glttelin black
eyes as he turned them restlessly from side
10 side; ravenous expression in his pinch
Cd and swartby face, and something ex.
ceedingly ravenous iE the way he set his
small white teeth into the apple, and bolt
I'd the mouthfuls.
ihere was also an alert look In his ewes
as II ne dreaded detection, and he shrunk
back behind the tree, and crouched lower
III the grnss, as the laugh Of ch,ld and
the patter OF little feet came down the
beaten path near by.
There came simultaneously with these
sounds the catter Of q horses hoofs on
the turnpike road beyond, and the hun
Rry biack eyes, peering through the tall
grass heads. saw the blue dress and white
apron of little girl flying down the path
towards the gate, and large bearded man
entering 1t, and at the same time throwing
tne relns OF his horse over one of the
posts.
Flo stopped and held out his arms to the
ntt!e girl as she ran gleefulIy towards him,
lightly upon his broad shoulder.
"What's that9" asked the child, cling
ing with one arm to his neck, and pointing
with the other to small bag he carried IN
his hand-a linen bag lettercd with blue
"1loney, my little lady," he said. shak-
Ing the bug until 1t gave out a metallic
ring. Little, shiny gold dollars, as bright
US your eyes and as yellow as your hair,
''Gtve 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
~ up the path. "lt's too heavy for voi1. -
"iiow manyi" she inquired, still reach
Ing down her hand
''Threc hundred he answered othree
hundred round, yellow dollars, and III
give you one Of them with hole in 1t to
wear around Your neck when we yet into
the house " And they passed out of sight,
6yfr 6rnahheed ahhed difheeekere fheeAk nath ami "ndnr III,
The mamie was a very young man
scarcely more than a boy-crouching low
In the grass, stared hungrily after them,
until their voices, as we'll as their forms,
were lost 10 his sight, and then, as, he rails
ed himself to half sitting posture, he
muttered:
"rhree hundred bright, shiny dollars
oh l"and there was given to the respiration,
long drawn out, an exceedingly ravonous
sound.
The FURNISHED light died on the .iectops,
TO be replaced by the sllvefY tissue o'
moonlight. The dove h"shed her sllVery
song on the hill near oy; and perfect quiet
settled down ov1r tho white washed house
nd a
sl,nt wi,a the golden head of his mother
less mid on Ills breast, and the bag of
.s1ldcn dollars under his pillow.
The ancient clock shows in the dim
light OF the night lamp like a tall sentinel
IN the corner, telling out the seconds, throb
by throb. With preparatory gurgle in
lis 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 a
pale scared face, crceps stealthiy through
and stands within the room, breathlcss and
shiveripg.
The head of the sleeping man moves,
restlessly, and he throws up one arm,
raising a corner of the pillow, and an end
of tho blue lettercd bag becomes visible.
The silent figure, standing like statue
the bed. and reaching out shaking hand,
graaps the bag of gold and begins to draw
It carefully from ils hiding place.
Just at that moment the blue eyes of tho
child open, and she shrieks out IN alright.
Tie sleeping man suddenly awakened,
springs from the bed, and fastened his
hands on the neck of the throat of tho in
trudcr.
''Thief |" he exclalms, "you would steal
nv money, would you2" And he shakes
him until the slender man In his grasp
SINKS upon his knees on the floor, gasping
and purple-faced.
"Papa, don't, don't, "and the hands OF
the child grasp and tug at her fathers arm
''Iet him goI" she shrieka, "let hin
gol"
AS these words, half pleading, half com
manding, and wholly frightened. rms
through the room, the muscular hands
drop from the throat OF tho victim, and III
spurns him with his foot. The blue letter
ed bag has fallen upon the floor.
"Go, you scoundrcll" ho says IN herc'
anger, ''but for the. child think ! shoult
kill you, sneak thief that you are |"
The lnan remains crouched upon tn
floor, and look about him IN a daZed way.
Tho little girl goes up to him, and halt
before hun.
"Did you want to steal papa's dollars
There's too many of them, and yo1
oughtn't to .steal--it's wicked. Ill Civ
you one, "and she draws blue ribbon upo
which is suspended gold dollar over he
curly head, oud gives 1t into his hand
which mechanically closes over It.
eva" says her father, sternly, and h
reaches out his hand to lake back th
coir.
"l.et him have it," cries the child
stamping her small, bare foot, impcrionslJ
and again her father harkcns to her voice
aud drops bis hand.
"Go," he says, contempt0ously, pointin
TO the open widow. ''Go as you came
through the window"
The man, grasping tho blue ribbon
his lngers, rises slowly, and goes to IL
,uindnw ond o,nlba out He returns an