San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-12-23
THE DIAMOND DOLLAR.

the convex glasses of her ptncc nee
twinkled.
Thank YOU" she said, shutting the
book softly, Il know it. was merely
glancing at the pictures"
Then she turned her amused glance
toward the front part of the car, and
met the eyes of the driver staring
straight at her. His face lighted up
when her glance met his, and with his
rough glove he patted the left side of
his coat, as though it shielded some
thing which concerned her.
The car was one of those little
wheeled boxes locally known as the
Pound Gap Bob-tails, " which ply be-
tween Cincinnati. Ohio, and its Ken
lucky suburb. Newport. The driver,
sole autocrat. dividing his time among
the mules, his passengers and the small
boys who everywhere mark bob-tail
cars for their own, was muflled to the
the waist with a leather strap. His
cap was pulled down to shield his face
from the rain, into the teeth of which
he was forced TO drive, and when he
entered the car to collect the fares his
heavy cowhide boots completed gro
tesque picture, which would have at
tracted attention even in Castle Garden.
Evidently he cared less for style than
for comfort.
What is the fare to Newport"
Ten cents, please"
/ started at the musical voice, and
looked at the man closely.
WHAT" l said, mot Ferguson of
the Gazette?"
Same party, dear boy, same party"
He laughed in the honest, whole
souled way that / knew SO well, rang
the bell of his punch twice, smiled at
the pretty girl, who seemed to enjoy my
surprise, and then clattered out to his
place at the brake, where ! presently
Joined him.
This is rough. Ferguson, deuced
rough-S12 a week and seventeen hours
a dayi Can't you do better than this?"
classical occupation, dear boy. One
of the children of Greek mythology, you
will remember, aspired to drive a car
his fathers car, but while his route was
a trihe dryer than mine"
at was not>necessary for him to make
a guy of himself in cowhide boots. That
girl inside is laughing at you.
81 know it She always does when
she rides with me"
He looked through the glass door of
the car, and again patted the side of his
coat when he met the Young woman's
eye. The gesture seemed to please her.
another case Of the maiden and the
coachman," remarked Ferguson. as he
slowed up to take on passenger. Evil
IDENTIFY he had lost none of his high
spirits since he had drifted out of
journalism into street car service.
but seriously now. don't you know
herP'
mo, cannot say that | do" | said,
severely.
That's Virginia"
looked again at the girl. She was
as charming a specimen of young
womanhood as is often met with even
in the cultured parts of Kentucky. The
infantile cheeks and dimpled chin
toned down the severity of her eye
glasses, and from the brown plume in
her hat to the narrow toe of her shoe
she was what is popularity known as
stylish" Du Maurier might have
copied her pose for that of one of his
high-bred women.
Eyes, sir, that's Virginia. You have
laughed at my verses to her for three
years, and if we drop all the passengers
before the end of the route is reached |
will take you inside and present you
She knows you by name already. l
have talked with her about you hun
bred times. She likes that little story
of yours, The Cruise of the Mermaid
immensely, and always looks up your
column the first thing in the Clarion"
Then he seemed to drift into another
line of thought.
Yes, sir, it is rough" he said;
eighteen hours a day, seven days in
the week, is too many hours for man
to work; but, thank God, am done!
This is my last trip. 1 have something
here"-he tapped the left side of his
oilskin coat again-''which has put me
on my feet. Virginia and had several
blocks, alone, together this morning,
and she knows. That's what we are so
gay about. You remember that Dia-
mond DollarP"
Did l remember ftp 1t was that
diamond Dollar" that cost Ferguson
his desk on the Gazette. Not more than
two months ago he was dapper, well
dressed and apparently as successful
man as there was in the Cincinnati re-
portorial fraternity. His duty was the
covering of the news along the river
fronts of the Kentucky towns facing
and above Cincinnati, and, being a
graceful writer, he managed TO get in a
column or two of breezy special matter
on miscellaneous subjects each week,
every column of such matter being a
clean addition of s. to his princely
salary.
1t was nine o'clock one Thursday
night when word came over the tels-
phone wires from the fire chieftain's
Office that the towboat Greyhound"
was burning at her landing, three miles
above Newport. In fifteen minutes
came the supplementary report that her
entire tow Of seven barges was doomed.
and that John Stacey and "Stumpy,"
the cook, were missing-presumably
burned with the wreck.
Ferguson can have two columns for
that" complacently remarked the city
editor. Here, Newport, get a rig;
jump out there; find Ferguson and help
him. Get in as much as possible be-
fore twelve, and, if it promises good
matter after that, wire the facts. We
will dress them up"
At half-past twelve o'clock was
again at the Office with the skeleton
article. The fire had taken place early
in the afternoon. Three lives and $685.
900 worth of property were lost / had
seen nothing of Ferguson.
Rnt Uhila I was m a kino hastv oral