Democratic messenger., 1888-09-01
A MISSING COIN.

T. beg your pardon, but c0ulu you give
me glass Of milk ~
Ellie Tier jumped up with little in.
voluntary scream. She had been SO :n-
tent on the letter she was writing, with
the back Of the tea tray fer desk, and
the queer cone shaped ink bottle balanced
ON the window sill at her side, tla, she
had quite forgotten the existence Of any.
thing else in the world
"a glass of milk" she repeated, tim.
idly glancing ut the tall, brown.complcx.
iOned stranger, who stood between the
rows Of yellow African marigold aud pur.
Pile phlox in the narrow garden path, and
deciding in her inmost mind that he was
neither the bank burglar OF whom she
had read in the local newspaper nor the
evil minded tramp who had set fire to Mr..
Logan's haystack last week. "Yes Ger.
,ainly, il you will wait n minute"
She pu, down the tea tray and the pen,
bcsiowing the cone shaped ink stand in u
fl,.Sc 9G,Safc,y, and ran into the cool,
sweet smiling room. for tumblcr ofcrcnm
laden milk.
Aunt Bcssy sai,l was 10 let no one in
the house while she was gone" reasoned
this young chatclainc. within herself;
but ! haven't let him in, and one
would be a barbarian indeed to refuse n
drink of milk To anybody this warm morn
ing.
When she came back the brown faced
stranger was gathering mulbcrres from
the dropping boughs OF the trees that
ovcrhung the garden wall.
"Am Il thief" said he. noting the look
Of amazemcnt on Ellic's innocent, dimp-
led face. ! hope not, but to tell you the
truth, ! have travelled u long way since
breakfast time, and am very hungry"
Ellie's heart melted ut once. She for.
got Aunt Besseys charges and exhor,a.
tions.
Hungry, are you:" SAID she. wait a
minute and will ge, you piece of black
berry pie and some cheese"
She fled back into the house, and pres.
entity returned with triangular wedge OF
bleeding pie, enough 10 tempt
any ones appetite. aud complaccnily
watched her guest while he ate 1t.
lis II nice:" said she, radiantly.
THE incest thing have eaten in a
month";" enthusiastically answered the
young man. "And this cheese Is like so.
lidificd cream"
Little Ellie stood watching him.
Are you the tin peddler - she asked,
suddenly. Did you leave your pack out
in the road! Because our old tin dippcr
is rusted nearly through, and there is
quite bag of rags and clippings on the
pegs back Of the door, if"
"Oh, / am not the tin pc'ldlcr" said
he.
Ellie turned very red, feeling conscious
of having made faux pas in her impul-
siyencss.
Il beg your pardon" said she II didn't
know"
Il am very much obligc for your kind.
ness, said he, rising from the door.sill,
which had done temporary duty for II
seat: and then he went ON his way.
Ellie looked ailcr him with solemn.
long dashed eyes.
"lle Is very handsome" said she to her.
self Il think he must be like Don Alon.
10 Mendoza, IN the Fall Of Casiiglia,' or
like Guy Livingstone. hope he wasn't
offended II, my asking him if he was a
iin-peddleI; hut in place like this one
never knows who Is who"
Ellie Tier was teacher of the primary
department Of u city school, and she had
come to spend two weeks Of her vacation
with her Aunt bessie Parsons, who was
married 10 u farmer. And this was the
first day that she had been left To keep
house" all alone by herself.
Ofcoursc, II was an honor, hut, all the
same, there was n certain responsibility
attached To II, and Ellie secretly felt that
she would he very glad when Aunt Bessy
came back from town
Just then a fooistep sounded on the
threshold ofthe back kitchen door, which
opened into the shady luxuriancc of the
orchard. II was her Uncle BENJAMIN.
ELLIE" said he, Il wish you would stir
up pitcher Of cold ginger and water,
with little molasses In Il. for the hay
makers. just remembered that I had
lelt my coat hanging up here by the win
dow, with Eh-hallo where Is itr'
"where Is what. uncle" said Ellie. paus.
Ing with the can OF ginger In her hand.
There was tcn-dollar gold.piece In a
leather purse In the pocket Of this ala.
packy coat !" said Uncle Benjamine, look
ing aghas,. Il forgot TO take II out when
came from town yesterday, aud now II
l. gomez
lie turned every pocket Of the thin
summer coat inside cut; he shook Il as IL
expecting that the missing coin would
drop out, Ikea ripe nut. But all to no
avail; nothing was there.
"Ii's the sirangesi thing In the world -
said uncle lienjAminc. know lel Il