Wichita eagle., 1889-06-20
ghe aiehita nau gagIe: gursdau orup guns 20 1883.

"Stop minute, John!n Mrs. Grafton said.
"Don't you understand the money is not
oursF'
''Whose is it, then, I'd like to mowr' his
face falling. "Do you expect to find an
owner for money that's just blown In your
facet Why, we couldn't begin to look for
one! Now, mother, that's Just rfdicuiousin
''We must advertise the bill, not naming
the amount, Of COURSE" Mrs Grafton said,
di1egarding Johns excited protest. ''Be-
sides, here is little private mark in the left
hand corner Of the bill Looks Hike a star in
blne ink. Your father always marked the
large bills that came into his possession, that
he might identify them if lost. This bill may
have been blown from railroad car in pass
ing through, and If the owner does not claim
IL wnen advertised, after certain time the
money viii be yours"
''It's going to take money to advertise"
John said, sullenly-his disappointment was
too acute for aim to bear it patiently-"and
I'm sure I don't know where that's to come
from"
sIt win take very little. The advertise
ment will be only few words, and the owner
of the BILL if he turns up, will refund Ii he
does not appear, we certainly will have done
our duty to try and find him. l Will write
out the advertisement and you can drop it at
The Times Office. Here is money enough for
its insertion
A heavy heart and Disconnected spirit John
Grafton took with him to his work that day.
He was cross and snappish to the other boys.
He had no laughter, no jests, but moody,
Disconnected manner, as If some one had In
jured him. There was sense of grievous
~, &c ao Ia al hat haJ
course was defrauding him Of what was justly
his own.
He had been carefully reared, and his
mothers teachings of honesty and integrity
had hitherto appeared to him like Gospel
truths, but the mere touch of that bank bill
had wrought an evil change in the boys feel
ings He wanted the money so badly that he
forced himself to believe that ne ought to
have it.
have alluded before to the moral fault in
John Grafton's character, that when he
craved a thing passionately, he seemed to
lose sight of every obstacle in the way OF his
possession oft His mother had noticed and
striven against this trait, but for the first
time in his young life he had been brought
face to face with a serious temptation.
AS he hurried home to his dinner, he paused
for minute irresolutely before the Office of
The Times and fingered the advertisement in
his pocket. His mother never saw the paper
unless he brought one home, and she would
not know if the advertisement was inserted
or not. If it was not, no one would appear
to claim the money and it would be his. He
could go to school, He could make man of
himself.
He set his lips closely together and fastened
home He was so much afraid that his mother
would question him that he talked necessarily
upon other subjects, telling in nervous man
ner all the little incidents of the day. He
hastily swallowed his dinner and saying he
was in great hurry, FASTENED out. She
called after him:
81 suppose you attended to that advertise
ment, John!
He gave a forced laugh.
''Now aren't you in a desperate hurry,
mother, to get rid Of that windfan? It's all
right"
WAS it all rightw came the question as he
struggled with the wind, which was as strong
then as it had been in the forenoon. Was
lie right2 What was right about his whole
conduct? He tried not to think, but bent his
head and pushed his way through clouds Of
dust and leaves.
The half sheet of newspaper flew in his
face Hecaught it, and mechanically glanced
at its columns as he pressed along. One par
agraph arrested his attention. It was part
of the confession Of a noted gambler and
forger who had been sentenced for life to the
penitentiary.
81 had good mother" it read land was
an honest boy. But one day 1 gave way to a
small temptation-a very small temptation
and made up my mind-that though Iwould
do that one wrong thing, it would be for the
last time That was the first downward step,
and it seemed to push me down, till I've got
to the bottom"
John dropped the paper, and stood for a
moment breathless. He had taken the first
downward step, but it was not too late to re-
trace it. He dashed to The Times office,
handed in the advertisement, and then start
ed for the store, battling against the wind.
"You're a disagreeable old wind, aren't
you!" he said to himself. you've brought
me heap of things this day. First money
to tempt me and make me crazy, and then a
piece of newspaper to fight the temptation.
Oh, you're queer wind, anyway"
The very day after this prim, stiff look
ing gentleman knocked at the door of Mrs.
Grafton's cottage.
1--WE come in answer to your advertise
ment, madam" he said when he was admit
ted. II lost some money yesterday, and I
thought from your advertisement that you
might have found it, All, / forgot to intro
duce myself. My name is Eldon."
What was the amount of your bill, sir p
asked the widow.
1T was one hundred dollars"
''There is private mark on this one. Can
you Identify itg'
Il think So I often mark large bills that
pass through my hands and this is the mark, ,"
showing a bank note with the Identical little
blue star in the corner.
1.-THE bill is certainly yours, SIR" Mrs.
Grafton said, placing it i'll his hands. st
was blown in my sons face as he was leaving
the house"
where is your son?" asked the gentleman.
"He is at work. He is never at home ex-
cept for his meals
The lawyers keen eyes took note of every
thing This Mrs Grafton was a lady, but
evidently a very poor one. There was hardly
@ comfort in the room. Should he offer her
rewardl What honest people they must be
IN the face of such poverty not TO have taken
the money coming to them In such a way, and
said nothing about It'll
PLEASE tell your son, madam, to call at
this address this evening about O'Clock. "
He handed her card by the way" paus-
ing as he was about to leave, your name is
a very familiar one to me. Are you related
to Charles Grafton, formerly commission
merchant in New Orleansf'
HE was my husband" she said. 'He
failed in business and died a few months
of.n1-,--arA .irifteai hara With Ittl.a