The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1890-06-27
it back with a sniff of disdain.
81 don't like booksl' he declared.
"Tbat's all bosh, any way.

"No, it isn't" Harry assented, with
spirit. snow, If l had dollar of
1904 do you know what I could get
for III Five hundred dollars!"
Sam was much amused at this state
meut, and burst into loud guffaw.
''Bosh!" he exclaimed.
It's so,' continued Harry, firmly.
"There were thousands Of 1904 dollars
coined, but no one knows what become
of EN-, except about ten or twelve.
That's all any one knows anything
about, this book says. SO there's
sort of mystery about that dollar, and
it's so scarce these rich men in the
cities that like to own curiosities are
willing to pay an awful biz price for
one Of 'em. tell ye, | wish l had
onel"
"You're ninny!' said Sam, contem-
ptuously. Then he changed the sub.
| ject by asting, "When are ye goin, to
pay me for them shoes, Henley3'
Harry hesitated. "I'm afraid l can't
take em, Sam,' he replied.
"Can't take 'eml Well, what did ye
mean by sayin' you'd take emf They're
good shoes 1 never wore EN- much,
cause they're too small for me, and
they're well worth dollar, and twice
THAT. l wouldn't let anybody else but
but you have EN- for dollar"
| This last remark was very persuas-
i've character, but it lost its force when
Harry remembered that the shoes had
been offered to one boy for ninety-fve
cents But he did not refer to this.
"Ill tell you why can't take en-"
he said. "Mother's come down sick
since made the bargain with you
she's awful sick with pneumonia-and
I'll have 10 take all the money l can
get to buy medicine for her"
The boys pinched face aspitiful as
he said this, his eyes bent on the poor
shoes that only half covered his cold
feet. But Sam R9gland was not one
to be touched by any such picture.
He began to scowl.
II thought you was Teller of yer
word" he muttered. "You said that
as soon as old Brown paid you for
workin' up that wood you'd take the
shoes. Aud you said you thought
you'd get yer money last night er this
morning Now want to go over to
Carters Pond this afternoon, and I've
got to have some ammunition, cause
I'm nearly out. I've been dependin on
that dollar you promised to buy some
more shells with, and I've got to have
it, that's ALL"
81 need the shoes bad enough; l
guess" replied Harry, morn fully; "snd
, l know l told you I'd buy 'em last
i night or this morning. But l didn't
l get through the wood as soon as ex.
t pected There was the biggest four
1 cords lever saw. And whenI promis
q d, mother wasn't sick"
II eyer mother bein' sick don't have
8 nothin, to do with the case" averred
/ Sam, angrily, as he got upon his fee
d aud took up his gun. "You bargainet
r to take them shoes, aud you've got tc
1t do it or take lickin'. You said you',
lr get through the job about noon, SO ii
It see ye then, an bring the shoes, ar
don't you forget to haye the dolla
q ready"
% Harry replaced the coins and cata
d logue in his pocket and arose, too
10 Sam did not wait for him to reply, bu
lie whislling to his dog, strobe down th
st mountain toward the village.
Id 'I wonder what the old man wi
or pay me" Harry murmured to himself
ms he continued his way up to the cabil
OF "He said he'd pay me we'll. He's {
awfully stingy, thougb; / reckon b
81 can't pay me less'n two dolars-tW
he dollars for four cords is awful chea
he Then, if l have to buy them shoes-I
lis have dollar left for the medicil
anyway.
lid ''Old Miser Brown as every one
he Meadowvale called him, bad lived aloi
en on the mountain for forty years. /
ng was an avaricious old man, who hoar
a ed his pennies as if they would sa
at his soul. 1t was said that he had
en large amount of gold and silver secre
yer ed somewhere about the hovel he call
er. his home-money that came into i
OF possession when he was young. B
No he spent none OF it except for his scan
DIS needs.
He had offered to pay Harry Henl
My "weli" TO saw lot of wood for him
ro- enough 10 last him many months, wi
nd, is economical use of fuel-and t
ge, poor boy had jumped at the chance
'm earning the trifle.
All the forenoon the boy worked
his the pile of wood, which by his c.
ges tinued application, had been growi
ted beautifully less, and was now nea
SER done for. AT intervals he sat on
The saw horse to rest, and at such times
re- was sure TO draw forth the fascinati
un. coin catalogue.
ard BY noon the last stick was saw
and Harry knocked at the cabin d
lng to ask for his hard-earned pay. I
to old man shuffled ont, to make sure t
| no stick remained uncut, and Il
up extended in his withered palm ,
silver dollar with out saying a word
Not "Harry's pale face grew still m
pale. SIS this all you are going
you give met" he asked family.
"Yes,' was the sharp answer.
on "But you said you'd pay me "
and and there was four big cords-four
get CORDS"
nese The miser glared at him with
rave ferocity of wild beast. "Not ant
er cent" he cried, harshly-"not an
ler." er cent, not one, sir!',
rock "My mothers sick, Mr., Brown"
n a gan the boy again, but again he
interrupted.
find "Clear OUT the old man fercly
seen tered. "Clear out!"
ark With heavy heart Harry tur
or to away and took the path do IN
t O. mountain. lie was almost too da
and disappointed to think with
and clearness. When he arrived at
rock which had afforded him sea
said the morning, he again sat down,
brood over his ill-fortune and plan
703, disposition Of his single dollar.
Before very long he gave expires
~ thia 1iaouaainu. ktI'll taEa ba m,