The morning call., 1891-11-14
ONE PENNY.
BY EVA BEST.

Mailing the sireet-car, / hurried on board,
and in another ten seconds was being
hauled along, with a carful of fellow-subur-
banites, over the gritty rails that led FROM
the city's limits TO its busy centers.
People from the same suburbs usually
possess a passing acquantanCeship with
those whom they meet daily in the public
cOnveyanCeS, and l hal nodded to this.
That and the other fellow passenger. and
was about TO open the ball of subdued
conversation with my next neiyhbor, when
the driver. just as we had entered the
hither end Of the long IRON bridge that spans
our historic river, gave this brakes twist,
and tie car stopped in order to permit a
richly dressed woman to enter the ear aud
become one of US. We knew who the new
conner was every one of US, but as il hap
pened we were none of Us on speaking
terms with this fair neighbor, who had
but recently made our suburbs her home
AS the car again started on its way she set
tied her rich and elegant drapereS about
her and sank into q seat vacated for her
comfort by gentleman aboard.
A pOckel-book of soft leather was opened
by the perfectly gOved hands, and from a
goodly store Of gold and silver coins a vul-
gar nickel was extracted and was about to
be placed in the hand of a gentleman near
est the fare-boX, when there was 4 sound
of \ dropped piece of metal, and a diugy
little penny was seen 10 roll across the floor
Of the car, and, with that exasperating eX-
hibtiOn which cunning things inanimate
have SO often been known to manifest hide
Itself quite from view.
To our establishment down went nv
lady's hand TO grOpe for it upon the dirty
hOor-to grope for it in vain. With an eX-
preston upon her face that surprised us
Who had seen that it was but penny that
had dropped, and VINO knew that the loser
ut the COIN paid larger taxes than any other
woman IN our pretty wealthy community,
that she possessed houses and lands galore,
and that her income was q notoriously
splendid one. she begged that we would all
stand up and allow her TO see if, by any
chance, tue missing coin had rolled under
our feet.
We women, with smiles that we took no
particular pains to conceal, arose and, grasp
ing the leathern straps above our heads
stood s"ayng backward and forward as the
car pitched down the decl ~ leading from
;he pier, while the five gentlemen aboard as
sistei the fair bondholder to look Tor the
penny.
After @ lengthy search a humping of
head, crushing Of hats and a soiling of
clean dlstS in dusty corners, the gentlemen,
red-laced and persplTIng, conscious CT being
slyly laughed at by all the members of the
TAR sex aboard->avs and except the loser
~ h'4N tOuht 5aNo ~ INV otdItll, anu we
ALL With signs OF relief resumed cur seats
upon the cushions.
Never mind" said the cause of all our
discomfort, Il snail go on to the car-Stables,
aud the driver can then turn the Stats ever.
We Shall be sure 10 find it Thank you all
SO much"
1t was difficult to reconcile the gentle.
cultured voice speaking words OF sincere
courtesy with the evidence of so ptiful an
exhibition OF aYarice as that We had just
witnessed. and more than one of US, after
the lollte words were spoken and we t. All
lnteuts and purposes seemed to have fol-
gotten altogether. stole furtve gapces at
our wealthy fellow-passeuger, noting the
elegance OF her jeweled bonnet the exquis-
lie quality of the ldces of her wrap, the
beauty OF the texture of her gown. But,
more than ALL We noticed the expressive
features, that told US her thoughts we're
fixed upon the copper piece she had the
misfortune to drop; ana since she ignored
us utterly, smiles that were not the pleas
ATTEST TO look upon Yreathed the faces that
her fellow passengers now and again
turned toward her
dlsdainful uplifting of the nostrils of
one, the archng of the black brows of an
other, the scornful curl of a third persons
lips and amused gances from all showed
with What contempt was held her exhibit
tien of penurouSness
Ohe by one the passengers left the car as
II gained the uptown streets, |, myself.
Deing the last to leave our YeXed friend to 90
upon her pilgrimage to the car-stables, yet a
good two miles away.
1t CHANGED, upon returning home, that
boarded the same car that had taken ne
into the city, and when we reached the
bridge again and started to recross it. |
found myself its solitary occupant. Natur-
ally, grew TO dwelling upon the lost penny
and, being intensely feminine, my curiosity
mastered my every other emotion, and as
the driver entered the car to lower blind
upon the sunny side of t. | ventured, with
smile which had for its ingredients equal
parts OF amusement and dsdain, to ask
our Jehu If the lady had found her penny.
Fully expecting TO ses reflection of my
grim upon MS honest countsnance, | awaited
his reply. To my surprise. he turned a
serious face toward me, and the following
was his answer, grayely given
L es. maam, | found the penny for her
turned over the sa-S al she asked me to
do. and exactly under the place where the
two foor Stats come together found It, She
gave queer sort Of sound when she took
lt-more cry than anything else, ma'am-
and pressed the cent to her lips, while the
tears ran down her face. Then seeing me
looking at her bit curiously-whch |
couldn't have helped doing to save me.
ma anl-she sits right down here close to the
open door where | were driving, and, as we
started toward the city again, she tells me
why this little copper was so precious to
her. Seems 1t was the first penny her little
son, who is dead, ever owned, and he gave
1t TO her to keep for him, aud-and''-with
little tremble in the gruff voice-"she's
Keeping 1t. She gave me this for finding it,
ma am, and the driver held up for my in
speetion yellow disk whirh | knew TO be
I'VE dollars in gold.-Dctroit Free Press