Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-05-26


 such a huniliatng RVownl He would Say he had foand the gold piece acci- dentally
 Toward noon he clambered up tho steep pathwAy leading to the hotel on the clim. He trembled with nervous ness as he neared the great white build ing, with it's flying flags making spots of vivid color against the pine groves be- yond. He glanced eagerly about among the groups of people who were seated on the veranda, but he could not distin- guish any one resembling the little boy. Then he went inside and, hardly able to control his voice, put few ti1nid ques- tons to the clerk, who eyed him suspi- ciously. "A little boy, with eyes col ored like the sea, and bright hair that hoated on his shoulders where was hep
 stHis name? the clerk inquired in businesslike way.
 s1 don't know his name, but want to find him. It is-it is something impor- tant.
 The clerk reflected moment, then shook his head. Yes, there had been little boy answering to that description in the hotel, but he had gone away with his parents the day before. Where top Ah, that he did not lRow.
 Tears sprang into Eame Caspar's eyes. Horribly disappointed, he moved away and mechanically descended the sunlit cliffs to the shore. What should he do now7 The gold piece carried with it curse-a curse from which he would never free himself. His conscience tor tured him. His luck had changed. He I,f Gso1a 5--- his companions were estranged from him. They looked upon him with dis trust and suspicion, and all the while that hideous word 'sThiefl" rang in his ears and seemed branded upon his soul.
 Weeks passed. He never went near the cupboard where the gold piece lay shining at the bottom of the cup. He was afraid to look at it. Nobody spoke to him and he spoke to no one. Heshut himself up in his cabin, and his one thought night and day was how to get rid of the curse that oYershadowed him. His superstitious nature grew morbidly sensitive. Often he fancied he was go- ing mad.
 The winter came-the severe winter of the north. The angry sea lashed it. self into glittering spray. The great bluff was carpeted with snow and the sky was gray. Lame Caspar became a hermit. When he did go out it was early, so that no one could see him, and he returned only when night had fallen. The gold piece haunted him as might some frightful specter. It was as though the cupboard concealed grim presence that he dared not face. In the village the people tapped their foreheads sig nifcantly.
 "He is crazy," they said. Better not go near him or he may do harm" So they let him alone.
 Gradually the situation became so in- tolerable that Lame Caspar concluded he must end it or else put an end to him self. He began to devise ways and means. By and by he thought of 8 plan and resolved to carry it out.
 One bleak December night, with a terrible sinking of the heart, he un- locked the cupboard, took the gold piece in his hand, and stealing quietly from the house walked to the edge of the cliffs. The moon had burst from be- hind cloud and spangled the sea and the snow covered bluffs. Caspar had a knife in his pocket; but he had not quite decided to use it.
 He wasn't sure whether it would be better to dig hole and bury the gold piece, or to fling it into the sea and him self after it. Life had no longer any charm or interest for him. He had be- come coward and an outcast. He would rather die than live. However, he could do nothing while the moon shone so brightly. He must wait awhile until it hid itself behind another cloud. He paced impatiently to and fro in the frosty night Then all at once came a loud jingle of sleigh bells and the sound of merry laughter. Lame Caspar start ed and stood still as large sleigh drew up almost in front of him and a man jumping out ran to the horses to arrange 8 displaced plume. Voices hoated to- ward the solitary figure on the cliff, and among them was one that caused Gas par's heart almost to stand still, while a great sob rose in his throat.
 ''It was just here" said clear, child ish treble, "that l lost my gold piece just below there on the shore. Such a nice, kind fisherman came and helped me to look for it-and"-- The boy stopped speaking. Then continued in an altered tone: "Why, see that man yonderl What can he be doing there? Something is the matter with him"
 In another moment the boy had sprang from the sleigh and had ad- vanced toward Lame Caspar, who stood with outstretched arms in the pale moonlight like one transfgured. Tears were rolling down his weather beaten cheeks and splashed heavily upon the ragged peajacket he wore.
 "Ohr" cried the child joyfuIly to his companions. 'sThis is the very man the nice, kind man who helped me to search for my lost gold piecel But, he added, ''you are in trouble, Lame Caspar, you are cryingl What is the matter? Why are you acting so strange ly out here on the cliffsg"
 The child's companions, attracted by the intensity of the tones, approached and stood looking from one to the other
 Then the tension in Lame Caspar's breast gave way as though something