The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1892-05-19

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 timid qucs-
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 her
His nameY' the clerk inquired in .
businesslike way.
"a don't know his name. but want 10
end him. It is-it Is something impoF-
tant."
The clerk reflected a moment, then
shook his head. Yes, there had been Q
little boy answering 10 that description
in the hotel. but he had gone away with
his parents the day before. Where tot
All. that he did not know.
Tears sprang into Lame Caspar's eyes.
Horribly disappointed. he moved away
and mechanically descended the sunlit
.lifFs to the shore. What should he do
nOw2 The gold piece carried with it o
curse-a curse from which he would
never free himself His conscience tor
tured him. His luck had changed. He
caught hardly any fish nowadays. and
his companions were estranged from
him. They looked upon him with dis
trust and suspicion, and all the while
that hideous word Thief 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 1t. Nobody spoke
to him and he spoke to no one. Heshut
himself up in his cabin. and his one
thought night aud day was how to get
rid, Of the curse that overshadowed him.
His superStitious nature grew InOrbidly
sensitive. Often he fancied he was go
ing mad.
The winter came-the severe winter
Of the north. The angry sea dashed it
self into glittering spray. The great
bluff was carpeted with snow and the
sky was gray, Lame Caspar became q
hermit. When he did 20 out 1t 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
tho cupboard concealed q grim presence
that he dared not face. In the village
the people tapped their foreheads sig
nihcantly.
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 Il or else put an end to him
self. He began to devise ways and
means. By and by he thought Of plan
and resolved to carry 1t 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 a clond and spangled the sea and
the snow covered bluffs Caspar had a
kuife in his pocket; hut hehad 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 1t into the sea and him
self after it. Life had no longer any
charm or interest for him He had be-
come q coward and an outcast, lie
would rather die than live. However,
be could do nothing while the moon
shone so brightly. He must wait awhile
until 1t 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 ard stood still as large sleigh drew
up Utmost in front Of him and n man
jumping out ran to the horses to arrange
q displaced plume. Voices hOated to-
ward the solitary figure on the cliff. and
among them was one that caused Cas-
par's heart almost tn stand still. while 4
great sob rose in his throat
at was just here" said a clear, child
ish treble. that 1 lost my gold piece
inst MEOW there on the snOre. SuU,. =
mica. Elnd fisherman came and helped
me % look for hand The boy
stopped speaking. Then continued in
an altered tone: why. see that man
yonderi What can he be doing there9
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 TRANSPORTED. Tears
were rolling down his weather beaten
cheeks and splashed heavily upon the
ragged peajacket he wore.
''Ohr' cried the child joyfully to his
companions. This Is the very man
the nice, kind man who helped me to
search for my lost gold piece! But"
he added, "you are In trouble. Lame
Caspar, you are crying! What Is the
natter Why are you acting no strange
ly out here on the cliffsy
The childs companions. attracted bJ
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
had snapped. With his utterance still
choked by sobs be held the gold piece
forth in the argent moonlight and prof
rercI 1t 70 the BOY. who gave IN oIuiG-
ant shOut
My gold piecel And you found it for
me, you found itY'' be exclaimed JOY
ously.
For the first time Lame Caspar dis
covered his voice. Eyes. l-L-found
1t, and went to find you. but you were
gone. kept 1t. l have had It BY me
ever since. have hoped and waited
hoped and waited"-
A mans voice called to the child.
"COme, Ralph. the plume is fixed. We