The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1892-09-24
THE GOLD PIECE.

du ial rolling a yellow gold piece
the paier yellow of the sand The
~ wind caught his hair and
H. L., danced in his eyes. The gold
flashed in the sunlight that
- ccross the beach and struck
-h;te cliffs beyond with dazzling
Arain aud again the child
nj the gold in his chubby hand and
= SHINING in swift curves. Then
:. once a roguish breeze lifted his
nd striving to keep his headgear
.,ace he let his eyes wander for an
..ant from his treasure; when his
;,s;sb feet reached the place where he
~nssd it would be lying, the gold
IN ,,as not there-it had 1nysteriously
sappeared ,,.
fore He wondered what had be-
~ If his money. Perhaps it had
-rsa into a crevice of the jutting rock
J. snranp from the bluff overhead.
might it not have rolled into the
..er7 Anyway. he could not find it,
"a bs was disconsolate at his loss.
b.ssently he abandoned the search, and
;r;nc down in the sand he began to cry
Utterly. -. IN
:, whose figure resembled a silhouette
,vn ON the pale forgetmenot Sky, APP
,scbed from the other end of the
ch He wore a rough dress and
lied with a limp. Across his shoulder
mo long string of silvery fish. He
y the little boy, and pausing in front
q him smoke almost tenderly:
@Wen, my little man. what Is the mat
M he asked.
4 The child lifted his tear washed face.
Irrye lost my gold piece" he answered.
aHow was that" inquired the man, in
|kerested. :,
'aWhy. | was rolling it along the sand,
M all at once it was gone. shall be
finished for losing it." and he sobbed
.siresh.
] The man came a step nearer. "Was
IN your own? Did it belong to you?
Eyes: today is my birthday and my
GRANDMOTHER gave it to me-"
@Poor little chap" said the lame mar
Kindly. LET me help you look for it"
BE began without delay to search IL
+ tbe wet sand and among the pebbles, tn
HOY. his small body bent almost double
[fojlowing him with eyes riveted upol
he ground. The fisherman's glance wa
keener than the child's, and it was no
]ong before he caught the mild CLEAN o
somethiDg lying under fragment o
urpjecting rock. He looked again; yes
be saw yellow speck much brighte
than the surrounding sand-a mere, tan
dot of flashing gold, and as he gazed hl
| heart beat a triAe more quickly. Fl
drew himself up, turned his eyes els'
where. opened his lips, then closed thel
again and said nothing. By and by b
| spoke in strangely calm voice.
There's no use looking" he said. g.
b lost; you will never find it,"
The boys mouth quivered, his brea'
came in gasps. Perhaps if came 7
morrow with my governees we mlgl
find it, he replied; but there was hop
lessncss in his tone.
"Are you staying at the hotely askt
the fisherman, looking dreamily at t
sea. -.
"Yes, and must go home now WI
. sigh; 81 promised not to stay all
sunset, and the SIM is nearly gone ~
man made no reply and the child adde
do you think the gold piece could ha
been washed away by wave?
POSSIBLY"
II only took my eyes off of it fol
moment. 1t was spinning along ike
little golden wheel and then-weli,
viii come back tomorrow early In {
morning and see if can find it.
Still the man made no answer. 4
the light had shifted from his figure q
| the silver scales of the fish had turn
70 gray.
"Goodby," said the boy. Then, as
afterthought, What Is your name:
"Caspar-they call me Lame Casl
because-of this" and he pointed
lenly to his right leg.
"Well, thank you for helping me
look for my gold piece, Lame Caspa
aid the boy: and he turned away W
l.. -.