Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1892-09-29

THE RUNAWAY DOLLAR.
A Lest Coin That Accomplished Two
Good Missions.


must say that it was a clear case of
a dollar-a bright, new one at that
running away from its owner It came
bounding down the steps of great
Building one sunshiny day, showing it's
rounded edge to the sunbeams and the
date on its face
4 wonder who lost it, cried boy
who happened to see the coin in its
fight: and then he bounced upon it
and held it up as he mentally calculated
how much it would purchase
After awhile he looked up at the
building as though he expected to see
someone come out in search of the
runaway, but no one appeared
He could not see how dollar
could help but be missed, for with
him dollars were very scarce. Then he
thought of the vast amount of money
stored in the house, for it was bank,
and while he looked people came out
appearing well pleased and walked rap
idly away
please sir, did You lose a dollar just
now?" asked the little fellow, address,
ing one of those who came down the
broad steps
The man with a good -natured face
stopped and looked at the coin in the
boys hand.
NO my boy; it is not mine, said
the merchant
1t came rolling down the steps, any
way"
Well, you might as well keep it"
but it has an owner: it isn't mine
',Oh, it viii not be missed Why, it's
only a dollar and the gentleman
laughed and passed on.
int the boy stood still, gazing at the
runaway dollar, and wondering to whom
it could belong
1T doesn't belong to me, that's GER
tain said he, firmly. ut ought to go
back to its owner and he went up the
steps and entered the bank
/ was the first time his feet had ever
pressed the beautiful floor of the bank
ing-room, and he wondered if they
would let him remain moment. At
little window right ahead he saw a man
who was looking over a pile of money,
and in a moment he stood before him.
Here's dollar that ran away awhile
ago, he said laying the coin on the
marble in front Of the cashier.
Ran off. did you say?" smiled the
banker why, it has no legs"
The boy smiled himself, but explained
that he had seen the dollar roll down
the steps of the bank and ON to the
sidewalk, and it was trying to find the
owner.
Maybe Mr. Ballymore lost it." sug-
gested young man who overheard the
conversation.
''Old Bally, eh?" returned the cashier.
You don't know him, do you?'
The banker then said that Mr.. Ballv-
more had an office just around the cor
ner: and when the finder of the run
away dollar replied that he would go
and see, he heard a light laugh, and
walked out with it ringing in his ears.
He found Mr.. Ballymore's office at
the top Of two flights of stairs-a gruff
old fellow who looked to the boy like
a bear,
Not mine, said the old broker,
grutfiy, looking at the dollar, con-
temptuously: "mebbe the bank lost
it" And that was all the boy could
get out of him.
Nothing was left for the finder of the
runaway dollar but to take it home,
which he did at last, rather glad it
must be confessed, that ne could not
restore it to its owner, orrather, that if
it had to be lost, glad he was the one to
find it.
Il made his eyes bright as it lay on
the poor table that night with the
children clustered around it saying
what they would buy with it the next
day. How it CLEANED in the lamplight.
looking brighter than ever, and visions
Of good things to be purchased accom-
panied the little ones to bed.
But the next day the dollar was not
spent. Instead, the boy made a little
bank out Of box and dropped it in,
concluding that he would wait; some
day its owner might come to light
There were times when food was scarce
in the house and the family thought Of
the runaway dollar but the boy would
not give his consent to have it taken
from the bank.
One day, just when the banks Of the
great city We're closing, he happened
to reach the steps down which the dol
lar had rolled in the sunlight a long
time before As he looked up at the
massive building he saw the cashier
come out. and to his surprise the man
seemed 70 recognize him, and beckoned
to him to stop.
DO you recollect the dollar that
ran away some time ago." asked tho
cashier.
The boy smiled at once.
Indeed as. Sir. It was right here
that I found H.
DID vou ever find an owner for it?n
Never. sir