Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-04-06

silently reckoned the price, and as 1 d1d
it occurred TO re that l could only pay |
It that evening by the sacrifice Of my |
half eagle. It was in vain that once
more opened my purse, which certainly |
was not Fortunatus, for I found moth |
ing more there than had seen In it an
hour before-sman change of the very
smallest variety. Could put her OF
till Monday Without that half eagle
my Saturday nights marketing would
be very small affair.
"But what will hers be without itg'
said my conscience. "f you feel the
inconvenience of an empty pocket so
much, what must it be to those who
earn food and shelter from day to dayf
Daily bread is something more than a
mere form of speech to themP'
Perhaps little would serve her i'm
mediate wants. Selfshness received this
suggestion very approvingly, and
turned from my papers to the copylst TO
make the suggestion.
She stood on the other side Of the fire.
place as motionless as If she had been
carved pillar placed there to support the
mantel against which her shoulder rest
ed. One foot-a neat one, even in its
worn, wet shoe-peeped from beneath
her dress, as if drawn irresistibly toward
the grateful warmth. Indeed her whole
attitude seemed to express the same feel
ing. She did not bend and crouch over
the fire as beggar would have done.
She did not sit before it and court its
cheerful heat as if it had blazed on her
own hearthstone.
Scarcely swerving from the most erect
position as she leaned against the mar
BILE, her clasped hands hanging before
her, she seemed to be bracing herself
against an attraction that would draw
her completely into the fame. could
almost fancy that, if left to itself, her
slender form would be drawn closer and
closer, till finally it mingled with the
Pickering blaze and with it passed into
viewless air.
But when I lifted my eyes to hel
face I saw that she was at least uncon
scious of the fsncied impulse. Her fixed
eyes and faint smile on her lips told
that some pleasant thought had be
guiled her even there into day dream
Following the direction of her gaze
saw that it rested on the same solitary
coin which had been the subject of my
own meditations, and which lay jus
where had dropped ton the table
when startled by her knock.
Modern critics are very fond Of talk
ing about the suggestive in art and litera
ture. To my own mind (because it i
hackneyed and worldly, | suppose the.
would say there is no word in the Ian
guage so suggestive as money-no worl
of art that brings up so many and 8
varied thoughts as those very remark
able profiles and efigies which adorI
our current coin. Dross in itself, if tn
! philosophers will have it SO, yet as
means, tool, path, is it not wonder
full in the versatility of its power? Wha
magician ever worked such wonders j
the material world? What spirit work
SO universally, so unfailingly, so uncea'
. ingly, in the moral2 Even that singl
coin on my table-that intinitesimal dro
|, in the great ocean of wealth-how muc
! lies within the circumference of such
small piece of metal?
To my own mind-worldly and hacl
neyed, as l have before observed-it ha
: been suggestive of a great many thing
Compressed within its disk, l had see
!, my Sunday dinner-ample, done to
= turn, rich with dripping gravy an
= smoking hot from the roasting jacl
From its metallic rim l had alread
= slipped in imagination the rare o.
. AmontiIlado A fragment of the go
. had curled my lips in fragrant wreatl
: of smoke. And if |, to whom eve
: half eagles were not infrequent vi
u itors and who, if l had known po
erty at all, had known him only as
neighbor to be Stunned, and not as ,
= = inmate to be fought, who, even in n
- worst estate, had been spared the pa
70 of seeing him enter at my own do
= and sit down with my dear ones at the
~ scant meal: If l could see so much
y half eagle, what worldwide prospe
- of happiness might it not open to th
=, poor girls eyes? l dared not dwell
!" - the things she might see there, lest
y u should loathe myself and the well
~ Christian men around me, who SO rare
70 grant such visions to the starved e.
10 10 sight, but l Immediately gave up
. thoughts of sending the girl away Wi
~ out her money.
80 80 Yes, her money! For hers it was
- all that can make good title in law
IL equity; earned by the fragment of
t. young life she had given for it; carr
y with the very flesh from her wast
=; frame and the blood from her p
"a cheeks.
40 What business had l to be speculate
ao and sentimentalizing thus about the
IN fairs of young lady with whom f
'e' only a little business transaction.
u might have known that such an imp
cn fessional train of thought would lead
ny some blunder. The earthen pot and
eo iron one never can swim safely toget
m in fact or fable. Consequently brt
'1 'rO in upon the poor girls reverie with
On ~ most awkward question in the world
.ne "Have you any change, mlss?'
n, -
a. "A " y, s3l