Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1895-11-08
THE DISAPPEARING QUARTER.

aire when he moved to Washington
and was quite content with apart
ments in an unpretentions family
hotel on Q quiet street in the north
west section. Mr.. Stones apart
ments consisted Of three rooms, 1
sitting room end two bedrooms
The suite having been engaged, Mr.
Stone brought his wife and baby tc
the hotel, and was just as happy
as a brand new department clerk
could possibly be. Mrs. Stone was
happy, too. She wanted to see
Washington, so she engaged a maid,
not fashionable French one, but
a good Swedish girl, sort of nurse
for sweet little Winfield Stone, Jr.
The girl, Jennie Johnson by name,
was just as honest as could be, and
so gentle and good that Mrs. Stone
vowed she would never part with
with her. Jennie was given one OF
the small bedrooms, and the Stones
had the other, and it seemed as il
they were well prepared for their
first winter in Washington.
AS had been said, Stone was not
millionaire. Sometimes, howev.
er, he spent his small change as il
he had countless thousands in bank
You see, Stone had been store.
keeper out West and had become a
victim of the small change habit,
A pocketful of jingling dimes and
quarters gave him a contented feel.
ing, caused him to think that hs
was prosperous, led him to buy
15-cent cigars, and all thvt.
The small change habit was easi.
ly gratified when he kept store and
received all kinds of silver from his
customers, but in Washington Il
seemed to Stone that he was ever.
lastlngly breaking s5 bills and tina;
he did not receive full benefit from
the small change.
"Where do all the quarters 90 %
asked Stone ef himself one day
rather petulantly, after he had
reached into his pockets and foupd
them empty. 81 must be smoking
more than formerly. / must shut
down-economize-quit giving dimes
to these pesky street beggars-cut
of my car fare. This won't do.
am running behind.
That very evening Stone forgot
his resolution and started to tip the
elevator boy at his hotel to a quar-.
ter, but found no change in his
pocket.
"Never mind, George, I'll get 6
bill broken while am downtown
tonight and hand you a quarter in
the morning"
"Thank-ee, Massa Stone, thank
ee."
So, that night, Winfield Ston,
had a paper dollar chang ant
took pains to leave quarter IN hi
pocket. Next morning as Ston'
was going down to breakfast George
by his extra Politeness, reminded
the department clerk OF that prom
ised tip.
"Oh yes, George, here you are, ,
and Stone ran a hand into hi
pocket. The quarter was gone
"Well, that's funny 20 calculated
Stone. "T thought / had quar-
ter. / must have bought an extrl
might cap with it. This evening
me boy, I'll bring up the money foi
you sure"
"Thank-ee, Massa Stone," re
turned the elevator boy rather du
biously.
That night Stone changed anoth
er dollar bill and carefully placed ,
quarter in one pocket. Next morn
ing he was prepared for the elava
tor boy.
"George, I've got it for you thi
morning." and Stone reached TO
the quarter. 1t was gone
"Great Caesar !. Shades of Hell
Ter Where do these quarters go?'
George said nothing until Mr.
Stone had entered the dining room
Then he muttered something abou
"dat man bein' er mighty goo,
buffer.
| To tell the truth. Stone felt lik
buffer, and worse-he felt like