Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1895-08-15
II COPYRIGHT 1892 By RAND. NeNALLY d co.

CHOSEN Jne nardI Drlgnt coin, lnde
structible to mischevious agents o
harm the teeth of rodents, and rain
The Sicilian dollar had played hin
false He saw it all now that sucl
knowledge came too late,
He lived in a sort of delirium. H,
scoffed at the impending catastrophe
He need not act with undue precipita
ton. There was still time for reflection
and to rearrange his disordered ideas
He kept reassuring himselfin this fash.
ion. Night and day became as one t.
him. If he slept or partook of sucf
food as was to be found in the house
the need of nature was mechanically
fulfilled. He did not miss his grand,
daughter. He had forgotten her and a
fever of unrest consumed him Con
tending passions tore his breast now
urging him to desperate, frantic action,
and again withholding him in dull,
passive resignation.
Suddenly the note of a church bell
reached his ear.
He paused in his aimless rambling
about house and garden. indulging in
titful soliloquies, and listened. The
bell marked the passing hour. He
was startled, shocked, appalled,. Time
was ebbing rapidly like the sand in
the glass His distorted fancy thus in
terpreted the warning of the clock
Would he be too lateP
He stood as if frozen with horror,
his white hair bristling on his head,
his eye dilated and fixed. A voice
shrieked these words:
II am rich, rich! My treasure lies
buried here all about me. Help me
to unearth it before it is too late!"
Who had spoken? He could not de-
termine whether his own lips had
moved, or he heard an echo of his
thoughts at his side. He was no longer
alone Mocking faces jibed at him,
haunting his helplessness, his tardy
recognition of the impending evil.
Then beautiful shape. clothed in
shining radiance, put aside the others,
only to prove the more maddening in
turn. This airy form was the Sicilian
dollar Now it cleaned on the ground,
and again it fitted up to the parapet
of the Watch Tower The coin spun
here, there, on all sides, eluding, daz-
cling, intangible
Jacob Dealtry, aroused to frenzy
haste, after long delay, began to seek
in the crevices of his dwelling, be-
meath the fountain basin, behind the
beehives at the angle Of the garden
wall
II he paused to rest his feeble
strength exhausted, the Sicilian dol
lar flashed before his troubled vision,
scoffing at his forgetfulness of still
another hiding-place, and goading
him to fresh exertions
Shrill laughter and odd cries were
audible occasionally in the enclosure.
Jacob Dealtry had lost his reason
A vessel approached Malta, the
Elettrico from Messina
Among the passengers on board were
Lieut. Curzon and his wife. His brief
leave of absence had nearly expired,
and he was about to rejoin his ship.
Dolores, beaming with happiness, and
her savage grace already refined by
travel, still held Florio under one arm.
Malta gave slight heed to these new
arrivals in the more profound emo.
tons of the hour, Malta, whether of
high or of low degree, was bringing
the Sicilian dollar to the treasury mart
at the appointed time, The coin ar
rived in bag, purse, rcoffer, and even
transported in rude boxes on print
tive vehicles, the owners sadly crest
fallen and anxious as to results.
The fact was clearly proved that
the stronghold of the Knights Templar
was the richest island of similar di-
mansions in the world
The recluse of the Watch Tower was
not the only victim of the pranks of
the Sicilian dollar on this occasion.
Disbursement of boards long con-
cealed sowed discomfort, envy, and
suspicion on every side. Creditors
frowned on debtors proved to have
full pockets. Masters eyed thrifty
servants askance.
The Busatti couple met on their
own threshold with mutual confusion
and anger.
"Thou!, exclaimed the husband, in
accents of unfeigned establishment,
hugging a much worn, leather pouch
under his arm
"ThouP' echoed the wife, in even
sharper tones, and clutching a heavy
sack of coarse linen.
"Ehl What would you have, my
soul? A man must make little pro-
vision for age when his children may
find him burden" said the husband,
apologetically
II have daughters to marry" said
the wife tartly. May the Madonna
help me to save a soldo for some
masses to be sung for the repose of
my soul when diel"
Even Dr. Busatti emerged from the
house counting some pieces of money
in his left palm
And Dolores? Her face clouded as
she once more climbed the steps of
Valletta. Remorse and apprehension
began to weigh on her heart In vain
she sought for the small and bent
form, of har grandfather In Che crovyd