Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-09-12

sIoIeS, uru5 SlOTeS, exchange brokers,
curiosity shops, pawnbrollers, dime
museums and bootlace venders. was
everywhere unsuccessful, and finally
another numismatst said to me: "You
see, when people get hold of those
coins they keep them for pocket pieces
or have them cut in half for tokens"
began to believe him.
None the less, however, shall I ever
remember with gratitude the sympa-
thy of the proprietors of the niclSel-in-
the-slot machines. They begged me to
wait 1t could not be long before
silver three-pence was passed for a
nickel. Alas! fate was against me. At
last Sunday came. Weary and broken
in spirit ! went to church Ia promise to
Marian). The collection was taken up.
sit directly behind the venera BILE Ed
ward Edwards. His venerable purple
hand tremblcd over the velvet-lined
plate. When the vestryman moved on
to me, there before my eyes lay the OBJ
ject l was seeking. 1t was old, it was
worn and shiny, its edges were seal
loped-it was the very twin of my own.
After service l visited the vestry and
effected an exchange. | leave the
casuistry of my action to others; but it
is fact that gratitude for the provi-
Dental assistance l had received to-
ward my contemplated subterfuge i'm
PEELED me to thank offering, and the
heather were spiritually richer to the
extent of one dollar and ninety-seven
cents after the exchange was com
pleted.
The next morning took the three
pence to the jewelers. shop to be cut
III half. still had my tremors, for
suppose Marian took fancy to com
pare the supposed halves and they did
not fit? However, this was a remote
contingency; | could even devise
means to provide against it. On the
whole, felt like an esoteric Buddhist
Just relieved from an underground fast.
There is only one way to cut coin
in half-from top to bottom. Mine was
the right-hand half; the jewcler riveted
it on my chain after rubbing the
edges little to make them seem not
SO freshly cut. Marian was to return
the next day-Tuesday. 1t had been
narrow escape.
And now ! know what you think
happened. You think that when Ma
rian returned my apprchensions were
once more aroused by the peculiar
manner in which she questioned me on
the subject of my half of the three
pence; that her manner convinced me
That l was not only suspected but
found out; and that, at last, after en-
during untold agonics, | discovered
that she had lost her own half-that is
your suppoaition. How little you know
Marian.
What happened was this:
l wore my counterfeit pledge for
twenty-four hours with great satisfac-
ton to my soul. But when my dear
girl came home and sat smiling beside
me, the depths of my baseness were
opened unto me, and ] saw how mean
and black they We're. could not look
into her eyes and deceive her With
out hesitating l told her everything
She heard me to the end without a
word. Then she lifted her eyebrows
slightly.
JVu nave ioSt your Hall, Sn6
said, disengaging her hand from mine,
"it is absurd for me to go on wearing
rhine" and she pushed up her sleeve,
drew off the bracelet and dropped it
into big Cloisonne bowl full of visit
ing cards.
Jim" she went on, did you really
miss meP'-Ladies' Home Journal.