The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1896-01-11
THE RED-HOT DOLLAR.
BY H. u. UMBsTArrER.

1T lacked three minutes VI h'O W e"N
big clock in the tower when the east
bound Chicago express rumbled into
the station at Buffalo. The train had
not vet come to standstill when hat
less man jumped from the platform OF
the rear sleeping car and ran across the
tracks INTO the depot restaurant. A few
minutes later he reappeared, carrying q
cup of coffee in one hand and a small
paper bug in the other.
With these he hurriedly made his way
back to the car through struggling
procession of drowsy tourists, who were
taking. advantage of the trains five
minu{cS stop to breathe the crisp morn
ing air. The last of these had already
resumed his sat when the man without
hat again appeared at the lunch counter.
returned the borrowed dishes, and or
6lered coffee for himself. He had just
picked up the cup and was raising 1t to
his lips when the conductors "Ail
aboard" rang through the station.
Leaving his coffee untouched, he
thrust a flve-dollar bill at the attendant,
grabbed his change, and started in pur-
suit of the moving train. He had al
most reached it when an unlucky Stun
BILE cent the coins in his hand rolling in
all directions along the floor. Quickly
recovering himself and paying no heed
to his loss, he redoubled his efforts.
and, though losing ground atevery step,
kept up the hopeless chase to the end of
the station. There he stopped, painting
for breath. The slip had proved fatal.
He had missed the train!
AS he stood there staring wildly
through the clouds of dust that rose
from the track, young woman, evil
IDENTITY deeply agitated, suddenly APP
peared in the doorway of the vanishing
car. Upon seeing him, she made frantic
attempts to leap from the platform.
when she was seized by man and
pulled back into the car. When the door
had been closed upon the two the bare
headed man in the station faced about
and philosophically muttered:
"It's fate!"
Then, after pausing few moments
as if 10 collect his thoughts, he slowly
retraced his steps to the scene of his
mishap and began calmly searching for
his lost change. Circling closely about
his eyes scanning the floor, he succeed
ed in recovering first one ind then an
other of the missing coins, until finally
after repeated rounds, he lacked only
one dollar of the whole amount. Al
this point he paused, clinked the recov'
cred coins in his hand, looked at his
watch and then started on final round
AS this failed to reveal the missing piect
he gave up the search, transferred the
contents of his hands to his trousers
pocket and started in the direction d
the telegraph Office.
He had proceeded perhaps 20 pace'
when 1t occurred to him to turn abou
and cast one more look along the floor
AS he did SO his eye fell upon shining
object lodged in an opening between
the rail and planked floor, few fee
from where he stood. He stopped to ex
anime it, and, seeing that it was TIL
missing coin, reached for it, but fouIi<
the opening too narrow to admit hi
fingers. He tried to recover the piec
with his pocketknife, and, failing II
this attempt, took his lead-pencil, wit
which, after repeated attempts, he sue
ceeded ia tossing it upon the floor.
With an air of subdued satisfaction
he walked away, and was about to con
vey the coin to his pocket when sud
den impulse led him to examine il
Holding 1t up before his eyes, il
stopped, scrutinized every detail, and a
he turned 1t over and over the puzzle
look on his face changed to one of rigi
establishment. For fully minute h
stood as if transfxed; then, rousin
himself and looking anxiously about t
see ii'anyone had observed him, he hun
ried to the cashiers desk in the restar
rant, and, producing the bright silve
dollar, asked the girl if she happened
), rcmcmbcr from whom she received it.
She didn't remember, but would e,
change 1t for another, she said, If h
wished. Politely declining the offe
and<apologizing for having trouble
her, he said that as the coin he held
l his hand was separating a loving VIII
from her husband he wished very muc
xto find some trace of its former owne,
The girl looked up, thought for mo
ment, then pulling out the cash drawe
and examining its contents said sl
might have received it from the col
ductor of the Lake Shore expires
which had left for Cleveland at 81
She now recalled that when she cam
on duty at midnight there was nosilve
dollar among the change in the cas-
drawer, and that the only one she n
,ncmbered receiving was from Sleel
ing-Car Conductor Parkins.
The nan Thanked her and FASTENED