The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-12-24
The Family Gold Piece.
(From the New York Evening Post.
-Four Parts.)

1
| Four Parts)
PART 1.
The coin was a double-eagle, the date
1877; in one corner were the initials L. F.,
| with a cross below and its shining surface
was marked with small dents; il lay al
the moment on a nursery table beside
4 which a beautiful woman sat sewing. She
paused in her work as her glance fell on
At II was worth looking at, indeed, not
only as the peripatetic birthday and Christ
| mas gift of the whole family, but as the
sole outward and visible sign of yet
uudscounted future. 1t represented the en-
| tire savings of thirteen years of welded
life
When John Ferguson married, he was
| young man with prospects, and Lenore
| Smith was thought to have made a very
| good match 1t had taken all his ready
| money to furnish the little home for his
| bride and start in housekeeping, but they
had made up their minds to be wise in
| economy and not trust altogether to his
prospects a provision for the future.
| She remembered now, as if it were yes
| terday, the night he had brought home that
| shining double-eagle and laid il in her
hand.
''Yes, dearr' he said in answer to her
| glad look of questioning. Here are our
savings for last month, yours and mine.
| If we can lay aside twenty dollars every
| four weeks we shall be millionaires before
long" They both broke into happy laugh
ter. for it seemed so easy thing to do.
Next month there was an unexpected
plumbers bill, after that visit from
Johns aunt, and after that a heavy as
sessment for aunt. and after that a heavy
assessment for life Insurance, and when
Christmas came around John found the
gold-piece in the toe of his stocking.
IT'S ridiculous to save it when you need
an overcoat so much,' said Lenore, with
her arms around his neck.
John vowed that there was to be mild
winter, and that ne would wait for biz
zard before sacrificing their fortune. The
blizzard did not come, and the fortune re-
mained intact, to be bestowed later, tenn
porarily, on baby Nora, who laughed as
she held the golden coin, and dented it with
her little white teeth.
From that time forth saving proved an
impossibility, but though even practised
muscles found it difficult as years went by
TO perform the time-honored athletic feat
called making both ends meet, the wings
Of the double-agle had never been clipped.
A look at the gold-piece always seemed to
make practicable what had been achieved
once, and 1t was easy to go without a need
ed article when twenty dollars was there
for the spending.
More children were born to them, the
new, cheap furniture became shabby with
the ugly shabbiness which age brings to
such articles; times" were proverbially |
bad, but John and Lenore still lived in a |
land of love whose light cast a glamour
over all things. To their own eyes tbev |
Or ma ;aI
life with ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS only tenn |
porarily obscured even now by an immedi- |
ate loss of Johns position; il was only |
an accident of each passing month that |
success still remained intangible, and the |
sordld wearing economies of Ife were but |
slight incidents in the grand triumphal
march that led to fortune
Mrs. Ferguson, are you dreaming? Nav
L come in and wake you up?'
LeEore turned with dimpling smile.
is that you, Alice? You must have left |
the Cooper rather early today"
Il had a headache" said the newcomer
a young girl, exceedingly tall and thin. but
with willowy, graceful figure, a great
deal OF reddish hair, and large melancholy
brown eyes. She perched herself on the
edge OF the table, in a detected attitude
laying her portfolio down beside her, and
looked at Lenore appealngly. There was
sort OF sweetforiornness in her aspect that
suggested loving and neglected child.
It's so good to be with you" she said
lmpuisively Il couldn't draw another
stroke today. I'm perfectly wretcheiv'
What is the matter?" asked Lenore.
We'll, for one thing, I upset the tea
over my new gown last night. and had
TO wear this old skirt today On, If YOU
knew how tired l am of wearing ugly old
clothes and living with Henry's wifei How
could my brother ever have fancied her?
her friend, Mr.. Wells, has asked
ne to marry him.
"AEcer
ITS a disgrace." cried the girl yebe-
nently. What have done that should
De subjected to the attention of such peo-
'le-that L should even have to know
hem! He has grown-up children. older
nan l, and he-Oh, it makes me ashamed
o think of him.
Don't cry, DEAR" said Lenore.
II can't help it, replied the girl, search
ng desperately for her pocket handker- !
hlef. Nobody ever takes care of me or 6
owes me but you; I'm too tall, that's the :
eason. You know it's the reason-st is-it {
sr' She swayed backward and forward.
Ter face hidden in the handkerchief 7
Alice" said Lenore, ''if you keep on q
Ike this shall laugh, and I really am sorry 9
or you-sorry that you have been so Z
q
Il never, never mean TO get married." L
ursued Alice, still swaying and sobbing: | Il
but l would sometimes like to be loved
nd cared for and admired Like other girls
1ho are pretty and-Gttle. You don't know =.
that it is TO be thrown on your own re- !,
ources and have to live with Emma: it's T
o wonder I'm deteriorating every day. If :
Were not for art, which I adore and :
ou, you darling thing, I don't know what :
should doi' She raised her head and
niled brilliantly. the tears still hanging
! her long lashes. TITS so bleSsedly good =
you 70 let me come here and tell you
serythins; l feel ever so much better al :
sady. Oh. there's the dear Old gold-piece IL
} remind me that it's Herbert's birthdayw
be took the coin in her slim hand. and =
esan tossing ii deftly up in the air and .
atching it again. Il must buy Herbert
presert."
You must do nothing of the kind" said (
enore, putting on her hat. Give me that .
oney reckless girl. Come I am going
ith you, Alice; 1 have an errand before s.
nner." o.