The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1898-10-21

Presently tne contractor lorelhdu
shook him, swearing cordially, and he
gaspcd, smiled weakly and gripped the
pick and shovel protectingly. ,
"You've been wanting work, said the
foreman. "Why don't you git at itS"
And John Dawson tried to rise, but
really he could not. So the foreman,
knowing much, as IA foreman must, mo-
toned lounger, and the two carried John
Dawson and his pick and his shovel to
Clark street restaurant south OF Jackson,
and the very immoral but sympathetic
proprietor placed food before him in un'
known abundance.
How hard he worked when he did come
back How much be wished the wife and
the little ones might have had such meal
as that How resolutely he promised him
self they should have such meal! And
how amazed he was when, working away
there at the inner angle of the mighty
| wall his pick pulled up a wad Of paper
with the brick and cement At FIST he .
brushed it aside with the refuse, but it |
rolled back toward him. Then he pushed |
it urgently with his foot, and the dust fell |
away from its tissues, and Its green's and |
whites, its letters and it's figures peered
up athim. He worked away at the inner !
angle of the great wall for few moments,
for he was grateful to the contractor FORE
man, and then he almost tainted, for the
consciousness came to him that this was
money.
There were other men near him, heap
ing rubbish on the same pile with him.
They might see It, They certainly would
1. If he Owed down and picked it up. So he
hammered with his pick blindiy, not see-
ing the wall, and then he took off his hat
) and laid 1t on the money.
After ten minutes he pulled the hat
from the cement and brick dust, carefully
. bringing up the package of bills with 1t,
and tucked hat and all within the bosom
[ Of his shirt and worked bareheaded and
/. feverishly until night. He went home,
S stolidly secure. He had found money. II
y he said nothing, he would not have to give
Q 1t back,
j. "where did you get this money!" asked
= william Brown, reputable lawyer, eylnR
u a 500 bill which laboring mana very
IS dusty and pronounced laboring man
!" placed in his hand.
l. 81 found it"
i you stole 1t"
B. "YOuise "a liar" said John Dawson.
. And the lawyer Knew the fnaEFwas telling
the truth. Mr.. Brown took out $40 for
a his fee for services, which he was told
would later be needed, and gave back the
y. change. John Dawson took the change
%. and was out of trouble.
~ He worked just as hard at the fedora
%. building, but he paid cash at the grocery
4. His wife went down town with money
he and they had enough to eat. Not another
a. man on the job could say as much.
N "If you have 100000" said Lawyel
er Blown, "why don't you get some good o
oil itV Live in q better house. Make tn
an money pay for some of the things you nee,
NO some of the things other men have in thi
In, world. Buy things for your wife. Civ
as her an easier time. Do something for th
ha children. First thing you know some on
will find out where you got 1t and will te
the man that lost it, and you'll have
inf give it up"
ba "Tu Kill him f1rstI" cried John Dav
,o,, SON. His hands were cltnched above b
II head, his teeth were set, his eyes wei
oh. staring, his breath came heavily. L
re really would have done it. 81,
,e,f They lived in a coy fat Dawson b
ybt hayed himself The neighbors respectt
him and admired his children. The wifi
. like most women, was capable of shu
Cling with penury or of adjoining the hal
ng, of plenty. Her home was bower.
,uiO The preacher called on John Dawso
ing and the family went to church. The ch
IS dren were in Sunday school. The wi
Ies' learned something froM everything s
'len saw. There was servant in the kitche
loi Lawyer Brown, looking for an inve
,aiu ment, advised the purchase Of 200 feet
leo, land in Washington avenue. On that tn
anu built row Of houses, financing the AM
ON from the basis Of a clear title. John Da
son superintended the construction, a
ing men of quality associated with him. VIII
IAe he went into the bank, he found the ca
very Ter respected him, talked to him, not W
mere him much, for John Dawson was shrev
,, 1no ly quiet man.
ing He found-the most amazing thing
ices ~ 49, a mans word was sacred.
ngs ,ro,,,ise was kent An obligation was
charged. A duty was fulfilled He beg
Oh to understand the things that son an
ing daughter might be proud about.
inc The rev in Washington avenue '
ra ,,S bought before the buildings were
lShed. People seemed 10 reCORl1he hl 1'
MY Dawson lucky man. They shove
.----- offers upon him. He wore pretty g
- clothos-anyway, the tailor made theI
T and earned $500 month without SC
ing a blow with his hands.
In December Lawyer Brown said:
az found out who lost that $40, 600.
name Isl
,tely But John Dawson had dived thro
They s sn., u1on nS %' down stairs and was W
their ing blindly, Ansanely down the street,
1T he He came back after two days.
n tbe "Whowas itY" he said.
GROW "Who was whatY"
cnra "Who lost.the money!"
IL is He was calm now, but desperately
of To couraged.
,os - at was Caleb Browning one Of
clerks. His father, Jabez Browning l
1t good, and no one but them and tn
ID the counting officers know anything abOl
i vPh OF course no one knows wheFeiit Is. I"
eemed "ef course'net. Give 1t back. "
/ hhe "Wha-at?'
most Bhe lawyer was almost as Wild al
3 }igU client had been.
Ne dis "Give it back. 1t belongs to him.
effect But-my-t1ear--sir''