The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-07-02


~ n 'osns4 her ssa ni Ssss
sold at auction, and although Mr..
Goldberg was supposed to be entirely
innocent of crooked dealing, Myrtle
could never see it in that light, and
when she heard that his office had
been destroyed by fire she told her
self it served him right.
On the afternoon Of the day follow
ing the fire Myrtle went over to the
site of the old building. A man was
prodding around in the ashes and Gin
ders, overturning every little while o
live coal, which sparkled and glowed
like some precious jewel in the midst
of the blackened ruins. The man
paused near her at last in his rounds
and Myrtle asked:
'Have you found anything in here?"
"Naw," said he, II amt. I'm
lookin' on Mr.. Goldberg's account;
that's the reason I finds nothin'. It's
the dishonest fellows that hunts on
their own hook that finds things"
The workman passed on to o far
corner of the building. Myrtle stood
there irresolute for q few minutes.
Presently she slipped under the lower
bar Of the railing and began to tread
carefully over the great bed Of ashes.
The workman looked around and saw
her there.
"Look out, Missy, or you'll burn
YOURSELF" he said, kindly. Sand re-
member, if you find anything it be-
longs to Mr.. Goldberg"
Myrtle smiled. 'That man must
think I'm a ninny," she said, softly.
eff I tindanythingit's Mr.. Goldberg's,
is it? The idea. He's made enough
off us already"
Myrtle began to dig around with
the toe of her shoe. Presently Wig
orous kick dislodged several bricks
that had fallen in q sort of mound
shape, and in the ashes beneath she
saw a cleaning, yellow object. She
pounced upon it with an exclamation
of delight, aud brushed off the light
crust of cinders. It was a lady's
watch, unbroken and untarnished,
and the exact counterpart of one she
had been wanting for many months.
She hastily wrapped her handkerchief
around it and hurried toward the
street. AS she crept Under the railing
the man looked up again.
"Goin' home, Missy?" he called out.
eyes" Myrtle replied, family, as
she started down the street.
Myrtle went at once to her own
room upon reaching home and hid the
watch in alittle shell box which she
kept in the top drawer of her bureau
She decided not to speak to her moth,
er about it until after supper.
"Mother is so queer" she reflected.
"She never sees things like other peo
pie. I suppose she'd say ought tc
give this watch back to Mr.. Goldberg,
but don't see why I should. It's
mine. I found it. Besides, he really
owes it to us. He got mothers watch
and ring for a song, and no doubt
sold them for a good, round price.
Poor motherl"
After supper Myrtle put off her con.
fession until bedtime; at bedtime she
put it off until morning; in the morn
ing she postponed it indefinitely. One
morning about a fortnight after the
fire Myrtle passed the site of Mr.
Goldberg s store again. The debris
had been cleared away and the foun
dations of o new building were OIL
ready laid. Standing ON the edge o.
the sidewalk, watching the masons
and carpenters, was a sallow, thin
faced man, whom she recognized al
once as Mr.. Goldberg. He looked to
ward the street as Myrtle neared The
spot and for an instant their eyes met
Common sense afterward told her tina
he could not possibly have known her
and that he did not speak word, bu
to her excited imagination his keer
black eyes seemed to read her every
thought, aud his sharp voice seemed
to ask shrilly: "Myrtle Trover
where's my watch? Where's my
watch, Myrtle Trover?"
Myrtle hurried home, and alone il
her room with the watch once more
she fully awoke to the determination
which, all unconsciously to herself
had been gradually forming in he
mind for several days.
'It is his" she said, decisively
''I'l take it to him this evening"
Evidently the best wRyso make sus'