The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-04-03

The firm told me today hat tho goods
would be charged 10 INC until found, ana
then tho loss in valuation would be de-
Quoted from my salary
''Oh. Eghert!"
Yes. You see the goods were lue al
| Dresden last Friday week. must have
SHIPPED them by mistake to some other
port, Meanwhile we have lost tn Dresden
sale and possibly the goods"
There was pause. Then in ,imit
very much. dear"
"A thousand dollars"
"EsbeIt, dear!'
Yes, and l am either TO furnish security
| for the amount unt.l recovered as they arc
missing entirely, or work fer IS week un.
| I'll we heap from them
I. And that may be-
| Weeks, months. maybe year, Il thew
were Slipped by the Pacific lines."
| There was a gasping sound now and
| felt sure both were crying. / would have
given the world TO have stepped in ju t
/ here TO say a word of comfort But what
could have said, even IL my role OF in
voluntary eayesdropper had been on open
one thousand dollars! My own slender
income scarcely approXimated that in a
year and beyond that had nothing in
Inc world eXcept-except my coins,
coin collector, you must know, Is A
nouomaniac quiet but p. sistent. A luna
NC harmless but determined
OF all habits there is none as difficult
10 break as that Of coin collecting; and of
all eNtravagances there is none so consum
ing The passion OF tho m!ser is a low
throb compared to it, and the desire Of
the epicure scarcely touches It In intensity
For the cake of the coins which so
dearly love ] have made myself an exile
dwelling in humble circumstances where
the value of my dearly loved coins might
raise me 10 wealth.
While | listened to the conversation be-
tween Egbert Windsor and" his vie NV
hand rested on small table al my side.
and suddenly became aware that here.
right under my very fingers, rested the
means OF saving them from the long slay-
cry of poverty before them.
Yes, right there in my very hand. And
yet-and yet, No not for all the world
could have brought myself To offer uD so
great sacrifice on the altar of human
And why should I. and for strangers,
too? People have known scarcely two |
month";
The thought, ccrtalnt, a reasonable one.
comforted me, ard lighted my gas 10
dismiss it and the Windsors from ms |
mind
AS the light flooded my apartment n |
light touch sounded on my door and u
opened ii TO see Mrs. Windsor standing
outside.
only letter. she said, handing m.
IN envelope.
Her face was flushed, as from crying. bu,
she wore sweet smile. no, won come
IN tonight" said she.
AS she turned away her eyes met mine.
and something in my face must have told
Ter that | knew. you heard" said she
ism it terrible? Foor Esbertl 1t viii kill
aim"
II dill not-not hear OIL" said namely
How much"
"A thousand dollars or lis security. AM
We do MOI know where there Is as much |
Money as that in the world"
AZ ms moment maybe by ch,nte, he
YES fol urol The coins.
mere they lay. gold and silver ard :
.'.ze, brass end cooper md nickel: nj. /
!, nlnEnerlng and bright under III. IN. =.
1870 mere they lay. al cleaning. iiv. Id
uuNtpu OF thein, lust as had Iai1 tba,, |
w Tor counting before inner ,f,or ,h
Ilue polshing brush hal done i.s waat'v v
'ork uron thom. ~ weekly
Tney or worth as much rs ,hni p. ,ha Ii
sized timilly 'h"t shc
les. and great deal mere" ri,
70 M, ior nid not like TO have her &
' me sen,'h fiend getting Posse ssic, Of me
"ausnei mem into my LAP and tumaleS
y w, u, hsadiong into my bureau arawar
wnen turned Mrs. Windsor wns ,.ons
Next morning. heartily ashamed ~ ~.
s.. tried tc turn the conversation 10.
i a,a ,ne tsI:s Q. the ntsa, bsforc. hut Mrs
.'ndsor avoided It. I Knew thai oh, ca. '
urt and this only S,aae me me mere ere 'e,.
,lnip,f bic How could have hal 50 n.
tacty J was net SUSPICIOUS OF her 4
as only the Jealous feeling UNDERSTOOD ~ d
,vern him. "A a'ie"s II 70 =
70, TIM next few days I saw lI.t,a =, ,,s
inasors for, having a relative in tow e y
oeyotsd my days 10 visiting tsr ana 'o oMi i
Z m'sn's were spent IN my room, NA' 'A's
hu, J punished myself by lorkinv =, !.
! ' ne my precious coins and subs nm,
: tor Them an imitation sci rroc,,raa n
~ ago from Venetian coin dsalsr :.
A limitation set of coins Is ownsa -. !,
airy every collector, Just MS naost ro,,, ~ y
~ paste Jewels The limitations are Z Z
,"ler ana less accurately engraved. Out !
cd '"'s ARC quite as "
spienaid library cabinets are rarely Z,
'psea OF thsir coins, though tie owner q,