The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1898-04-13

cOlHu OI my lie Ill meAlcO. ounce II
to say that l kept my resolution in re
gard to gaming. and shatever fortune
l have made was not amassed in Mex.
lean mines"
81 suppose you got this piece back
by purchasing it from the winner, y
remarked the professor, dropping il
on the table and putting down his ear
to listen to the ring.
'To my great chagrin he left Sal
tillo that same afternoon, and 1 never
set eyes on him again"
''Indeedl Then how in the world
did you regain possession of it?"
Forty years later" said the col,
onel slowly.
"Phew," whistled young Hawley,
under his breath.
II was sojourning for few days in
small town in Southern Spain.
Passing through narrow street one
afternoon on my way back to the
hotel. l CHANGED to stop, as any one
might, to look into the window of a
dealer in curios, and the first object
that caught my eye was this identical
coin. Now, know that this sounds
incredible. I, myself, at first thought
it was merely coin of the same de-
nomination and date, but imagine my
surprise when, upon going in and ex-
amining it closely l discovered that it
was the very same Louis that l had
lost at play in Saltillo 50 many years
ago. l gladly paid the shopkeeper
six pesos for it, and 1 have carried it
in my pocket ever since"
Here the colonel stopped.
'Ts that ALP" inquired young
Hawley.
"Tba. is all, except that 1 will now
proceed to show you ="
"WiIl you permit me to take look
at the coin?" The speaker who inter-
rupted them had risen from table in
the adjoining alcove aud now stood Mt
the professors elbow. He looked
some years older than the colonel, his
hair was white and he leaned upon a
heavy cane, one leg being decidedly
lame.
'I'm Major Tracer; ! overheard
part of your conversation as L sat at
my table there, and 1 was so interested
that 1 could not refrain from coming
over aud, at the risk of intruding, tax
ing part in it. y
"No intrusion at all, sir. One old
soldier is always glad to make the
of another, and your
name, major, is known to every veter-
On of the Mexican War. Permit me
to introduce my friends, Professor
Langton aud Mr.. Hawley."
"The colonel has just been enter
tanning us with a remarkable account
Of the loss and subsequent recovery of
this piece of money" said the pro-
fessor, handing the coin to the major
Seventeen seventy-six-the same
iate," said the major half to himself.
Then putting the coin on the table he
took mp fruit knife and, placing the
dull point exactly over the letter 80"
in the word Louis, hairs breadth
from the edge, he gave sharp, quick
pressure and the face of the coin flew
open as though on spring. With an
exclamation of surprise the professor
took it and inspected it closely. Some
skilled workman had cut it open all
around the milled edge and fitted
spring inside, just under the letter
80" So nicely had the work been
lone that when closed it was not ap-
parent to the naked eye. When
opened, it was seen that groove had
been followed through the inside
about an inch aud a half long and one
eighth of an inch wide.
'By all the powers, how comes it
that you knew that secret?" cried the
dumbfounded, as the major
jhrew the fruit knife back on the table.
Without answering the question di-
,ectly, the major took the other old
soldier by the hand and, looking into
lis eyes with peculiar expression on
lis face, asked: "Were you the man
Who did that delicate piece of mechani-
,al work?"
"I was"
"Tell me what on earth induced you
% do it?"
"For the life of me l can't say.
What induces people to make baskets
nut of cherry pits, lockets out of hair
md the thousand and one little gim-
racks that are always being made? /
vas skillful workman, and in an idle
lour 1 took up this coin, cut it open
md fitted it with a spring. There is
ust one way to open it. You must
nave had the piece in your possession
It one time and stumbled upon the
secret. l put something in that cavity
n the centre-did you take it out?"
81 did"
The major drew up chair and
stretched his stiff leg out under the
able comfortably. SIN 1847." he
began, looking fxedly at the colonel,
Il was also in Mexico" The colonel
nodded and handed the major a cigar
Thanks. 1 was with Scott at Vera
CRUZ"
"And l." said the colonel, giving
lim a light, "was with Taylor in the
northern part of the country"
Having lived in Mexico for
number of years previous to the wan, -
continued the major, lighting his
cigar, "and speaking the language OF