The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-12
STORY OF SIS GOLD PIECE.
Given to a Street Sweeper, It Reaches Its
Rishtful Owner After 40 Years.

Rishtful Owner After 40 Years.
"Forty-five years ago" remarked
well known resident of Washington Il
was one of many boys who did not
have as much spending money as |
could have gotten rid9Df easily. About
the only way l could get spending mon
ely was to earn it. This, did by doing
odd jobs, carrying water for very few
houses were supplied by Potomac water
in those days, and in nearly every 9TH
er way that came boys way.
"One evening [ was especially anxious
to get some money, and with another
boy, who. like myself was armed with
a broom, we entered into the business
of crossing sWeepers, depending on the
kindness of paSSerS-by to chip in a few
pennies The place we picked out was
in front Of a drug store, at the corner
Of Seventh and Louisiana avenue
There was a great deal of traffic be-
tween those two points and the mud
was very deep in consequence of a
heavy slush about the windup of win
ter Business was very good, or at
least the passerS- by were. and in less
than two hours we had collected about
Is cents between US, for we had agreed
to divide equally. The last piece of
money handed me l thought to be a
penny, and as | afterWard learned the
giver alsp thought So but when we
counted up in the light at the drug
store it proved to be a S. gold piece.
/ knew that whoever gave it to me
supposed it was penny, and | had
scruples about spending it. | did not
have any reason to do SO, fer the 45
cents we earned outside of it, with our
previous capital of cents, gave us
all we needed, which was to get in the
old Washington theater, where the late
John T. Raymond was playing in a
farce. Anyhow, the S. was not in the
divide.
My partner, now leading dentist
| here, did not insist on it, for it was re-
garded more as find than part of
our earnings, SO that So gold piece re-
manned my property until two years
ago, when | surrendered it to its owner,
who proved property by describing
three letters which he himself had cut
on it. At the time mentioned l was
in Athens. Greece, having gone there
| to witness the Olympian games. One
| evening, while at hotel in Athens, |
noticed on the register the name of a
| bOyhOod friend, although he was 10
years older than I was, and I sent my
| card to him. 1t proved to be he. Like
| myself, he lived in the old Third ward.
| l had net seen him for 80 years, for he
| has lived abroad the greater part of
| his life. He is we'll known American
| lawyer, who has practiced his profess
| sion in Rome for over % years.
"Of course we got to talking over old
| times in Washington and about the
! boys of our day Incidentally he men,
| toned the dentist who was my partner
on the street-sWeeping transaction, and
| something put it into my head to tell
of getting the S. gold piece. To my
| great surprise, the Roman lawyer said
I remember you both, and the par
ticular night you speak of you wore a
| red comfort and your associate had the
| broom which had no handle. And
am the man who handed, you the S.
gold piece, which had the letters "E. r
| L. cut on it.
of course ! handed him the coin
which, as you may imagine, was some
! what worn, for ] carried it for many
! years on my watch chain
I'VE spent a very pleasant week to-
| gether and on my return there came
| with me two Romans scarfplns. One OF
| them. you see, | wear, DR.. ------, my
! dentist friend and street-sWeeplnS part
ner, has the other. Now, are you will
| ing to agree with me that this is {
| small world, after all? To think thai
I had to go all the way TO one of the
| first cities started in this world to fint
| the owner of the coinH-WashinSt0r
| Star