The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-16
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Our Daily Short Stories
AMOR VINCIT OMNIA.
BY r. D. WESTON.
Copyright. 1901. oy Authors syndicate.)

Thuddumps it was called. The name
e+.ad the place as names seldom fit.
y Law at the extreme and ragged edge
81 the city, and stretched for about
.bree squares, over rubbish-heaped lots,
,,+o tin-can covered distance where
tho river drew an unclean streak that
brought the settlement to an end.
sbanties of mixed architecture rose
- uneven intervals above the debris,
and goats and dirty children browsed
ronturously where the filth was thick
ee+ II was In the most forlorn of these
sbanties that Pierre Nicolini lived. He
was an Italian and had been a rag
nicker by trade, and now in his old age
he piled his profession as near home
os nossible, and made meager income
he pottered forth daily-an old bag
chung over his back-and spent hours
noking and sitting among the rubbish
heaps. Often he returned home with
his bag empty and surly snarls for the
lncklessness of his fate. He had had a
long spell of bad luck and was bitterly
mumbling to himself about it one day,
when something bright caught his eye
as he sifted ashes. He bounced upon
the glittering thing, and after rubbing
it off on his coat sleeve and intently
studying both sides pronounced it val
liable. He took it home and washed 1t
and gave himself up to considering its
worth. It was d small gold coin with
a head family stamped on one side. BY
the characters which surrounded this
Nicolini made out that it was Roman
piece of very early date-probably B.
C. On the other side the original let
tiers had, been erased and in a space
encircled by a wreath the words Amor
Vincit Omnia" were engraved. "A love
token Nicolini thought to himself.
whoever lost it will be glad to get
it back and willing to pay. First / will
have to find the owner. 1 will adver-
tise-and then" he shrugged his
shoulders-"I will sell for the most I
can" So he put an advertisement in
the Lost and Found columns of the
morning papers. He described the coin
infinitely and quoted the motto that
was on it, and did not forget to men,
ton that a reward would be expected.
Then while he waited for the result of
this step he speculated as to the in
trinsic value of the coin, and wondered
if the inscription on the back would
diminish it's worth from a collectors
point of view.
Nicolini had not long to wonder,
for during the very morning that the
notice appeared in the papers a rare
thing happened in Thuddumps. A
carriage drove up over the rumbling
road that was worn by dump carts,
and stopped nearly opposite the Ital-
ians shanty. lady stepped from it,
and after being directed by the rag
ged, starving children made her way
towards Nicolini's hut.
He received her With all the courtesy
he had at his command.
You are Mr.. Nicolini?" she asked,
as she stepped inside his tiny dwelling.
And you put this in the paper to-day"
She drew from her pocketbook the slip
of paper on which the advertisement
was printed. "If you have still the
coin may l see it? l lost one some
weeks ago which answered to this de-
scrption. 1t must be the same, think,
for l know only of the existence of one
other like it. Both bear the same mot
to-
He had never heard a voice so beau
tiGul before. 1t recalled some soft, low
tones of the organ and had the cadence
of song. She was tall and graceful,
clothed entirely in black, with a veil
partly hiding her features. But from
what Ncolini could see of her face he
knew it to be beautiful. She was not
girl, but woman full blown but far
from decline. The Italian, with heart
always in touch with romance, watched
her as she took the coin in her hand.
She pulled aside her veil and disclosed
the full glory of her face. Like a
stainedglass angel in the Saint Domi-
MICS church," the old man thought.
She looked intently at the little token.
The hand that held it trembled, and as
she turned it over and read the in
scription a mist gathered in her eyes.
Pressing both hands together she held
the coin tight, and a sob shook her
frame
Yes" she said, turning to Nicolini,
this is mine. am very thankful to
you for advertising it.. 1t is very dear
to me. I am so glad that you found
1t, and that have it back again" She
pressed a bill into his hand. IF / can
ever do anything for you you must let
me know. l will be glad to help YOU