The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1902-09-05
Money
Changers
By w. w. JACOBS
Copyright, 1909, by ". ". Jacobs


Who's comm ashore"
"Give i'm another five minutes, Har-
ry," said another seaman persuasively.
It'd be uncommon ard on i'm If e
come aboard am then lad to 60 an get
another ships crew to 'elp i'm cele-
brate it."
"'Ard on us, too" said the cook hon
estly.
"There he tsp
The other glanced up at a figure wav-
ing to them from the stairs. "'E wants
the boat" he said, moving aft.
mo, 'e don't, Steve" piped the boy.
"'E's wavin' you not to. 'E's comm
in the watermans skiff."
"Ha! Same old tale" said the sea-
man wisely. "Chap comes in for bit
of money an begins to waste it direct
ly. There's threepence gone, clean
chucked away. Look at i'm! Just look
at imp
"'E's got the money all right" said
the cook; there's no doubt about that.
Why, e looks 'arf as large ag'in as e
did this mornin'."
The crew bent over the side as the
skiff approached, and the fare, who had
been leaning back in the stern with
severely important air, rose slowly and
felt in his trousers pocket.
''There's sixpence for you, my lad"
he said pompously. "Never mind about
the change"
"All right, old slack breeches," said
the waterman, with ELUSIVE good fell
lowship; "up you get"
Three pairs of hands assisted the Of
Tended fare on board, and the boy hoy
ering round him slapped his legs vigor-
ously.
"Wot are you up to-" demanded Mr..
Samuel Dodds, A. B., turning on him.
"On'y dustin you down, SAM" said
the boy hulnbly.
"You got the money all right, s'pose,
Sammy" said Steve Martin.
Mr.. Dodds nodded and slapped his
breast pocket.
Fright as ninepence," he replied gen.
tally. ''Ive been with my lawyer all
the AFTERNOON, pretty near. Els nice
Teller"
Cow much is it, Sam?" inquired Pill
chard eagerly.
"One 'undred an seventy-three pun
| seventeen shillin's and tenpence," said
the heir, noticing, with much pleasure,
the effect of his announcement.
"Say it ag'in, SAM" said Pilchard in
awed tones.
Mr.. Dodds, with happy laugh,
obliged him. "If you'll all come down
the foc's'le," he continued, "I've got a
bundle Of cigars an drop of some
thin short in my pocket"
Lets ave a look at the money,
SAM" said Pilchard when the cigars
| were alight.
"Ah, let's ave a look at itv said
Steve.
| Mr.. Dodds laughed again and, pro-
ducing small canvas bag from his
| pocket, busted the table with his big
palm and spread out roll of bank
notes and a little pile of gold and sill
yer. 1t was an impressive sight, and
the cook breathed so hard that one
note 1uttered off the table. Three men
dived to recover it, while Sam, alive
for the first time to the responsible
ties of wealth, anxiously watched the
remainder of his capital.
'There's Somethin' for you to buy
sweets with, my lad" he said, restored
to good humor as the note was re-
| placed.
He passed over small coin and re-
garded with tolerant good humor the
eXtravagant manifestation of joy on
the part of the youth which followed.
He capered joyously for minute OF
two and then, taking it to the foot of
the steps, where the light was better,
bit it ecstatically.
"How much is it?" asked the wonder
ing Steve. you do chuck your money
about, Sam"
sony sixpence," said Sam, laughing
II expect if it lad been shillin' it'd
ave turned lis BRAIN"
ut amt sixpence," said the boy In.
dignantly. Its 'arf suvring."
cart wot" exclaimed Mr. Dodds
with sudden change of manner.
cart suvring," repeated the boy
with nervous rapidity, "an' thank you
very much. Sam, for your generosity
If everybody was like you, we should
all be the better for it. The world 'u6
be different place to live in" contin
ued the youthful philosopher.
Mr.. Dodds' face under these fulsomt
praises was study in conflicting emo
tons. "Well, don't waste it." he said
at length and, hastily gathering up the
remainder, slowed it in the bag.
"Wot are you goin' to do with it all
Sam| inquired Harry.
II amt made up my mind yet" sale
Mr.. Dodds deliberately. 81 ave though
} of 'ouse property,
II don't mean that" said the other
, IT mean wot are you goin' to do will
1t now to take care of it?"
"Why, keep it in my pocket" sait
Sam, staring.
'Well, If / was you," said Harry i'm
pressively, 81 should ask the skipper II
, take care Of it for me. You know wo
) you are when you're bit on, Sam"
"Wot d'you mean" demanded Mr.
Dobbs holly.
II mean," said Harry hastily, 'tha
you've got SIGH generous nature tina
when you've 'ad glass or two your,
just as likely as not to give it away t.
somebody"