Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1904-12-03
HIS LUCKY COIN.

rain home to dress and return TO town
Tor dinner, SO he did not insist on the
boy giving him an undefaced coin in
place of it. He merely said: Look at
that" extending his hand with the per-
Iorated penny lying in the palm.
"Aw, what's der matter wild your"
said the boy, "dat's good luck. dat Is"
So Cragsmith let 1t go. 1t was only
penny. anyway. AS he neared the
bridge over the river he heard the
bell clang out for its opening and look
Ing at his watch saw that he had only
six minutes to catch that train. He
was half block from the bridge. New
ertheless he decided to try to reach 1t
before 1t swung. He managed to do it
Just speeded diagonally across 1t and
Just managed to clear 1t on the other
side. 1t was near thing, though.
Craigsmith looked over his shoulders
down the river and there slowly and
majestically moving along in the wake
OF putting tug came long, deeply
laden grain steamer and behind that
q small fleet Of lumber schooners and
other craft in a procession reaching to
the next bridge.
WE'LL" exclaimed Cragsmith.
Lucky / didn't wait" Then he
thought OF what the newsboy had said
and laughed to himself.
Two days later Cragsmith had occa-
sion to pay five cents for car fare. He
put his hand In his pocket and pulled
out the penny with the hole in 1t and
four other pennies and handed them
to the conductor.
THAT don't CO." said the conductor.
Cragsmith felt annoyed.
You'll have to change q bill for
me then, II you are SO particular" he
said. GROSSLY.
He handed over a $40 bill.
That the smallest you've got?"
"The smallest I've got" replied
Cragsmith.
The conductor, with an imperturba-
BILE face, gave him two-dollar bill,
three silver dollars, two halves, eight
quarters, Ia dimes and II nickels. The
other passengers were amused. Crag-
smith wasn't.
He Gid not think of It again until
he returned to town from an eminently
successful business trip-a wonderfully
successful trip. Then as he turned out
his pockets the perforated penny rolled
over the table and onto the floor.
Cragsmith looked at 1t without the
least resentment. He even smiled at
the recollection Of the street car incl
dent. 1T was bound to stay with me"
he said, as he picked the penny up and
replaced 1t on the table. Then, In
spite OF his hard headedness he won
dered hazily II the possession of the
coin had not had some occult influence
in bringing his business affairs to so
successful a conclusion.
Nonsense" he said aloud, and
tossed the penny into an open drawer
Then he completed his toilet and went
out to see the GIRL" as he had begun
to call her In strict confidence with
himself.
There was a cousin with her that
evening, 30 1t happened-a cookbook
Ing brute Of fellow. too, and a stay
er. Cragsmith was something of q
slayer, too. and he outstayed the
cousin. But the girl was evidently
annoyed by the sulkiness he had dis
played and Cragsmith went home feel.
Ing that life was an extremely hollow
affair after all
The next morning as he was dress
ing the penny met his eyes. Luck
he exclaimed. bitterly, II ought tc
have taken you with me last night, !
suppose" He laughed, also bitterly
but nevertheless as he was leaving
the room he stopped and. returning
to the bureau. took the penny from the
drawer and put 1t In his pocket Then
he went down to the telephone, called
up the girl and apologized. She &C
cepted his apologies-very graciously
too.
From that time Cragsmith was al
most completely dominated by thai
lucky penny of his. He carried Il
everywhere and for a time he was GER
tainly very fortunate In his under
takings. Occasionally he had a spasn
OF shame and put the penny back into
the drawer. 1t Is a fact that on these
occasions things went wrong with
him. He restored the talisman to his
pocket and fortune smiled again.
One morning. though, he took the
penny from the drawer, pocketed it
went down to the Office and was made
junior partner in the house. Thai
should have given the penny a life
long asylum in his pocket, only Crag
smith instantly decided that he
would run down and see the girl ant
put an important question to her.
OF course, he would take the lucky
penny with him. This of all times
was when he could afford no risk
And then suddenly the thought came
TO Cragsmith that If he believed hi
was to owe his happiness to a worr
and battered old copper cent with q
hole punched through Columbia's head
he did not deserve that happiness. No
he would be man and stand ON his