The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1906-06-07


for II lived in comfort they would
ask-all o. them-whence came his
money? For their sake I must walk
In poverty all me days. An went to
work at heavy toll, sor, as became q
poor man. As Gods me Judge, l felt
a pride in rags an the horny hand'"
The tinker paused a moment, in
which all the pendulums seemed to
quicken pace, tick tapping upon tick,
as II trying to get ahead of each other.
''Thlnk of II, boy" Darrell continued
"a pride In rags an poverty. Bring
that into thy book an let thy best
thinking bear upon It. Show us how
patch an latter were for the poor man
as badges of honor an success.
"T thought to burn the money me
host went on. But no; that would
have robbed me O. one great possibili-
ty-that o. restoring 1t. Some time,
when they were dead, maybe, an
could suffer alone, or when some lucky
chance might come to me, | would re-
store the money, but I could not find
the owners of 1t. Day an night these
slow an heavy years 1t has been here,
curslng an accusing me.
"T lie here o. nights thinking. In
that heap o. money I seem to hear the
sighs an sobs o. the poor people that
toiled to earn IL. I feel their sweat up
on me, an, God, this heart o. mine Is
crowded to bursting with the despair
o. hundreds! An, betimes ] hear the
cry O. murder In the cursed heap as IL
there were some had blood upon It.
An then dream 1t has caught fire be-
meath me, an am burning raw In the
fame.'"
The tinker paused again, crossing the
room and watching the swing OF pen
dulum.
boy, boy" said he, returning to bis
chair, think o. that complaining, i'm
movable heap lying there like the blood
Of a murder! An thy reader must
feel the toll an sweat an misery an
despair that is in great sum, an how
1t all presses on the heart o. him that
gets it wrongfully.
"'Well. sor,' the poor fellow contin-
ued, now an then l met those had
known me. an reports o. me poverty
went home. An those dear to me sent
money, the sight o. which filed me
with a mighty sickness. an l sent II
back to them. Long ago, thank God,
they ceased to think me n thief, but
only crazy. Tell me, man. what shall
l do with the money? There be those
living have to consider, an those dead
an those unborl.'
"'Hide It, said I, AN go to thy work,
an God give thee COUNSEL"
Man and boy rose from the table and
drew up to the little stove.
"Now, boy" said the clock tinker,
leaning toward him with knitted brows,
consider this poor thief who suffered
so for his friends. Think O. these good
words, Greater love hath no man than
this, that he lay down his life for his
friends II thou shouldst ever write
Of 1t, thy problem will be to reckon the
good an evil an give each a careful
estimate an him his proper rank"
'What n sad talew said the boy
thoughtfully. ITS terrible to think he
may be my father. Please tell me when
was the boy taken"
'Time or name or place cannot tell
thee lest betray him." said the old
man. 'Neither is necessary to thy
tale. Keep 1t with thee awhile. Thou
art young yet an close inshore. Wait
until ye sound the farther deep. Then.
sor, write. II God give thee power. an
think chiefly O. them In peril an about
to dash their feet upon the stones"
For a moment the clocks ticking
was like the voice of many ripples
washing the shore of the Infinite. A
new life had begun for Trove, and
they were cutting 1t into seconds. He
looked up at them and rose quickly
and stood moment. his thumb on the
door latch. Outside they could hear
the rush and scatter Of the snow.
Poor youth" said the old man.
'Thou hast no coat-take mine. Take
1t, say. II will give thee comfort an
me happiness"
He would hear no refusal, and again
the coat changed owners, giving hap
piness to the old and comfort to the
new.
Then Trove went down the rlckety
stairs and away In the darkness.