Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1909-05-27
Que Hundred Dollars in Gold.

Que Hundred Dollars In Gold.
Farmer Henderson borrowed a half
bushel measure of the Widow Bailey,
and one of his cows kicked the bottom
out of it. He offered to pay Is cents for
the damage, and the widow wanted 80.
This led to hard feelings on both sides.
One day the farmer sold off some live
stock and was paid. 500 in gold. The
sale was made at his barn, and instead OF
going at once to his house to put away
his money the man wrapped the ten pieces
in his handkerchief, put them in his pock-
ct and went to the back eEd OF his farm to
see about building dam across a creek.
He was poking around for two hours, and
then he cut across portion OF the wild
ow's property to get home. In so doing
he came across an old white horse that
had been turned out to live as long as ne
would without more work.
In passing the animal Henderson stubbed
his toe and took sprawl, and the Incl
dent was to bear fruit When he reached
his house those ten pieces ofgold wrapped
up in the bandanna were missing.
Henderson flew to the barn and searchd
around for half an hour. Then he was
off for the creek. He had two hours Of
daylight, and he searched the ground al
most inch by inch. Not sign of his
missing money could be found. He did
not return past the old horse nor give him
a thought until near midnight that night.
He blamed himself, his wife blamed him
more, and his evening was anything but
joyous. He woke from sleep troubled
with bad dreams to cry out to his wife:
w've found it, Hannah; I've found
itp
"Well, don't tell the news to the whole
country. Where did you find it ?"
"Say, now, passed Widow Bailey's
old white horse in her pasture, and while
was looking at his spavins fell down.
The wad must have worked out of my
pocket then. I'm going to take the Ian
tern and 60 over there and look"
"And little good it'll do you. fyou
lost the money there the old horse has
eaten it up. There's an article in our
county paper this week about horse
that ate up money. He had that hundred
dollars hogged down before you were
home. He might have swallowed it all
at once, but rather think he took a piece
at a time so as to enjoy the richness of
it."
"But what in thunder am ! going to
SOP" exclaimed the husband in despera-
ton.
"Go out in the morning and look. II
the money is there it's all right; if the
old horse has swallowed it, you'll have to
buy him to get it back"
They sat up the rest of the night dis
cussing the matter, and when daylight
came the farmer was off to take look.
He found the old equine lying down and
fast asleep, but he didn't find the money.
II had been gulped down. When he re-
turned and reported his wife said:
"Then you eat your breakfast and 60
over and see the widow. You've got to
bow the knee. You've got to be slick.
You've got to get up some sort ola story.
You've got TO have that old horse before
noon."
The husband felt that he had. II hurt
and Inundated him, but there was hun
dred dollars at stake. When he had fin
ished his meal he walked over to the
other farmhouse, having at his tongues
end what he thought to be:a pretty good
yarn. The widow was drawing water at
the well. She ceased to draw and stood
looking at the caller.
"Mrs. Bailey" began the farmer, after
clearing his throat two or three times.
you have an old white horse. have
known him for years and years. have
always had soft spot in my heart for him.
He's no good to you any more and want
to buy him."
"About that half bushel measure2" re-
piled the woman.
"Here's dollar for if. Sorry we had
any trouble. What do you think the old
critter is worth?"
"Well, as he has served me faithfully,
thought would never part with him, but
being I'm thinking some of moving to
South Dakota, and being know you'd
use him well, mightle him go. Ishould
want hundred dollars, though"
Good lands, widow, but you know he
isn't worth fivel"
"No, he isn't, but there's a sentiment
about it, you know. If wasn't thinking
of Dakota ] wouldn't take 500. No, |
couldn't look him in the face if took less
than hundred"
The farmer offered ten, twenty, forty,
but it was no good. After an hours hag-
Cling, he went home and gotseventy-fiye,
and the old white horse was his. He
promised to be kind to him and love him
and help him to live twenty years longer,
and il was affectingto see him leading the
old wreck home and cheering his crippled
pace.
He took him direct to the barn and af-
ter dinner said he would knock him in the
head and have a search for fiat gold mine.
He was in the very act of entering the
barn when he trod on that lost "wad."
He had lost ii before starting for the creek.
His wife appeared just in time to see him
pick ii up and hear the jingle. She looked
from him to the horse and from the horse
to the bandanna and then softly said:
"If | had my way about it, Sam Hen