The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1909-03-06
THE RECoLLECr1oNs OF A DIME.

sarlly leads!
There are none of life's phases with
which l have not come into contact,
and now, although all my brightness
and individuality are worn away, and
1 am so thin my circulation has
nearly stopped, I am veritable silver
mine of experience and information.
1t was realization of this fact that
induced me, in these, my last days,
to Gull from the past few recollec-
tions and coin them into little story,
hoping it might make me appreciated
beyond my mere intrinsic value.
suppose I am conceited to attempt
this, because all / know about writing
I learned from being stranded in the
pocket of a literary man. But his
remarks regarding literature were
very forceful. was great comfort
to that man in moments of despera-
tion. He knew as long as 1 stayed
with him 1 stood between him and
starvation.
One day he sold a joke for fifty
cents, and, with the base ingrati-
tude that mars some really noble ma
lures, he swapped me over quick
lunch counter for two doughnuts and
a cup of coffee
An old gentleman got me next,
and, mistaking me for cent, gave
me to newsboy.
The boy was so astonished he bit
me to see if I was real not satisfied
with that test, he dashed me to the
sidewalk. I cried out protestingly,
and when he heard the silvery ring of
my voice he was satisfied. He gripped
me SO tight I was all in perspiration
by the time he got home.
Such a miserable apology for the
name-home He ha d to climb
flight after flight of rickety stairs be-
fore he reached the one room that to
him meant home.
"Pauly," he cried, pushing open
the door, ARE you awake 7"
A small, white face was lifted from
heap of ragged bedding, and pair
of wide opened eyes answered the
question with mute eloquence.
Look here," continued the boy,
breathlessly, 'an old gent gave me a
true enough dime and I'm going to
buy you lump of modelling wax !"
"O-h," the long-drawn exclama-
ton was expressive of an intense
emotion, 'let me see it p
The boy laid me, all moist, on the out
stretched palm of his crippled brother,
who turned me over incredulously.
Don't you need it to buy some
thing to eat, Louis 7" he asked, hesi-
tatingly.
"Naw,I' m filled right up. A feller
gave me handful of peanuts, and I IN
going to get some buns for our tea. !"
Louis dashed down stairs again,
and was soon lying in the till of a
jewelers. shop where he took me to
buy the wax.
1 lay there all night, wondering
why those hungry boys had parted
with me for an insensate lumpof wax,
little thinking I would ever know.
The next day 1 was given to
beautiful young lady, all in gray. I
fell quite in love, and was glad when
she tucked me in her glove. l liked
smuggling close to her warm hand and
feeling her dependent on me; because
I was all the money she had left from
her shopping.
Alas ! AS she stepped into troll
ley car 1 fell out unnoticed; / real
lied that I was lost but with my
mercurial nature, l ran like quick
silver to the feet of a young man, who
picked me up and started after the
beautiful gray lady. She had disap-
peared into the car he followed.
When the conductor came to collect
the fares she discovered 1t was gone
The young man leaned forward and
said politely: "Allow me the pleas
ure of paying your fare" She thank
ed him so sweetly, and asked for his
address that she might return the
money.
He gravely handed her his card
and paid her fare; but not with me.
He put me still warm from her hand,
in his vest pocket. And there Istayed
until was tarnished for the want of
use, all done up in tissue paper and
labelled: "Her dime"
One night the erratic humping of
his heart made me so restless that I
popped right out of his pocket. AS
soon as 1 touched the floor 1 saw the
reason that had been able to do it
was because he was STOPPING forward
to tie the beautiful gray lady's shoe.
She saw me and read my label as she
picked ME up.
"Why, what does this mean 7" she
asked. "Is it yours?" His face got
awfully red and he pushed me back
in his pocket.
The next thing l knew felt some
thing pressed against the vest pocket
where 1 was hidden, and l distinctly
heard the beautiful gray lady say
"Let's keep that dear dime to buy
the first bread we break in our own
home"
And so after another period of en-.
forced idleness 1 was joyously ex'
changed for loaf of bread.
What was my surprise when the
baker handed me to-Louis He
knew me at once, because still bore
the marks of his teeth, but should
never have known him; he looked
entirely different.
He galloped off to show me to Paul.
They didn't live in the same wretched
room I remembered, and Paul wa:
sitting at table absorbed over bit ol
modelling wax. All around the room
were exquisitely modelled wax bust:
of prominent people, wonderfully con
ceived designs for ornamentation and
fantastic conceptions that breatheC
the soul of an artist.
Paul was pleased to see me again
for they both remembered had beer
instrumental in helping them get ma
terial for their first successful model
In after years often heard Louis