The daily Alaskan., 1912-11-22
ROLLING GOLD PIECES
By TERENCE J. oTooLE

Mike, ye poor dlyu, why don't ye go to AmerikyT
 The words were spoken by a country squire In Tippcrary county, Ireland, to Mike Doolan. one Of bis poorest ten ants.
 What would | go there forT in, Quircd Mike.
 "Why, man. don't ye know that To that counthry the gold pieces are rouln' around iverywhereT
 Mike scratched his head well he said presently, eff that's SO m go. Lind me the money for the voyage and as soon as l get Co Amcriky lu pick up enough gold pieces rollin around Co sind back the loon.'
 The squire laughed
 Mike" he said more seriously, call as smart man as you needs is chance. I'll pay the passage of ye and Bridget and the kids, and ye needn't send it back at OI"
 Mike accepted the oder and went to America. The squire heard nothing from him and had forgotten him when one morning while sitting 0t his desk writing he looked up and saw man dressed in a fur coat and with a soil taire diamond Stickpin In his scarf standing looking down on him
 What can I do for you, sir'" asked the squire.
 Nothing. You done it long ago"
 He pulled a wallet from his pocket counted out a number or gold pieces and laid them on the desk.
 whats thatT' asked the squire.
 Didn't yc Ind it Co me to take me to Amprikv? And didn't ye ten me I'd find gold pieces roilin' around thereg We'll | did kcm back to return the Ioan."
 "You don't mean Co say that you're Mike DoolanT
 "I do"
 And found gold pieces rolling around In American
 "I did that same"
 "Tut Mike. we're ruunin' sit down and tell me how yet got rich"
 Mike took a chair and told his story.
 "Ye remember. sor. that me trade was a mason. Well as soon as ] got to Ameriky | got a job and wont to work I didn't sec any gold pieces ro.l In' around, but thought me time fm that hadn't come yet ] found a shan ty on a road near a city and used to go in every day Co work.
 "WeU. one evcnin' | was walkin' home covered with mortar whin a rag red. dirthy looLiu' Ally stopped me and says, says he:
 "'Are ye a masouF
 "Faith | am.' says ].
 "If ven let me bIindroId yc Tu give yc a job
 "For how much payE
 s'Somcthiu' more valuable than money
 "'GO on
 "Hc hHndfoIdcd mo and led me alone for awhile. counted my steps Thin he turned me to the right and went on. ! I bcrinnin' Co count me steps agin. Then he Ied Co the roight ! stun count ir' HU he stopped. and turned me round and round and took me into a house and down into the cellar. He showed me little room about 6 by 9. with no door to it An there was in it was a coffin shaped box. Brick and morthar was handy. and the sccdy man tould me to wall uD Che oDenln. ! I done ft and put one O the bricks-the fifth from the floor on me left-a little ! furler in than the rest SO I'd know ] it again.
 "when finished the scody man blind ! folded me again and took me around and, leaving me, says: stand tu ye hear a shot, then take on the baudace and yen find the pay for the job at your feet "yhen I hears the shot took or the ! handace, and there gt me feet was me pay shure enough lt was a paper with wriun' ou it: Only a fool works for nOthin.' "I went home and wrote down the ! figures of me steps, and Of a Sunda' I blindf0ldcd meSelf and wint over ! the ground. countin' me steps ] found house standin' above with mo- ! body in it. and in the cellar | knowed me fob by the brick out Of place. Me ! curiosity bein' satisfied, | thought no more about t, but long afther when ] me lease expired. ! remembered this . house and rented it
 Like a fool, | touId Bridget that there was a corpse in the cellar, and she wouldn't let me rest tin I'd pulled | down the brick wall I'd put up and taken the coffin out While we was l carryin' it somethin' dropped on the | cellar floor
 "NIike,' says Bridget, look at the yellow boys rollIn' on the floor
 "'Shure, me toime's come l says, l The squire was right The coffin was ! tun of 'em
 "I hunted for the man that had beaten me out of the pay for me job | and found that he was a miser I con- cluded to take me pay out of the box sud give him the rent when he come home. I bought an the property round