The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-08-05
The Euening Story
Half a Sixpence.
(By Charlotte Lee.)

| lawyer, looking mildly over his spec
tacles at the chagrined young man.
| 1T sounds very ridiculous, Mr.. Worth
| ing, but 1 regard it as merely a man
Hesitation of your late uncle's extreme
| interest in the art of unraveling mys-
| terieS.''
but the idea of bringing me I'D to
suppose that I should inherit share
| of his fortune and then cutting me off
with but half broken sixpence!"
And leaving you a large fortune on
condition that you find the other half
of the broken sixpence," quietly fin
ished the lawyer.
Dick laughed again.
He might have omitted turning the
knife around in the wound!' he grim
aced: It's harder than hunting nee
die in haystack. I wouldn't know
of broken sixpence-broken, Lord
knows how many years! It's simply
another manner of disinheriting me-"
Mr.. Tapping suppressed a smile that
| lurked around his thin lips.
IF you believe that, Mr.. Worthing,
my advice would be to find that six
pence and have the laugh on your
uncle after ALL
Dick shrugged his shoulders.
very well, Mr.. Tapping, I'll take
your advice and do some sleuthing for
that sixpence: But, say, why didn't
Uncle Joe make it half dime or half
silver quarter? Why sixpence?"
Again Mr.. Tapping suppressed a
smile.
1oTndpS because your nTSC CloW
lies in the fact that it was a broken
sixpence." Then he added in a panic
stricken tone: Now L utterly refuse
to be questioned any further. I prom
Used your uncle not to help YOU"
Dick picked up his hat.
81 may as we'll take my sixpence,
Mr.. Tapping" he suggested. "Fl1 have
to fit it to the other half when find
it, you know"
The lawyer gave him a tiny white
box. It's in there"-his voice dropped
to an unaccustomed tone of familiar
ity--it means your fortune-and I'll
warrant your happiness as well!'
Dick thanked him soberly and left
the office. He chose to walk down the
long fights to the street, and as he
went he unused over the lawyers con-
Guiding words.
"My happiness," he muttered grim
ly. LAS if hadn't lost out on every
loved, poor old Uncle Joe, and now
my legacy is only half of broken
sixpence!"
He turned into his club and sat down
in the cool east window that faced that
avenue His quarterly allowance had
been untouched i'll his pockets when
Uncle Joe died, SO that his immediate
future was assured, but what to do
when that melted away scared him. He
was an architect by profession, but
Uncle Joe had never wanted him to
open an office, assuring him that it
would not be necessary. Now, the
reading of the old mans will left him
adrift with few hundreds in his pock-
cts and all the tastes of rich mans
pampered nephew.
I'll try the sixpence first" he de-
cided after an hours bitter cogitation
Tapping says my first clew lies in the
fact that the broken coin is a sixpence
What significance is there in a broken
sixpence?
He put the question to the next man
who come into the room.
"A broken sixpence," explained
hnI nf full &c
pledge of constancy between lovers
sort of an old English custom among
humble folk, don't you know? The
man sewers a sixper1ce IN twain ana
gives the girl half and keeps the other
half himself If one desires to end
the engagement why he or she sends
back the sixpence. See?"
Yes answered Dick, vaguely. IT
believe I have clew."
"a clew " Freddy asked curiously.
"A clew to matrimony, eh?'
Rather more like clew to patri-
mony," was Dicks mysterious reply
as he went away.
Celia Moore had been engaged to
Dick Wcrthing, but Celia was poor
and very proud and she fancied that
the engagement was CALLING to her
lover and that his marriage to a hum
BILE little stenographer would estrange
Dicks stern Uncle Joe and darken
that beloved young mans life with
poverty.
So Celia, after the manner of some
women, having nerved herself to the
ordeal of an entirely unnecessary sac
rifice, quarreled with the bewildered
Dick and proudly gave him back his
ring.
So a number CT people were quite
unhappy about this time when this ad-
vertiSement appeared in a morning
newspaper.
WANTED-Lost half of
broken sixpence, year 1870 One
hundred dollars reward paid for
missing half Address T. X r
Now Celia Moore wanted 500 very
badly. There was a great specialist
who might help her mother TO perfect
health and 500 would pay for the
treatment. Celia had talked it over
many times with the family physician.
! Celia saw the advertisement for the
missing half sixpence- Mother dear"
she said that night as she flew around
their little flat preparing their SIM
pie dinner, eff 1 had half broken six
pence 1 could earn 500! You have
magic box of yours-are you sure
| you haven't a half sixpence?" she
| laughed gayly as Mrs. Moore turned
to the quaint Japanese cabinet beside
| her sofa and unlocked the door.
Within there were tiers of little lac
! quered drawers with wrought steel
handles. The tiniest drawer of all had
| to be unlocked, and from a secret re-
captacle behind it Mrs Moore brought
out bit of white tissue paper.
| Here is the sixpence,' she said.
| Mother" cried the girl incredu-
| lousy. Then, as she unwrapped it
and discovered the broken half of a
bright English sfxpence, she added:
! 1T is a eepsake-something you
have cherished It is dear of you to
| give it to me-
1T has outIived its sentiment, my
dear" said Mrs Moore quietly ut
was given to me years ago by my first
sweetheart He married another, and
so did I. 1 was very happy, too. with
your dear father. Take the sixpence-
| Iaa1 ".