Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-09-10
The Thousand
Dollar Bill
By MARY GERTRUDE ASHTON
1919. western Newspaper Union


IF can only induce your sister. Alice,
to take me for husband, you've got a
home and a situation for life"
alice likes you. right enough"
Jerry had replied. 'only she's indepen-
dent and sort Of proud OF being able to
earn sixty dollars a month as a school
teacher"
"Yes.' sighed Cyrus. "and as l don't
make much more than that out of my
little business here. suppose she
thinks I'm not much OF a success as a
business man."
All Cyrus Topham knew In a bust
ness way was fiaxseed growing. thrash
ed, In storage or at the grinding mill.
1t was proud day when Jerry hand
ed Alice his weeks wages, minus fifty
cents for mending his shoes. Brother
and sister were orphans and lived hum
bly, and simply, but Alice possessed
a wonderful knack of making a dollar
60 long way. Cyrus called at the
home every Sunday afternoon and was
a welcome and contented guest until
after tea time.
"Tell you. Alice" he observed on one
of these occasions. I'm planning to
lay aside something every month to-
wards building the home we're going
to own some day.
"Oh. Cyrus that is dreadfully
long ways ahead" declared Alice, with
a mock sigh.
IF / find you willing at the end OF
IL, that is all / care for" said Cyrus.
Jerry was at the little railway de-
pot one evening mailing a letter for
his employer. He was passing the
length of the train when man at an
open window Of a passenger coach
hailed him.
Hey. .youngsteri run over to that
cigar store and get me quarters
worth of cigars, will your
Jerry got back just as the train was
moving out. The man took the cigars
and fumbled in his pocket. Then he
drew out long wallet.
'Hold on" he ordered, 1--WE got no
change, but here's a dollar" and he
removed bill from several In the wal
let.
Raptly Jerry gloated and chuckled.
he kept his hand around the bill clear
70 the shop. Cyrus was looking over his
accounts. Jerry fidgeted around for an
hour, anxious to impart the story of
ais good luck. Finally be blurted 1t
,ut. Thunder" fairly shouted Jer-
ty's employer as Jerry placed the bill
pm the desk. Its thousand dollar
1ill Say the owner will come sour
lying back for II, you can wager. Shall
( keep it In the safe until he does,
Jerry?"
"Oh. surely" acquiesced Jerry. ''It's
4 whopper Of bill, isn't It? Maybe
I'll get my dollar when the man gets
his thousand"
I'll see that you do" pledged Cyrus,
but day went by. a week, month,
and no one came. Then Cyrus adver-
tised for the owner. No response. And
then
Jerry had nearly forgotten about the
thousand dollar bill. but Cyrus had
not. 1t had came into his life des-
tined to give him many hours of
downright worry, of wretched haunt
ing temptation. And then-he "bor-
rowed" that thousand dollars and
bought up all the flaxseed in storage
for two counties around, for he knew
that falling new crop was due and
that the product would go up to fabu-
lous prices. 1t fell. instead. A CLIQUE
in the city was manipulating the mar
ket. Cyrus Topham passed a week
of keen mental torture. One afternoon
he gloomily handled revolver In the
drawer of his desk, amid gloomy fore
bodings of what he should do If the
owner of the money should turn up
and demand its return.
"A telegram" announced Jerry, and
a minute later gave great start as
from the lips Of his employer there
rang out yell-jubilant, vociferous.
echoing. The telegram had announced
phenomenal rise In the fiaxseed mar
ket and two days later Cyrus Topham
sold out at profit of nearly 300 per
cent.
Young fellow named Jerry Bland
with you" questioned a business-like
looking man few mornings later.
Hes down at the postoffice, be
back in few minutes" advised Cyrus.
"From description l think he is the
boy gave a bin to by mistake some
time ago"
"a thousand dollar billy' quickly in
quired Cyrus.
THAT'S 1t. / missed 1t, thought II
lost. and only yesterday It came to my
mind about giving a boy some money
here"
A glow of pride. Of supreme salts
faction lit up the face of Cyrus as he
said: Jerry gave me the money to
keep for you. As soon as the bank is
open win get you your thousand dol
lars"
"You are good, honest peoples" cried
the stranger spontaneously.
please don't include me-" said Cy-
rus gravely. 81 want to tell you
story" and there followed the recital
of his use of the money. The stranger
laughed at its conclusion. you show
ed you knew your business to make
such an investment" he insisted from
his practical business view. I'D like
to back something like that"
Which came about. and before an
other year had passed Cyrus was fully
established in business and Jerry. the
casual maker and founder Of his for
tune. was not forgotten.