The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1933-08-03
The Penny
By ELOISE BENNETT
9. by Mcclure Newspaper syndicats-
WNU Service.


against the taupe velours OF her car,
surveying with satisfaction the assert
ment of small packages by her size.
Between the thin, yeined forennger
and thumb of her left hand she held
a penny. After her eyes had wandered
appraisingly over the packages they
turned on the penny.
1t was an Indian head penny. IL
had come into Mrs. McEIroy's posses
sion not two minutes before In the
change from the jig-saw puzzle she
had bought. 1t would do for the days
gift to ten-year-old Bobby.
Every afternoon. unless extreme
weather interfered. Thomas, the Nc
Elroy chauffeur for twenty years, took
Mrs. Anthony McElroy, senior, on
shopping expedition from the house
where she lived with her son and ner
grandson On this expedition she DID
such small errands as the various busy
members of the family needed. And
always, at the end of the trip, there
was one final errand, some knlck-
knack for Bobby, her great-grandson-
Thomas fidgeted slightly. quite
sure you're finished, Mrs McEloyf'
he questioned.
Yes, thank you. Thomas. Oh
you're thinking Of Bobby Yes, I've
an Indian head penny for him. He's
collecting coins, you know
Thomas chuckled. "Yes'm. And
stamps and cellophane and old pipes
aud
Mrs. McElroy went on: YES. And
specially Indian head pennies. be
wants to make a fortune with them.
| He's heard they're worth more than
a cent now and he's trying to corner
| the market SO that when they go up
he can sell them"
Thomas, relieved, let the car out
a bit and Mrs. McElroy turned the
penny over In her fingers and looked
at the date. An cid one, 1865. She
closed her eyes.
She had been-let's see, ten years
old, In 1865. On June day In that
year she had found penny, too. She
remembered that she and John Martin
had been walking home together from
/ school. How the city had changed
since then There had been country
lanes where there were city pave
ments now. And where she had lived,
up near Fifty-ntnth streets, there had
been little pond that all the children
loved Choked under cement, now, OF
course, the springs and streams that
fed 1t. She and John had loitered In
the shade at the side Of the pond on
their way home.
Il wish we had some candy" John
had said.
would you divIde?" she had asked.
| I'D give you more than half" John
had said.
Would you. John1 Oh, thank you.
Oh, look Some money!"
And there In the grass at their feet
she had spied penny-bright and
new and shining. Look, John. Well
90 buy some candy. You carry tht
money"
So John had taken charge Of theil
find. ITS our special penny" he hat
said. .I'll mark 1t for ours" Ant
then they had sat on the grass Will,
he scraped away with his knife a
the edge OF the penny to mark 1t To-
their own.
ITS brand new" he had said
"Look-it has this years datel"
He let her feel the ridge with he
finger nail, right In front OF the TIL
of the Indians nose. Now let's &
buy some candy"
Laura" John had Dragged, "Tr
going to be rich some day when groy
up. I'm going to have piles and pile
OF money. And I'm going to MARI
you and give you half OF 1t. An
we'll have candy each day"
John Martin--well, he'd been rlgh1
He'd laid the foundation OF the grea
fortune that his grandsons were worl
Ing 10 hard to hold together toda,
She turned over the worn old coin |
her fingers. Her nall caught In
worn ridge at Its edge. She opene
her eyes and looked, with littl
breathless start OF interest. There
was--the deep ridge, right at the polr
OF the Indians nose, worn smooth an
even.
This was the same coin.
John hadn't forgotten. He had gor
West to win his wealth. He had nske
her to walt for him and she had ha
promised. But then Anthony McElro
poor, then, too, though he did we
enough later on--had come along an
she had forgotten John and her ha
promise And when he had come bac
from the West with a small fortune a
ready his, he had found her promise
to Tony.
But there was that coin In her han
part OF Johns struggle. The vel
same coin.
Thomas" Mrs. McElroy said to II
chauffeur. Perhaps you'd better n
20 home yet. Go back to Winshlp
and I'll buy Bobby that new stan
album he wants. Ill keep this o
penny"