The Goldsmith and the Stone Pg. 18.

The Mayor looked from Goldsmith to Matt several times as he read out loud the deed and sad letter. He rubbed his eyebrows as if in disbelief. “Ohhh my” he said over and over.

With that he picked up his phone, made several calls to the city, grabbed his coat and hat and said, “Let’s go!”

Down the dirt road the three of them walked as if a storm was brewing, and indeed the skies were overcome with clouds. It was the fasted Goldsmith had ever seen the Mayor ‘get up and go’! They finally arrived at the edge of the river to the entrance of the mine, where the tall, dark stranger sat in his tent with a lit cigar, drinking his morning coffee and looking very ‘boss’ like. The Mayor marched right up to the stranger, spoke in harsh, but not loud words as the strangers face lost some of it’s color, then the Mayor shouted out to all of the workers to go home. A feeling of chaos rose in the air, questions like a gentle rumbling of thunder stirring the atmosphere so thick you’d look to the skies to see if thundershowers were on their way. One by one the people dispersed as they could tell the Mayor meant nothing but business. He ordered the crooked stranger to stay where he was and before long the buzz of helicopters were seen canvasing a patch of grassy fields to land in. Snow was late this year and only the left-over crisp grass blades were found and the helicopters landed in no time.

As the local authorities and special personnel arrived from a city close by, all the workers reached the village and the word was out! Everyone was gathering their coats and hats to head down to the river and see what was up. Breakfast’s left to the cold, the muddy streets were filled with villagers all speaking in hush voices.

Arriving at the river just as the authorities were handcuffing the crooked stranger, the crowd watched the once boss now crook looking rather angry as if someone had spoiled his party. But it wasn’t his party, and the locals reached the banks of the river with glaring expressions at the man who came to steal their future.

“He should be hung up to dry! Freeze dried!” A local was heard shouting out! “How dare he come into our town and steel our jobs! Our future!!” Was heard loudly from the crowd.

The Mayor asked for quiet, calmed the crowd and explained the recent findings. All eyes looked in disbelief but excitement as Matthew felt their gaze wander over to his thin, frail body. He wondered if he could handle all of this attention. He was fighting his anxiety and felt like running away again. Suddenly his mother’s kind words formed in his mind. “Open the door Matthew, let Him in”.

What felt like a life in dream suddenly became a reality for Matthew. It all hit him at once. He did have a purpose, he was not left alone.

It looked as if everyone expected a comment from their new owner of the mine, some hope for their future. Matthew, brimming with a new found courage said to everyone as largely as he could, “To God be the Glory”.

The crooked stranger now pulled roughly by the authorities was shoved into the helicopter to his new found future in prison.

Mammy lifting her healthy finger, pointed at the crooked man and in her largest boss voice said so loudly the whole village could hear her, “And don’t you Ever come back here, and that means Ever.”

To which the whole village nodding their heads in time with Mammy’s healthy finger were now full of joy shouting and cheering like the chimes of church bells in the night.