The Vault at Pfaff's

An Archive of Art and Literature by the Bohemians of Antebellum New York

The Touchstone

Allingham, William. "The Touchstone." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-16).
Electronic Source Available
Type
newspaper
Genre
poetry
Abstract

A man comes to a village with a touchstone that seems to take away evil, while also turning valuables into wood and dust. The villagers burn the touchstone and fail to realize each particle of the ashes is a flawless gem.