Tomás Vargas's Buried Gold

"The Gold of Tomás Vargas" takes place in the fictional town of Agua Santa, in an unnamed South American country. The story begins with a short history of how the region's people used to bury their gold and silver but stopped this practice when they began to put their money and trust in banks and new paper money. Unfortunately, the paper money loses its value in the long run and as a result, many people lose their savings. Tomás Vargas, however, never trusted the new banks and continued to bury his gold nuggets.

While he is rich from this buried gold, he shares none of it with his wife or children who sometimes have to rely on the kindness of others for food, clothes, and schooling. In addition, Vargas borrows money and does not pay it back, gets...