Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-07-31
:. VOL. VI.


is it yours, friend e inquired the stranger,
blandly. -s-a 1r asrs io h7sni
Lee could, with great difficulty, refrain from
saying that it was. But he forced out the
words a-
mo ! / believe ot.'1raaf ya .srtsG
Whats to pay1' half earelessly inquired
third party, coming up at this moment.
Somebody has lost pocket book was re-
Piled. d.siri.- brs lua- -ebsW .7R t.f g
: Indeed! Much money in i, .'o'ai as pa
-'lt's full. See ,here!' ai "a yd .s.'''' o..
And the possessor of the pocket book show
ed the folds and edges Of a large bundle of bank
bills. vWj'v7 ~ tIa .-r l. sig isl-'It d.
Gracious me. What are you going to do
with it.' - 'o ''''.
II don't know, I'm sure. It's not mine.-
Whoever lost it ought to have it, But, As
am stranger in the city, and shall have to
leave in an hour, it will be impossible for me
to restore it. No doubt large reward will be
offered for its recovery, in the morning papers.
What's to be done! am really in guam
dary.' -1-l 1s.t. .-.'.a ,7-1rz.tG su.t
l'You ought to get the reward, said the sec
ond conner, for you are the finder.' eol .
True, replied the man. Blu, cant pos
sibly remain in the city until Tomorrow. To
night must see me in New York n -lt .-
Ii You choose to take it., said the person
VIII came up last, Il will give you fifty dollars
for your chance in the reward .rr -.,
Fifty dollars was the musing reply Il
don't know what to say to that. The reward
will doubtless be two or three hundred There
can't be less than twenty thousand dollars in
the pocket book -... Y.
wouldn't like to risk more,' was the half
Indifferent response to this. .....
The possessor of the pocket book seemed ir-
resolute for some moments.
We'll, he at length said, take it. But
think you are driving on me very hard bar
GAIN
The other thrust his hand into his pocket,
and after feeling about there for some moments,
said
That's unfortunate, I've left my pocket
book at the store. But, come with me, and
Ill give you fifty dollars
Where is you. store!'
'On the wharf
o dear! No, I'm not going away down
there Then turning round TO Laban Lee,
the stranger said, in the most insulating mali
ner-
Why can't goa take it, friend .
Havn't got fifty dollars replied Lee, his
eyes fairly gioating on the pocket book.
How much have you?' ........
Only thirty ...........,......
The man shrugged his shoulders, and shook
his head. ..
You had better come down to No. - South
Wharf. I'll give you 6fiy dollars. Or, if YOU
will take our friends thirty dollars, Ill make
it fifty for him, the moment he shows himself
AT my place Of business
Il suppose will have to do so.' said the
holder Of The pocket book, in changed, So
ber, and rather Disappointed voice. But, it
is giving up very large advantage for mere
trifie'
Eagerly Laban Lee drew forth his thirty dol
lars, handed it to the man, and grasped the
treasure. l.- -
Come dowu to No. - South Wharves,
sounded in his ears. A moment after, and he
stood alone, yet so bewildered that all his ideas
were in a whirl of confusion. Soon calmer
state followed. He crept into his cart, ard
there, safe from prying curiosity, opened the
pocket book in order to feast his eyes upoa the
sum Of twenty thousand dollars, and to debate
the question Of restoration.
Alas From what a height of imagina-
tion down to the very bottom of the pit of re-
ality. did Laban Lee soon fall. Wrapped
around by three or four one dollar counterfeit
bills, was mass of soiled, crumpled, and
blotted strips of bank note paper; and this
was all the treasure contained in the pocket
book ... .--t..
No wonder that in his bitter disappointment,
the farmer groaned aloud. II was some min.
utes before a CLEAN of light broke in upon the
darkness that enveloped him. Then he thought
of the man who agreed to give him fifty dollars
for the pocket book He would go to him in
stantly, and concealing the discovery he had
made, get from him the promised sum, and
thus shift the loss upon another.
OF course he di d not find the individual that
he sought, at No. - South Wharves. He
was the victim, and this man was an accom-
phce.
Tive days afterwards, the Post Master Of
Lees village said to him
Aha! So the drop game boys have been
trying their hand on you ...-t ...
Drop game. Wha' do you meant return
ed Lee. - -''~ -''"'a hrlI.a b. 5-41
| - Listen The Post Master drew paper
from his pocket and read. YESTERDAY far
mer from New Jersey, named Lee. was silly
enough to pay couple of sharpers thirty dol
lars for pocket book which they pretended to
have found. Of course this Lee doesn't take
the newspapers, or he never could have fallen
into snare that has been so often exposed
We have little pity for men who are wilfully
ignorant rifHi .rHsrlI MA -.
Laban Lee turned off suddenly and walked
hurriedly away. The next time he went tc
the city, he ordered newspaper. oif csaH
/ The New York Tribune relates an interest,