The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1868-03-14

a trembling, nervous sort of way, first in one
pocket, and then in another.
'o."I have. either lost my purse, or else my
Fpocket has been pickcd!"' she said at last with
a sort of gasp.
The conductor expressed no surprise, but
merely put fresh straw, in his mouth, and then
asked us 'gents" to move while he looked for
the purse, (which if young ladies was bus
conductors" he murinured softly to himself,
f"they would learn to take better care of their
money
But the purse was not to be found eff it
really amt anywhere about you, MISS" said
the conductor, as he emerged from among the
straw, ''thcn Your pocket hos been picked.
How much was there in it2
"Half-a-soycrcign and -and-six-pencc iu
silver" answered the, young lady. with tears
trembling on her eye-lids. "But that was not
all. It also contained valuable diamond ring,
the property of the lady with whom I am liv-
Ing, aid which was taking to Jewellers not
far from here, to be repaired"
The conductor turned an eye of compassion
on her: "Wel, I'm blowcd p he muttcred ;
"to think of anybody in their sense being SO
green" Then turning quickly on the remain
ing insides, he scanned us over one by oue
ending with a solemn shake of the head
"Can do nothing for you, miss" he said
You had better go to the. police, and give
them a description of your property. knows
most of my morning passengers for respccta-
bic city gents; but there was one fishy-looking
ccve-him as, got in at Edgcware Road, and
sat next you, miss, all the way TO Farringdon
street what didn't like the looks Of; aud if
your purse was taken by anybody after you got
into the bus, III llay odds that was the cove
that took it. Aud wasn't he downy.looking
card! Oh no, not bit of it!' And the
conductor wipkcd at me ,potcntousy, to signify
that his last remark was. meant for "sarkas-
unl."
but havo not even money loft to pay MY
fare with" urged the young lady
Halfa dozen purses were out at once, such
was the influence of bcouty in distress.
"Ncvcr mind thc'farc, r,iss,' answered tho
conductor, aIably, hemouniel 70 his .,,, .c,,
B, is''.A a tanner VOLT either break tho CO. Of
make its fortune. Yon go to the poice.-that's
what you've got to do. All right, Joey 60
ahead" ,le.a ii sa
Tht bus drove away, leaving the young lady
standing on the curb. She put down her fall,
to hide her vet eyes, and was turning sadly
away, when our conductor leaped nimbH down,
ran back to her, ,esaid few words, and was on
his perch again in less than two minutes
Thought it best to give the poor young cree
tur my number" he remarked conflcntially to
me, Sand the address of our secretary, in case
Of anythink turning up. But that ain t likely.
you know, sir! '!Ah, it was Lat inishy-looking
covcy"u may depend upon it."
was detained in the city till S o'clock. .&t
that hour ] set of westward, with the inten-
tion Of walking home The rain had ceased
hour ago, and q fresh crisp breeze was now
blowing: Over tho murky city roofs the moon
was rising in an unclouded sky, and all the
shops were ablazc with light My, rooms were
in street leading out Of Oxford street but
having one or two calls to make, chose, this
evening, to go round by way Of the Strand
and Charing Cross. My calls are made,
turned up st. Martins Lane, as my nearest
way home, and was walking carelcssly along
that classic thoroughfarc, when whom should
see little way ip front Of mc, staring intcn;ly
into the window Of jewellers shop, but the
"6shy looking cove" of my friend the couduc-
tor! I recognized him in a moment, having
taken particular notice Of him while he was
my fellow passenger in the morning. Not that
there was anything either in his appearance or
manners that made me suspicious of his hon
csty, but rather that he offered such marked
contrast to the respectable wellto- looking
man, dressed in black with hat and boots
that had been carefully "doctorcd," and might
still do some some Sir weather service but which
were i'll calculated to stand the brunt Of rainy
day His mouth was that of a habitual dram
drinker His eyes were weak and watcry ;
and his high-ridged aquilinc nose had an in
famed look about it, suggestive of many a
deep potation. His chin had evidently not
folt razor for several days; and the minute
fragments of straw and chaf which clung to
his dress, and were mixed up with his unkcnpt
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