Middletown transcript., 1870-08-20

Tor honesty. we were speaking OF the
loss, when who should enter the store but
the "Money Finder" He did not sec
me, as l was sitting somewhat back.
"Is Mr.. Williams in ?" he asked.
"That is my name, sir"
" And this, | presume, is your proper
ty," handing him pocket book.
!" exclaimed Mr. Williams, open
ing the book. "All right, sir; l thank
you sincerely; but how did you know
Your name, sir, written there, and
other papers"
"Ah, yes. Bob," calling the boy,
"run Immediately up to the Bulletin :"
office, and stop the advertisement Run
quick ! Now, sir, excuse me, take this
seat" handing him chair and | will
write you a check for the reward offered. -
Reward, sir? was not aware that
you had offered one."
"True."
The young man quietly seated himself,
took up paper, and began to read.
There, sir, is the check it is the
amount offered for the recovery of the
book and its contents don't hesitate"
" Hesitate % exclaimed the recipient,
81 never hesitate, for this, sir, is nly bu-
SinesS."
Raising his hat gracefully, and whirl-
ing a goldheaded cane, he went out,
whistling the same air he did on a previ-
Gus occasion.
"What did the fellow mcan," asked
Mr.. Williams, "by its being his business
He is not pickpocket"
then related my loss, and the return
of the money, and we all came to the con-
cluson that it was really very mysteri-
GUS piece of business.
frequently met the man, but never
exchanged words with him, as I had seri-
GUS doubts in regard to his mode of find
ing money. And yet.if he were rogue,
why not retain the money? Here lay the
mystery.
One Of the most fashionable ladies of
New Orleans, Mrs Whitney, lost dia-
mond ring valued at fifteen hundred dol
lars 1t was returned to her by this man,
for which he received one hundred and fif-
ty dollars. Another lady lost necklace
equally valuable, and from the description
she gave of the person who restored it, it
was the same successful finder. Perhaps
| was the only one who noticed the extra
ordinary coincidence in this man being the
fortunate finder of so much valuable prop
crty. The rea' on probably was, that
from the moment he made use of the ex-
preston, " it is my business" I connect
ed him with subsequent cases of a similar
character.
Can money finding be made a business?
1t so, how? Here was man returning
property to its owners, valued at thous-
ands, for which he received merely hun
dreds. He certainly was honest, but by
what peculiar process did he arrive at the
result of their carelessness, making it the
source of his means of living? My curl
osity was aroused. At the theatre, opera,
and other places of amusement I invaria-
bly, met him, he was invariably alone. On
the street he walked as if he had lost
something.
On one occasion I met him in the read
ing room of the St. Charles Hotel. To my
surprise, he was in warm dispute with sew
eral persons upon the subject of the ere
raSSes, one of which had but recently oc-
Cured. / soon discovered that he was
not only we'll read but perfectly CONVEX
SAINT with hydraulics and mechanics l re-
member one remark he made, which came
very near, subsequently, being fearfully
confirmed. He said:
"The time is not far distant when your
beautiful city will be at the mercy of the
Mississippi river, and the bend at Carol
ton will be the source of danger"
The very next day large dry goods
house had its bank book returned, which
boy had dropped in the street, contain
ing eighteen hundred dollars The young
man who found it received two hundred
dollars, and when the proprietor thanked
him, in addition, he quietly remarked CIT
Is MY BUSINESS" and left the store whist
ling, "There is no luck about the house"
1t was evident that the man was in q
fair way to make fortune; and his ex-
traordinary luck at finding money and val
uables, while it astonished me for its sin
gularity satisfied me of his honesty. The
mystery was, HOW CAME THESE THINGS IN
HIS WAY? y 4 4 i Il
Several years passed. 1 was once more
in my native city of Philadelphia. The
circumstances alluded to above had been
almost forgotten, and the man and his pc
culiarities were things Of the past.
I had some business to transact in the
Girard Bank; this was in the year 1S41.
Just as l entered the main room, I per-
ceived that something was wrong. Sew
eral men were standing at the paying tel
ler's desk, and as l heard the teller say,
"Sir, you must leave the package with
me-" | involuntary stopped.
Must" exclaimed the other, the
sound of whose voice caused me to start
Must, sir There is no such word in
my vocabulary. I will not deliver up this
MONEY" emphasizing the word, to any
man but the owner You are not the par
ty who lost it, and have no more claim to
it than any one of these gentlemen"
But, sir, you are a stranger"
True, and being stranger, intend
to remain here until the owner of the mon