American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-06-24

ready to get into his gig and go out t.
see his patients.
"Did you see my muff, DoctorP'
eagerly asked Mrs. Magus. 81 hav,
been to all the stores where 1 stopped
and asked for it, SO must have left i
here.''
The Doctor shook his head but be
fore he could speak, Mrs. Basil began to
| chatter.
"Of course you couldn't find it at the
stores, Mrs. Magus, for you had it or
your arm when you came in here.''
Did You see it?'' snapped Mrs,
Magus.
"To be sure did. Noticed it direct.
ly. A dark muft.'
Yes, seal-skin.''
"To be sure, to be surei OF course
seal-skin. You wouldn't wear an Alas
ka sable"
Nothing would have tempted Mrs.
Basil to say skunk fur. 1t would
have been, in her idea, both ignorant
and vulgar; besides she was sure it was
seal-skin.
"I was perfectly sure 1 left it here, "
returned Mrs. Magus, in positive tone,
al merely asked at the other places
because consider it my duty to satisfy
other people," And here she gave a
loud sniff, as if something unpleasant
lay before her, but she hoped to do her
duty.
"Well," said good DR.. Brett, slowly
and gravely, 81 must say don't re-
member seeing you have muff, Mrs.
Magus, but then l never notice ladies'
dress as to particulars.
"Men never do" giggled Mrs. Basil.
81 have been quite sure l had it all
along" said Mrs. Magus, with a grim
expression of positiveness. 81 never
should have looked elsewhere except
for the sake of convincing other people,
for did not know Mrs. Basil had no.
ticed my muff, of course.''
"Wel, well, we'll ring the bell for
Norah," said DIR. Brett, who was in a
hurry.
Norah came in, and being questioned
by the Doctor, answered with a half
frightened tone and blushy exactly as
she did to Mrs. Magus; so that lady
took up the examination.
"Come, now, think bit; nobody
was in the parlor but you, and had
my muff when I came in, and didn't
have it when 1 went out.
certainly left it here, for Mrs. Basil saw
it. Where did you put itP''
Norah began to answer, but sobs
choked her. Mrs. Magus's voice and
manner were enough to scare an officer
of the army.
"Hush, hush, Norah; be quiet, my
good grill" said the Doctor, patting
her shoulder gently, as if to reassure
her.
"Sure, thin,'' gasped the girl, "I
niver seen amy muff at all. I'll go be-
fore Father Cassidy an say the same.
I'm an honest grill, indade N am!
and what would do wild stalin' that
wayp" and then she fell to crying again.
Mrs. Magus nodded to Mrs. Basil, and
was nodded to in return.
"very guilty facet" whispered one
to the other.
"No doubt about it," whispered the
other to one.
By this time Mrs. Magus's face was
as red as the scarf on her lame hand.
In vain Dr. Brett ISSUED her he believed
Norah to be perfectly honest. In vain
did the poor girl cry and pray, and as
sure the ladies she had never seen the
muff. Were they going to believe the
word of thief against the positive tes-
timony of two respectable ladies of
their standing in society," Never.
Mrs. Magus, being next the window,
happened to see policeman go by, and
before the Doctor knew what she meant
to do, she opened the street door, call
ed the man in, and ordered him to ar
rest Norah for stealing her seal-skin
muff. The Doctor was very indignant,
but could not help himself, for, as Mrs.
Magus opened the door, his boy rushed
past with message from patient sud-
denly seized with a fit, in the next
street, and as the policeman came in,
the Doctor went out. thinking merely
that Mrs. Magus meant to brighten
Norah, and getting angry at the idea,
but not supposiHg she meant to do
more. However, Norah, in strong hys-
terics, was taken to the station-house,
and Mrs. Magus and Mrs. Basil were or
dered to appear before the police court
on the next day to prefer the charge and
give their testimony, after which they
parted, Mrs. Basil going to her pleasant
little home to eat a good dinner and
sleep in peace, while Mrs. Magus re-
freshed herself at the confectioner's,
and took her seat in the night train for
Hockanum, not little proud of her own
promptness and decision.
Judge Magus heard the story with a
sober face, but he did not say any thing,
or, if he did, it was so low his wife fail
ed to hear it, and she, too,. slept in
peace.
But where was poor heartsick Norah
She passed that long night in sleepless
distress, weeping and praying, scared
by the bad words and riotous laughter
from the cells about her, shivering with
cold, sick with terror, for she seemed to
be forsaken by every body.
But with early morning DIR. Brett
came. He could not take her home
with him, of course, but he brought her
some food, and warm shawl and hood,
got the policeman in charge to see that