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

81 think, though, you left a muff on
your seat.''
"No, [ didn't" was the very decided
answer.
A sharp observer might have seen a
faint smile twinkle about the Judges
lips. Mrs. Magus, however, was staring
straight at the conductor, who went on ::
81 found seal-skin muff on the seat
where you sat, just as the last passen-
ger went out. l always go through
the cars then. l thought it must be
yours, for no one had been in that seat
but an old gentleman who left at Tram
way. I'll bring it,
"No, you needn't" said Mrs. Magus,
but the conductor went off without
minding her.
| "What a persistent fool that man
isl" she said to the Judge; but the
Judge made no reply. How could hep
for the conductor came back from the
next car just then, bringing in his hand
Mrs. Magus's own seal skin muff. There
was no disowning it. The muff was
hers. She had sewed into its lining Il
bit of white silk with her name stamped
on it, in order that she might always
distinguish her muff from other peoples
muffs; and there it was.
Mrs. Magus was confounded. How
ever, her wits were quick. She determin-
ed to send the Judge into court alone, to
explain things and make amends for her
mistake, for she could not and would
not face Mrs. Basil, the Doctor and
poor Norah.
The Judge was at the car-door, talk
ing to man who was to get out at
Morristown, the only station between
Hockanum and the city. He was very
much interested, evidently. He went
out on the platform with this man as
the train slowed before stopping, and
he did not come in again at all. He
explained afterward that in the heat of
an argument with the man, he stepped
off on the Morri5town platform, and the
cars moved off before he could step
back.
Mrs. Magus was very angry, but she
couldn't help herself. She had to go
on now. She had to face Mrs. Basil,
who only said
swell, do declare! Wasn't it fun
nyp 1 was certain 1 saw you have it,
but was just thinking shouldn't like
to swear to it,
She had also to face the grave, dis
pleased politeness of DIR. Brett, and the
drawn, white countenance of Norah,
who looked heart-broken.
Worse than all, the police-judge for
once sympathized with the defendant,
and he suggested to Mrs. Magus that the
poor girl ought to have some compen-
sation for her imprisonment and dis
tress. Mrs. Magus handed her ten
dollar bill, which Norah Indignantly
threw after her; but DIR. Brett picked
it up; and as the crest-fallen lady de-
parted, without a word or look of fare
well to Mrs. Basil or the Doctor, she
heard, before she could get outside the
door, a quivering, angry voice cry out,
els it the DIRTY moneys goin' to
make up to me for the weary night in
that place, the sore heart, the sin COM
mitted hearin' all the bad words, and
the sorrow I'll have to hear folks say,
That's Norah Mcguire, that was took
up for stalin?'"
No, indeed! Mrs. Magus might, in
her own phrase, be 'quite sure;'' but
nothing could make up to Norah for
what she had brought upon her, and
nothing could ever make the Judge for
get that his positive, self-complacent
wife had made dreadful mistake. But
the good of it all was the bitter lesson
Mrs. Magus learned-never to be too
sure.-Yoxth's Companion.