The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-01-23

lows you up here 10 yonder, and he sees
you put your money In your coat pocket,
and then he follows you homo, and whom
ais quiet he cracks the crib. Oh, It's
all In q nutshell, and that's how property
goes. And then you come 10 the police
But II you know It's Joe, why dent
you send after him and catch him"
ooh, We know our own business, sir;
you leave II all 10 Us; We shall have Joe
tight enough, II not for this job, anyhow
for the next. Wen give him bit Of
rope, like"
! couldn't put any FIRE into the man,
do what could he was civil, that IL FOR
Q Yorkshireman; impassive; he'd do
what was right. I'd given the informA.
ton; very we'll; all the rest was his bust
ness.
So came homo miserable, despairing.
1t was just daylight by this tine, and a.
/ opened the shutters the debris OF our
feast was revealed; the lees of the
lobster salad, the picked bones Of the
chickens, the melted residuum Of the
jellies; while about everything hung the
faint smile OF sour wine. / sat dow
amid all this wretchednes and leaned
my head on my arms In dull, miserable
lethargy. Then ] sprang up, and a I
did 80 ! caught sight Of myself In the
looking glass. Good heavensl Was this
wretched, hang-dog looking fellow my.
self Did few hours misery change q
man like thisH Why, was very felon
In appearance, and 40 should DO thought
TO be. Who would believe this story of
q robbery Why the police didn't be-
lieve In It, else they'd have taken DIFF.
ferent tone. No; should DO looked
upon as thief by all the world.
Then my wife came down stairs, and
with few touches restored little order
and sanity, both 70 outward matters
and my mind. She brought me some
coffee and an egg and some bread and
butter, and after ] had eaten and drank
] didn't feel quite % bad.
"Jsck," she said, "you must 20 TO
London at once and see the directors.
Have the first word and tell them all
about it. all the particulars. It WAS
only little bit OF carelessness after all,
and perhaps they'll look over It."
"Yes, that's all very WE'LL" said.
/" But how am ! 20 get thereH I've got
no money. This wretched party has
cleared US right out"
"Borrow some OF Cousins"
"He asked me TO lend him sovereign
last night, and couldn't"
Now, you'll say, Here's man with.
out resource. Why didn't he pawn his
watch3" To tell the truth, that's what
1 did the week before, and the money
was all gone. "Then, under these cir.
cumstances," you'll add, ait was immor
al to give q party" But, you'll bear In
mind, the invitations had been out for
. fortnight, and We were then In funds.
"Well, Jack" said my wife, you
must get the mantle p. BIO give
you some more money on the watch.
Bell 1t to him right out. 1t must be
worth at least ten pounds, for II cost
thirty, and you've only had five upon
II. Sell the ticket"
eyes; but where was the ticket"
Why, In the little cash. pocket OF my
brown create coat. Still, ! had heard
that II you'd lost ticket you can make
the man give you another, and Brooks,
the pswnbroker, was q respectable man,
who, perhaps, would help me out Of my
difficulty. ! went 10 him, anyhow, on
my way 10 the station. felt N ticket
of.leave man as went into his shop, but
! put good. face upon II.
"Brooks" / said, "that watch-you
know the ticket-its stolen"
Brooks gave most portentious wink.
He was slow-speeched man, with red
face and tremendous corporation.
Nay" he @ys "my lad thou'rt
wrong there"
"What do you meant" said, color.
Ing up furiously. Every ono suspected
me, L seemed.
"Whoa, II might ha' been stolen once,
but It aren't no; ave got 1t here. This
Is how II were. A cadging sort OF
chap comes In, and he says, Master
whstll you give me for this ticket?'
Now, you know the hact don't allow us
TO give nought In that kind OF way, but
l says TO the chap let's have q look at
It; and then saw It was yours, and !
said 10 the man: My lad, you aren't
come honest by this"
"And you gave him into custody, he's
In prisonH Old Brooks, what q capital
fellow you are!"
"Nsy," he said; al knowed better
nor that. Do you think I'd hexpose q
customer ! know you gents don't care
about these little matters gettinng
abroad; and 30 ! slaps my fist on the
counter, and / says, Hook itl' just
like that. And away he went like
lamplighter."
l sank down on the counter, overpow.
cred with emotion.
nd what's mora want nm Rronks
che never took up the money lent him
for the coat"
"Whst coat!" he cried.
"A very nice brown coat he put up
with me. About fit you, should
think. See, here II is."
1t was my identical brown great coat,
wrapped up In q bundle, and tied round
with my own handkerchief. made q
dart at II, opened II, plunged my hand
into the breast pocket-there was the
roll Of money, there were the E22,0OO.
How did 20 TO the bank that morn.
ing, on legs or wings. And now did !
get home, as soon AZ | had put the money
safe awayH Mary knew by my face
that 1t was all right; and didn't we have
Q dance OF joy all round the housed
My burglar had been only . sort OF
sneak, after all, who had got In ut an
open window, and bolted with the spoils
OF the hall, but, II he had taken the
pains TO look into the pockets OF the
coat, he'd have been q rich-though
miserable and insecure-man, and
should have been utterly and deservedly