Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-12-24

window. The husband and father was |
greatly sgitated when the nows reacned |
him at distant place Of tho loss Of h's
dwelling and the very narrow escape Of
his beloved wife and child. AZ sne
| property was insured, its owner, on fe-
turning homo, after receiving the hearty
conscience and congratulations Of his
friends and neighbOrs on tho great 1858
| no had sustained and tho provsdensiai
escape of his wife and child, sent
message East to tho insurance company
Of his loss, and asked thst tho insurance
thereon be paid ct it, earliest conve-
niesce. The statement and facts pre-
scented to the company in tho letter
werc duly considered by its officers, ana
there was but one opinion in regard to
| the matter. The full amount Of insu'
rance named in the policy, it WAS at
once concluded, would have to be paid,
as it was total loss and one which had
occurred under circumstances which
asemed to leave no doubt whatever as
to the duty Of the company. Instrnc'
tions were however sent, as usual, to
tho local agent Of the company to look
into the matter very carefully and make
an yearly report upon the result. he
went Immediately to the place, called
on the party who had made the floss,
and soon came to the conclusion that
there was but one thing to do by the
company, and that was to pay the loss
in full. The agent, however, however,
felt down in his boots" after much re-
Election, that there was somehow some'
thing very strange about this loss. He
:, could hardly tell why, hut he did not
feel entirely satisfied about it, After
brief interview with the owner Of the
policy, he left him to 60 to his hotel
and reflect on the subject. On the way
there. he saw very curly-headed lit
tie boy in bis pathway, and, being fond
" of children, he spoke at once very kind
Iy to the little fellow, patted him on
W the shoulder, and said: "What is your
u name, sir" HIS answer and the con
III yersation which followed revealed tn
D. fact that the boy was son of the maj
whose house had just been destroyed
ID by fire. The agent dexterously and ap
IS parently In playful way asked tn
child great many questions aoon
the fire and the providential escape Q
himself and mother from sudden death
;, Finally, the child WAS asked how Ion
, after he and his mother knew about tn
=. fire before they jumped out of the W.T.
''' dow. Gin one minute" he Innocent
answered. "But, "said the agent, "didn
you and your mother stop long enoug
10 put on your clothesW ooh no."
~ promptly answered; eve both went
bed with our clothes on, SIT; SO as to
," all ready to jump when we saw the fire
"Did you have your shoes and stoc
ings on 7 said the agent. "Oh yes, 81
80, we had 'em both on, and we didn't 6
or hurt bit in jumping out Of the WI
7 dow"
-.v ''The agent kissed the boy, sat h
down, and went on his way with qul
step. That was enough to satisfy t
49,, agent that the whole was o base
rL tempt at fraud. After going to his no
10 duly considering what his duty W;
he returned 70 the owner of the II
); ID property, and, with closed doors t.
al. him that he had come to settle with hi
He asked the cunning faced criminal
A. fore him If he had the policy with hi
90. He promptly replied in the afnrmati'
and at once laid the same on the tab
Now, sir, said the agent, l will q
you Just one dollar, and not one G.
~. more, to surrender that policy, q
Lost give my company instantly > receipt
full Of all claims and demands for
-, loss of your house by fire. And let
Tow tell you sir, when you decide again
burn up your property and cheat y
insurance be careful and not Instr
your family to go to bed with II
nero clothes on, boots aud shoes included.
"a, Tho duabfounded owner of the
house, who a moment before was
orr; smiling and joyful expectant of the
~. amount Of his insurance, suddenly tt
ed as white rs ghost, surrendered
ann policy, and gave the receipt deman
by the faithful agent Of the comp
Won he represented.
"There said the President OF
.aa company, "that is only single 8
~. linen Of what is occurring all