Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-12-31
A LOST POCKETBOOK.

81 don't see why Althea needed to
60" pouted Felicia Filllin, as she
crowded the last package into her
trunk, locked it, and put the key in the
new red pocket-book she carried in her
hand. "l'd rather of gone by myself"
"Your aunt invited Althea as well
as you" said her mother, reprovingly.
"And It's better fur her to 60. 'Tain't
fttin' fur a young girl like you TO be
a-travelin' alone on the railroad cars.
Now dou't furgit to give yer Aunt
Joanna them YARDS, Felicia! There's
the catnip fur Sary AIMS baby, and
the dill fur sick headaches. An them
mullen leaves is to make tea fur Will
liam Henry's brownchitis An there's
sage, an pennyr'yal, an summer savo-
ry, an spear-mint, all tied up in sepa-
rate punches. Tell Joanna to hev 'em
hung up in the kitchin to dry"
"An' don't furgit to buy that shaker
flannel, Felicia, an four yards of pink
caliker for my album quilt" said
Grandma Filkin, looking over her
spectacles. "An' the check for Susan S
aprons"
81 shan't furgit nothin'!" answered
Felicia impatiently.
can mind an not lose yer money,
or git your pockets picked," "admonished
her mother. "And be sure an make
yer aunt, an Sary Jane, an William
Henry come down next summer in
blackberry time.
"No danger of me Citing my pocket
picked" or losing my money" retorted
Felicia, loftily.
And she climbed up into the front
seat of the wagon, beside Farmer
Filkin, while Althoa sat behind on the
trunk, and the wagon rolled away,
followed by stout number-six shoe,
flung after them for "sood-luck" by
Betty Bloomer, who hal come to help
with the housework while the girls
were away.
The cars were crowded, but Althea
found seat beside a stout lady with a
number of parcels in her lap, while a
young man made room for Felicia
next to himself, in the opposite seat,
facing her cousin. lie was a tall, pale
young man, and wore a linen duster
and a Wide Awake hat.
"What black eyes he has, and what
a nice moustache!" thought Felicia.
"He's awful good-looking, and must
be rich, too, he has such good clothes"
And when the young man ventured
to make remark about the dust, and
offered to lower the window-shale for
her, she answered readily enough, and
soon they were engaged in quite con-
versation.
Felicia informed her new acquain-
tance that she was on a visit to her
aunt in st. Louis; that she lived at
South Meadow, and that the young
lady with her was "only her cousin;"
while the stranger contlded to her that
he had been travelling for a couple of
months for his health, and was on his
way to his homo in st. Louis.
On reaching Union Depot, he polite
ly assisted the. girls off the train,
showed them into the ladies' room, and
offered to call hack. Felicia declined
the offer, however, saying that her
aunt was to meet them, and, v 18th a
polite bow, the stranger withdrew.
"Wasn't he handsome and polite?"
whispered Felicia. 81 wish we would
see him again, and Oh, where's my
pocket book? Althea its gone."
"Gore?" echoed Althoa, blankly
Eyes. He's took it. He's picked my
pocket 1t was right next to him when
we got off the train" cried Felicia, de-
spairlngly
"Oh, Felicia, he didn't look like a
pickpocket! NJ aybe you dropped it,"
suggested her cousin.
II didn't drop it; it was in my
pocket" retorted Felicia. tartly. "And
he's got It know he has. Pickpockets
always do have black eyes and wear
good clothes. And, Oh, what'll we
doY
Althea had no suggestions to make,
and the two girls sat il dropping 81
lence till their aunt appeared. ~. = :
"Oh, aunt, I've hal my packet
pickedv sobboi Felicia. ~ nasty
mean young man, that helped us off
the cars, stole my pocket-booS, with all