Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1885-10-30
The sroaY TEXT Was TOLD
BY the FlOrid-Faoed Sian with Clear-Cut
Features and Ianocsnt-I.oollng Eyes
New York Trrr,nel


New York T%rIl,une.l
A man with a forid face and clear.cut
features, whose eyes had a peculiarly i'm.
nocent look in them. got on an elevated
railroad car the other day to come down
town. He became absorbed in the con.
tents OF a newspaper, and apparently did
not notice q young man sitting near him
whose eyes seemed riveted upon his heavy
gold watch-chain. After several stops at
me stations the car became nearly empty.
The young man suddenly rose. and
crossing over to the old gentleman. re.
marked:
Il beg your pardon, sir. but is not this
your purse? found it in the seat by
your side. !"
The older man looked at the purse and
Lnen at the young man for full a minute.
linen he carefully removed his glasses,
wiped them with his handkerchief, smiled
to himself, and calmly queried:
y And if it was not mine what would
{ you do with it,"
Why--of course, " said the young fell
low, slightly coloriug, I'D return 1t to
the owner. y"
"oh, yes, I see. But, young man, sit
down here for a minute and let me tell of
sSSAS Vhdb L OuCS WlblGSSeQ.
Inc young man, somewhat discon-
cefted, mechanically obeyed, and allowed
the elder one to proceed.
One day in April, some three wears
ago, l was passing through Chambers
street, on a business errand, when | espied
a pair Of lady's kid gloves lying upon the
sidewalk. | hurried forward to pick them
up; but was just too late. as another per
son a chart 1fufoYon 0Inal -
them. lie looked at me in a quizzical
manner, and when | asked him to let me
see them, he politely assented. But as if
1eartul OF being seen he nudged me to
come into an open doorway where we
could look at u prize with comparative
safety. AS | took the gloves from bis
hand and pulled them apart, SO
as to examine their worth, | was
surprised to find a large, heavy
lump OF something tied up in one
OF the fingers. With greedy haste | com
municated to him my discovery, when he
snatched the gloves from my hand and
= commenced working the article out of the
t1nger-hole. In a few moments he held
up to my astonished view a handsome
jeweled ring, which at the lowest ought
to have been worth 500. | expressed my
surprise in q very open way, and asked
him to let NE see it This lie did, and at
the same time asked what | thought it
was worth. | unhesitatingly gave him
my opinion. Then what had we better
do with it? he asked. Why, advertise it
in the papers | suggested, and the
owner will probably give us q handsome
price for returning it, This he
thought was a very good plan, but he
was then on his way to the train
to go out of the city for a month or two,
and consequently he would not be able to
receive any of the money. I'll tell you
he finally said, the owner will at least
give you $40 for returning it, and if you
will give me So now l will surrender the
gloves and ring to you. How does that
suit? It's fair, isn't it2!
"Well, yes, l had to acknowledge it
was, and so without murmuring handed
him So, and walked away with the ring.
The next two days l advertised in the
papers for the owner of the ring; but no
one came to claim il. On the fourth day
l concluded 1 had acted honesty in the
matter, and was now justified in selling
| took it to a prominent jewelers.
where | knew its true value would be
given, and-what do you think it was
WORTH"
The young mar shifted u%neasily in his
seat and lodged the smiling eyes of the
speaker.
why, it was a brass ring worth about
3 cents, and put in the glove by that ras,
cal Of a swindler. Now, then" contin-
ued the gentleman, in a severe tone,
"what would you do if you discovered
that same fellow up to his old trick
again2"
"Ahl this is my station; I must go.
Good morning. And the young man
with the purse slid gently along the car,
and disappeared in the crowd on the plat.
form. The old gentleman resumed his
reading. and chuckled to himself every
now and then.