Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1886-02-18

'Ah, yes, I said. you have lost a
diamond ring:'
Unfortunately, yes, sir, she replied.
when did you lose it?'
Yesterday morning.
And where?'
I cannot tell, exactly. I was out
shopping all the morning. l did not
miss it until I was nearly home. /
think l must have dropped it some
where between Stewards and my resi-
dence on Twenty. fourth street. 1t
was too large for the finger upon which
I wore it, and slipped off without my
noticing it,
Exactly, madam. Please describe
the ring.
Well, she described it minutely.-
When she had finished | took the ring
from my pocket.
Your description is perfectly cor
rect, madam said, handing her the
Jewel. This is the ring, is it notI
1T is, she exclaimed joyously. How
can reward you, sir?'
Will you give me your name, mad
am | interrupted.
Certainly. am Mrs. Ethan Jas
per-
what the wife of Ethan Jasper, the
lawvar? l exclaimed.
The same, sir
Il was not little startled; for, as yon
are aware, Jasper was well-known
lawyer and man of high social posi-
ton and great wealth.
4 am very sorry, mv3am,' said,
but l have an unpleasant iuty to per-
form.
In an instant every vgalge of color
left the woman s tace, then | was Ger
tain had the right person 1t was
another case Of 'kleptomania, you see.
What do you mean cried Mrs,
Jasper, in an almost inaudible voice.
1 briefly explained The situation to
her. She listened III silence. When |
ha finished she buryy into tears. The
charge was false, utterly false, she said.
Surely | would not be 50 cruel as to ar
rest and bring disgrtc5 upon her and
her husband. The ring she explained,
must have been stoan from her by the
person who picked Ms. Clifford S pock-
ct. informed he that she would
have an opportunity y to prove her in
nocence in court, and that she would
have to accompany me. If / dared to
arrest her it would cost me my position
upon the force. This and many other
equally ridiculous things she said, and
finally she tried to bribe me. l was as
patient as | could be with her; but at
last told her that if she made it nee
essary, should be obliged, much
against my will, to force her to go
with me. Then she summoned car
riage, in which she accompanied me
without any more words. A search
was made ut her resi- ,ence, but the
missing purse was not found. Mrs. Clf-
ford was sent for, and she identified
the prisoner us Il lady who had stood
by her sile for some minutes at Stew
arts lace counter. She entered COM
plant against Mrs. Jasper.
The prisoners husband was wealthy
and influential, and of course did ev-
erything in his power to secure his
wlfe's release Mrs Clifford was in
duced to withdraw her complaint, and
Mrs Jasper discharged. But the stain
still remained upon her name; many
persons believed her to be guilty Of the
crime of which she had been accused.
Ethan Jasper was II very proud man,
and the disgrace which his wife had
brought upon him cut him to the
quick. But within week after Mrs.
Jaspers disgrace we'll known pick
pocket, John Emory by name, who
was confined in the Tombs on a charge
OF theft, confessed that he had stolen
the ring from Mrs Jasper and had af-
forwards picked Mrs. Clfford's pocket.
There were people IlI-natured enough
to say that Emory bad been paid for
making this confession. 1t happened,
curiousIy enough, that Ethan Jasper
was this man S counsel. and you will
acknowledge that it did not seem alto
gether probable that he had been
bribed But in the minds Of the ma-
iority of the people the pickpockets s
confession cleared Mrs. Jasper of all
suspicion. Emory was sentenced to q
term of imprisonment. and the matter
was soon forgotten.
No,,1,, +,ro WANG 1,,l Oocca1 whom