Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-06-30

events, she would lose little or that line
character for good sense with which, to
her great satisfaction, he had endowed
her.
The day did not pass very pleasantly
Callers came, and she could not help tell
ing her story, but it was joke to the
best intentioned among them; and, as the
dinner hour approached, she felt very
much indeed like running away.
However, of course, she was obliged TO
stay. Her daughters were paying visit
to some cousins, and there was no one
else to preside at table. Besides, she
could only have put off the evil moment.
She went upstairs and got out some
spoons she kept in reserve, and waited for
the impending moment. She hoped that
her husband would, at least, be in good
humor, and not - when things went
wrong with him-a little cross.
Mr.. Christy, however. returned that
evening in high good humor Moreover,
he had an oyercoat upon his arm. Could
it be that he had come back for 1t, after
all, and the theft had been limited to the
spoons and the counterfeit bank notes
ssI thought you went without your
coat she said, with a little rejoiceful
leap of the heart, as she seemed to recog
nize the garment by its form and color.
But Mr.. Christy laughed.
$50 did, !" he said. $50 / did No,
this is n new coat. bought it for Will
lam. My son William is as tall as l am,
and nearly us stout, and this fits me
snugly-snugly. / came across it in
queer way. 1t is quite bargain. You
see, 1t looks entirely new"
.'Yes, it certainly does," said Mrs.
Christy, land exactly like yours, too,
dear. Aren't you jestingS'
mo, no, no. said her spouse. "You
know only bought mine week ago, l
presume it is the newest style, and Will
lam has none yet. He means to get
cheaper one. So today, while l was in
the Office, in walked an old mana ven
cradle old gentleman.
"'Sir, says he, i am man who does
not find himself getting on well and am
forced to try going about among the gen
tlemen. am tailor. 1 have made an
expensive overcoat for a gentleman. Fifty
dollars was the price and he did not pay
me. So when he had it on his back one
day said: ''Sir, pay me-" And he said:
'You may wait until am ready" This
Is your honest Christian against a poor
Jew
"'Yes, yea, said l, but understand he
had not trce Christian principles, my
good friend
Livery we'll, 1 believe not, said my old
man. But when this happened l exer-
cised my cunning. I said to him:
livery well, sir, will wait. But see
there is q button loose. will fasten 1t
for you. have silk and needle aere.'
10 IN
1t that way;' and off comes the coat.
" You shall get 1t again the next day
after never said /. So away walked
I would sell it for $50 which is very
cheap.
II looked at the coat which he unfolded
from a paper.
"'Guess it will fit my son, said /. IN
try it on and we'll see.'
$50 it did.
"'Then,' said /, now, you see, l do
this to make up to you, as far as can,
for that other fellows rascality.'
"'You are an honest gentleman, said
he, and l will repay you by great bar
gain. Unjust sell my solid silver spoons.
I meant to melt them; not to expose my
poverty, but you shall have the dozen for
"Well, of course, jumped at that
Mr.. Christy here laid the spoons on the
table-"and took out little $50 bill
FORTY said 1, but he had something
else.
"'My wife is trying to sell her shawl,
he said.
"well, looked at the shawl he shook
out.
"'You shall have 1t for So, as a sample
of my generosity, he said.
''Well, knew you'd like it, my dear.
1t looks like one used to admire you in
when courted you-red cente-, cashmere
border and Mr.. Christy shook out the
folds-the old shawl Mrs. Christy had
exchanged for the vases that morning
She knew that at once. She could not
mistake it. But as she looked at her hus-
band, beaming and twinkling with good
humor, she could not bear to utter the
truth outright.
''Thirty for the coat and ten for the
spoons" he said, merrily, and five for the
shawl; and this is all have out of my little
$50 bill. Poor old fellowi The last FIVE
he had in the world, he said Hullol
What is this," Mr.. Christy put on his
glasses and looked at the bill. t" Your
name is written ON it in red ink, my dear
Caroline Christy. All, This Is counter
felt Why, what in thunder"-
"OhW cried William, at this moment
entering at the door. THAT'S a bill
mother took long while ago-a counter
feit.''
''And 1t has come back to me-" said
Mr.. Christy. "You never passed it, Caro-
line. Perhaps some servant took it.
What a fool I was not to put on my
glasses
''We both need spectacles," said Mrs.
Christy. my dear, neither OF US can
laugh at the other. We are both COM
pletely sold;" and when she had told
her story 1t became very plain 10 all Of
them that the peddler who had stolen
the coat, spoons and the counterfeit bill
from Mrs. Christy had by chance entered
Mr.. Christy's Office in his business travels;
that he had sold him back his own stolen
coat, his own plated spoons, under the
guise Of a wonderful bargain In solid sill
yer; and that for the shawl which had
been part payment for vases not worth
80 he had received s..
Happily the Christy family were tolera-
bly, well of, and could afford to laugh at
the farce in which they had taken so
prominent q part, and Mrs. Christy de-
clared she was glad to recover the shawl
that her husband remembered her in in
counting days.
A member of the police force called
shortly after to state that the thief could
not be traced, and was no doubt a very
cunning fellow; but the Christy family
did not eonfidc their joke to this worthy
officer They kept it in the family. BIOS
ton Traveller
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An article In Scribner's Upon "The
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