Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-04-26

among the gentlemen. I am tailor.
| have made an expensive overcoat
for gentleman. Fifty dollars was
the price and he did not pay me. So
when he had it on his back one day I
said: 'Sir, pay me-" And he said:
you may wait until | am ready
This is your honest Christian against
a poor jew
Yes, yes said I. but [ under
stand he had not true Christian prin-
ciples, my good friend
"'Very well, believe not said my
old man. But when this happened
exercised my cunning. | said to him:
;. Very well, sir, will wait. But I
see there is a button loose. Twill fasten
1t for you. l have silk and needle
here,
"'Ah.' said he, Just like YOU to
leave It that way and OF comes the
coat.
You shall get It again the next
day after never said l. So away
walked. would sell it for $50, which
is very cheap.
u looked at the coat, which ne IN
folded from paper.
Guess it viii fit my son, said l.
I'll try it on and we'll see
$50 it did.
Then, said /, now, you sec, do
this to make up to YOU, as far as l can,
for that other fellows rascality.'
''You are an honest gentleman,
said he, 'and l will repay you by a
great bargain. [ must sell my solid
silver spoons, I meant to melt them,
not to expose my poverty, but you
shall have the dozen for $40
well, of course, | jumped AZ that
Mr.. Christy here laid the spoons on
the table and l took cut Il little $50
bill.
" Forty said I, but he had some
| thing else.
my wife is trying to sell her
shawl he said.
well, 1 looked at the shawl he
shook out.
You shall have it for So, as a sam
pie of generosity" he said.
well, l knew you'd like it, my dear.
1t looks like one [ used to admire YOU
in when | courted you-red centre,
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.
Bnt as she looked at her husband,
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 fol-
the shawl; and this is all have out OF
my little $50 bill. Poor old fellow.
The last five he had in the world, he
said Hullo! What is this?" Mr..
Christy put on his glasses and looked
at the bill. Your name is written Oh
it in red ink, my dear Caroline
Christy. All, This is counterfeit
/ Why, what in thunder"
"Oh!" cried William, at this mo-
ment entering at the door. ''That's q
bill mother took Il long while ago-a
| counterfeit"
And it has come back to me, said
Mr.. Christy. You never passed it.
| Caroline. Perhaps some servant tool
it. What a fool [ was not to put OF
my glasses"
1--WE both need spectacles," sale
Mrs. Christy. My dear, neither OF
Us can laugh at the other. We arr
completely so.d;' and when she had
told her story it became very plain t.
all of them that the peddler who had
stolen the coat, spoons and the coun-
| terfeit bill from Mrs. Christy had by
chance entered Mr.. Christy's Office in
his business travels; chat he had sold
| him back his own stolen coat, his owl
plated spoons, under the guise of {
wonderful bargain in solid silver; anC
that for the shawl which had beer
part payment for vases not worth three
dollars he had received five.
Happily the Christy family were
tolerably we'll off, and could afford tC
laugh at the farce in which they haC
taken so prominent part, and Mrs.
Christy declared she was glad to re
cover the Shawl that her husband re
membered her in in counting days.
A member of the police force called
shortly after to state that the THE
could not be traced, and was no doub
a very cunning fellow; but the Christy
family did not confde their joke t(
this worthy officer. They kept it in the
family Boston Tr0Ueler.