Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-25
THE TOPICAL TALKER.
A True Story That Proves There r. Honor
Among Thieves and Some GOOD, Qualities
In phfIa IaI

True Story That Proves There II Honor
Among Thieves and Some Good. .Qualitiea
in Philadelphia.
AFEw years ago at the approach Of the Christ.
mas season, the managers Of THAT excellent insti.
tuition of charity, the Day Nursery, gave fair to
replenish their treasury. The fair was very
successful and at its close the treasurer, the
wife of a wealthy Philadelphian, and a lady
whose family is extremely well known in Pitts
burgh society, folded mp some $3.50 in bills the
profits of the fair, and putting them in the
pocket of her dress, started for home. The
bills were wrapped In q piece of note paper
on which was written this, or something to the
same effect: proceeds of fair given for the
Day Nursery" and the treasurer's name and
address.
1t was disagreeable day, and as she had
sent her own carriage home early in the after
noon, Mrs. Blank, as we may call her, boarded
q street car. She had a dim remembrance
afterward that soon after she sat down we'll
dressed, gentlemanly man entered the car and
took a seat beside her. Immersed in pleasant
thoughts engendered by the success of the
fair and planning for the approaching Christ
mas festivities, Mrs. Blank did not pay very
close attention to her fellow passengers. She
got out within so yards of her house, and
walked directly to the door. As soon as the
nearly time for dinner, and she changed her
walking dress for another hurriedly.
1t was not until she was seated at the dinner
table that it occurred TO her that she had not
seen the package of money since she left the
Nursery. The thought made her uneasy, and
she sent for her maid at once and told her to
go upstairs and take the package from her
dress pocket. The girl was gone few minutes,
and then returned to say that she could find
no such package in any of madam's pockets.
Mrs Blank said: "All right" though In her
mind she knew 1t was not all right; said moth
ing about the package to her husband, and
after dinner went to her room without Sec
ond's delay She went through every pocket
in her dress and sealskin coat, but not trace
of the money did she find.
The two hundred and fifty dollars had de-
parted
Next day, as far as she conld, Mrs. Blank
continued the search for the missing money.
At the Day Nursery 1t had not been seen after
one of the managers had handed it to Mrs.
Blank. OF course 1T was out of the question to
expect that the money would remain more than
a minute or two on the pavement Of the street
she had traversed on the way to the car, even
if it had been certain that she had dropped it
there. 1t was useless to look for IL in the
u
last resort wrote brief letter, stating her loss
to the street car company in whose vehicle she
had travelled.
Then she resigned herself to the loss of $3.50
She would say nothing about it to anyone and
take it out OF her Christmas allowance as soon
as her husband gave her the usual check.
50
ANOTHER day passed. The secretary of the
street car company wrote to say that no such
package of money had been found by the en-
ployes of the road. This reply was all that
Mrs Blank expected her letter to evoke. She
was not disappointed. She simply resolved to
ask her husband for the Christmas check that
very night.
As she was dressing for dinner that night
her maid came to the door and announced that
a gentleman who declined to give his name had
called and wished to see her.
That's ridiculous, Mary. Show the gentle
man into the library and ask him to send up
his card"
Mary went downstairs again, and presently
only to repeat that the gentleman
wished to see Mrs. Blank on very important
business, but declined to enter the library or to
send up his name. He said he knew Mrs.
Blank wished to see him, and that if she would
see him for two minutes in the hall he would
tell her his business.
Mrs. Blank did not care about seeing the
rather mysterious visitor. but his persistency
had aroused her curiosity somewhat. She
her toilet and few minutes later
descended the stairs.
STANDING in an easy attitude near the door
she saw a man whose face was entirely strange
to her As she advanced toward him, he bowed
slightly and said, in q soft, pleasant voice, that
had a cultured accent: II am sorry to distutb
you, madam, but know you will not regret
that have called when disclose my mission"
Mrs. Blank bowed.
81 think, /" he continued, "you lost sum Of
money few days ago. ! am right, I see. Per
haps you do not remember that I sat next to
you in the car which took you home
that day. You certainly do not
know that 1 took the package from
your pocket. But I did. Here it Is"
and he took out the identical roll Of bills in
their wrapper of note paper. Mrs. Blank, as he
offered the package, took it She gasped and
looked at the gentlemanly thief as he proceed
ed. when 1 discovered that had robbed 30
excellent an institution as the Day Nursery my
first thought was to return the money tc YOU |
assure you that was my first thought. ButI |
belong to club of gentlemen whose wishes IN |
the matter was bound to consult before act |
ing. As soon as could laid the matter be. |
fore the club and my friends, who are in the |
same business as am-we relieve the well-to- |
DO Of their superfuous riches-voted unani- |
mously to return the money, and deputed me to |
carry it to you. Further than this the club |
to which have the honor to belong have such |
4 high esteem of the Day Nursery as a truly |
charitable institution that it voted from its |
funds the sum of $50 which you will discover |
when you count the money"
Before Mrs. Blank could say a word her WIS., |
tor had opened the door, and, partially raising |
mis- hat bowling at the same time, said Good |
night"
Mrs. Blank went into the dining room, where |
Inner had just been served and at once told |
,er husband the story Of the loss and recovery |
If the money. When she had finished her mar |
'ative he said: "You will tind that the SO bill
your friends donated is q counterfeit Pn will |
ng to bet"
But on examination the bill was found to be |
rood. and $500 in legal money went intp the |
treasury of the Day Nursery.
The whole story is true to the last word.
HEPBURN JOHNS.
TANNER AT CHAUTAUQUA.