The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1891-01-09
A BALANCED ACCOUNT.
The Thief= Bill Was Settled with
a Neat Check.

q 4NOS-S C-ONAs
The following veritable case of Ilep-
tomania came under my observation a
few years since. the principal actor in
which was the wife of Z respectable cit
izen, who resided in fashionable
quarter of one of our Atlantic cities,
says an ex-attorney in the New York
Weekly.
A shrewd and thrifty young client of
mine, who kept fine establishment
upon one of the principal dry-Eoods
thoroughfares of the town, rctailed
Iaces and similar ladies' furnishing ma
te-ials, and had well-selected stock,
which attracted continual run of good
ly customers
From time to time he missed tFifling
articles from the counters, but could
not accouHt for their mysterious disap-
pearance.
He directed his bool;-keepcr TO open a
fictitious account in his ledger, to which
be gave the title of "Thiers Accoun -
20 the debit side Of which were charged
al articles that were missed-aud
which were invariably stolen by some
person or persons who visited the store
So the ''Thiefs Account" was regular
Y kept up for nearly year, and very
considerable number Of items found
heir way to the debtor side of it, the
aggregate value OF which had reached
upwards of two hundred dollars, at the
close of the first twelve months Of my
clients business.
But, as yet no clew had been had 70
the actual cause OF this unproftable leak,
and for long time-despite the most
careful watching Of strangers-the ac-
count remained open, and increasing,
upon the young merchants books
One day there entered the store
well-dressed, lady-like person, whom
the store-keeper knew by name, for she
had been there before-who bought
some trifling articles-and while
waiting for the parcel TO be made up,
the merchant-who stood short dis
tance from her-obseryed q small but
valuable lace collar slipped from the
counter, where there were several paper
boxes Of goods open. and though he
was greatly astonished and could
scarcely credit it, yet he was satisfied
that this lady had drawn that collar in
to her capacious muff, 80. - 80 "a.
1t had disappeared, at all events. II
might have been accidental-it sods SO,
he at f-st believed; for surely, that
nicely-attired lady, whom he knew
moved in good society, and who was
supplied generously with pin-morey by
her highly respected and liberal hus-
band-could not be a thief -.
As night. he said to the clerk at the
desk: Charge 'rhief's Account with one
lace collar-ten dollars" for it had gone.
and this was always the rule in such
cases
And three days subsequently, having
thought the matter over, quietly, and
called to mind some cases OF so called
.!!eptomania- OF which he had read and
heard, he concluded that this must be
an instance akin to that disease, which
certain persons are afflicted with, and
which Webster defines to be "a morbid
and irresistible impulse or desire to
steal" -: :. 70.
But my client was himself an indus
trious, honest young man, who was not
overburdened with capital; and he could
i'll afford to thus lose his goods, or per-
nit thi. style of genteel robbery to go
on unchecked. So he said to his book
keeper:
Mr.. Quill. draw off the 'Thiefs Ac-
count and give me fair copy of it-''
What part sir?"
''The whole"
When the clerk handed it to him, he
asked:
How much does it figure. up2''
.'Rising two hundred dollars, SIR
."Is the last item charged-the lace
collar?'
Yes. sir; ten dollars"
= "All right 1 am going uptown
Quill If any one calls for me, person
ally, say shall be back in an hour"
And, putting on his hat and overcoat
he disappeared. se ie7
My client had never called at the
house. to which he was now destined,
but he had slight acquaintance with
the gentleman who resided there
Mounting the stone steps, he rang
gently, and was admitted.
'1s Mr., O. ct home?' !
Eyes, SIR" said the servant, showing
the merchant at once into the parlor,
where, after shaking hands with the
gentleman of the house, he was just
about 10 open up his business with him,
when he heard light football, and i'm
his wife entered the apart
ment, to accompany her husband down
TO dinner-where she was evidently as
to meet the dry-goods dealer,
who as quickly observed that the lady
he remembered had upon her neck his
missing ten-dollar lace collar!
MY wife, sir" said the gentleman,
presenting her to my client, who said:
'Yes, sir-I have met the lady be-
ore" Then to her he added: Show do
you like Your new collar, MADAME"
''The what, sir?" she replied. coolly.
'.Your new lace collar. madam. 1t is (
cry becoming. certainly"
''This?r she said.
Eyes, madam"
''Oh, it's not very new, though"
..Nn2 1t is not a Iaattarn- hut Ii l