The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1891-04-25
pocketbooks. You can't control the

or pOcketbOOkS. You can't control the
honesty of the theater employees. you
know. We have the most stringent
rules governing this matter. An EN-
ploye is instantly dismissed if he fails
to return a found article, and If it is of
any value and he is caught retaining it,
the theater becomes the prosecutor and
sees that he catches all the penalty the
law will enforce.
People in the audience, ! believe, in
very many cases steal lost articles. l
have observed audiences leaving the
theatcr many times, and have good rea-
son for saying SO. IL is very easy in
passing down an aisle with a crowd to
place a hand on the head of an UNI
brella or cane standing up against a
chair where somebody has left IT. or
upon "a wrap carelcssly left over the
back of Il chair. You will seldom see q
thief pick up anything which has fallen
to the floor. however, for the act OF
STOPPING down attracts attention. So
il is that money and small articles
dropped on the floor are seldom stolen
by thieves i'll the audience, though l
have known thieves Ia drop an umbrella
or hat in order TO ma Ike an excuse for
STOPPING down. If you see anyone stoop
down and openly pick up Il lost bill or
article from the floor you can nearly
always take il for granted that the
finder is an honest man and means to
leave il at the box office.
Once, however. | saw an honest ma
overcome by temptation and yield while
ON his way ont of the thcater. IL was
an interesting study in human nature.
| was standing where ! could see all
the changing emotions in his face. and
the fact that his face was so plainly
read cOnvinccs me that he was honest
at heart. lie was Il young man. neatly
but chcaply dressed. | had casually
observed him during the play. because
he seemed to enjoy it 50 hugely. He
was evidently treating himself To an
unusual enjoyment. Passing out OF
the thcatcr with the crowd. he sudden
ly stopped down and sconpcd up some
thing from the floor. lie examined it
openly and curiously. and ! noticed it
WIS Il ron III b.liN. u Nslltt lfN
ton of a man near him to- the find.
and they exchanged words smilingly.
They were evidently strangers. 1t
took some time Ia pass down the aisle,
during which time he was tempted.
struggled and yielded. His face cX-
pressed only amusement and curiosity
at first. Then he opened the roll and
counted the bills. lie puckcrcd his
lips into Il silent whistle. Suddenly a
furtiye expression crossed his face. the
bills dropped ont of sight. his lips
closed and Ec glanced quickly around
him. No one was noticing him. Then
he put one hand tn his forehead, and
slowly shook his head. Then his face
cleared: but Immediately a:t"rward the
furt;vc look came hack. and he lit his
lip again. and again glanced round.
Finally. after several such changes of
c~nuntcnancc, he dropped his eyes 1" the
floor and pushed forward n~crvously
and quickly. | followed him into the
foyer. He dropped 10 n side behind
Il curtain till all ar him when h.
found the money had passed IL Then
he pulled his lat over his eyes and
walked rapidly ont. At tn" door J laid
my hand firmly on his arm. lie started
and turned pale.
That money you found. and-st"le.
said I in Il low tone.
He handed il To me instantly.
dropped his face in his hands, and bruk-
into soiS.
".I-I-n"v"r stole before. he
gaSpcd.
know it, said /. and that il Why
| don't arrest you now. | am 4 dct'c-
tive.
Il let go "f his arm, and he dartcd al
on a run. The roll contained four hun.
drcd dollars.