The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-17

1t was on Saturday evening, at late
hour, that the shop was still full OF Gus
toners. Mrs. HoardlIngs, with her sleeves
tucked high up the arm, was up TO her eyes
in business. and also up to something else.
Battle-Ground Of tWelYes, thToepence !;
bacon, tppence; pepper, ha' enDyi pound
of moist, fouTpence; naif-a-pOund of butter,
salt, sixpeuce; ouuce-and-half of tea, four
pence ha'penuy; thTeppence, eigh pence
ha'penny, one and a ha penny, one and.siX
and a Ia penny, one and eleVenpence,
ma'am" Just as this was settling. III came
Bill Simmons, the omnibus conductor puff
ing and blowing, and not little intoxicated.
"OunCe of best shag and change for this
here" said Bill, ringing a halt-sOYeretsn on
the counter. 'As quick as you please,
missis. for l am in a hurry" he added.
Mrs. Hoardlings was very quick The
tobacco was soon weighed and placed in
Bill's black bone box, and the change given
from her pocket, fve-shilllng piece, and
some odd silver and Coppers. With this
Bill was off. Nerd we say what fVe-shllliug
piece went with him?
In the depths Of her mind Mrs. Hoard
Hngs had before determined that somebody
must be the loser by that bad hve-shilliBg
piece, bat that was no reason why she
should be so. Noble determination gener-
Gus resolution! Was Bill simmons, the poor
'busman, then TO be the loser? Just so;
this was the practical point in Mrs. Hoard
Ilu60 NUllllGaCtdl lOdQ CkuAGSs DUBcUiluy
must be the loser, not she. Why then not
Bill Simmons as Reu as any one else. He
was a stranger to Mrs. Hoardngs. All the
better. Bill Simmons dTOYs CiaptOn ON
nibus. He only happened to be out in the
Commercial road that night on what he
called d jolly spree. Bill Simmons took no
note OF the shop OF the money. Mrs. Hoard
lings was safe What mattered it that Bill
Simmons was poor; somebody must lose,
but not she. 1t was true the HUardlngs
had gss shares. and those neat, new little
cottages IN LimehOuse Fields. Itwas true
that they thought about retiring and that
the loss OF i've shIllIngs would not have been
much. Was it honest? That thought never
occurred to Mrs. Hoardlings. Fortunate
was it for Simmons that he had closed up
his days account with the clerk of the COM
p2ny before taking her Dad iye-Shilling piece.
Ill.
1t was Sunday evening. Bill was about
starting with MS omnibus from ClaptOn on
his return TO town. Eleven insldes and
three outs had already taken their places.
Up came a gentleman and a lady out OF
breath, for it was past 10 o'clock, and they
were afraid Of losing the ride.
Just room for two, said Bill; and the
poet and his Wife-for such they were
took their seats in the vehicle.
The omnibus ratified OFF along the ClaptOn
road, through Hackney, to the Flower Pot
in BishOpsgate street, where 1t stopped. Out
went a white-headed old gentleman very
carefully. Out rolled a fat lady, equal to
any two other fares in size and weight. Out
DO ped dapper young clerk, paid his fare
and WAS off, with tWirl of his cane. Out
came the poet and his wife, the former
milling in his trousers pocket
"Elen. my DEAR" said the poet, 81
thought l had change. Did l give it to
NO" answered the wife; you put it in
ait is not here now then," said he. ut
was or shiilings AMI l recollect l put it
in loosely"
Feel in the other pockets" said the
vile.
poets purse, but no loose silver.
Turn the one out, sir, where you
thought it was" exclaimed Bill.
The poet did SO. There was hole in it;
the purse had remained safe, but the silver
had worked its way out.
"Thank God" said the poet, "there is no
thief in the matter; that sin is in no ones
heart"
A lantern was procured and a search made
among the straw, but no money was found
The loss must have taken place at Clapton
when they were Fastening after the umni-
bus.
at cannot be helped" said the poet,
taking out bis purse; You must give me
change"
The purse contained one sovereign, W hich
the poet handed to Bill Simmons, and re-
ceiyed the change, among which was the
bad ive-shilling piece which had rested IN
disturbed in Bills pocket since it had passed
from the honorable hands Of Mrs. Hoard
lings. Bill was innocent, but he had not
been tempted.
The poet and his wife wended their way
TO their lodgings cit is sad loss, seven
shillings." said the poet sOrrowfully.
Never mind" said his wife, struggling
to Keep up her spirits, the Six-penny Mag
azine owes five pounds"
"When will it pay ?" said the poet dis
pairlnEly.
Thus hoping and fearing, they walked on
until the reached the Commercial road
They stopped at the house where they
lodged. What name is that over the shop
In front2 Surely it is HOardlingsl Yes,
the poet lodged in the first floor Of the iden-
tcal Mrs. HOardlings. How strangel The
bad tiye-shilliDg piece which had gone out
on Saturday night had come back on Sunday
night TO the same house.