Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1892-05-31
MRS. BENSON'S PEDDLER
BY KATE A. BRADLEY.

Mary" said Mr.. Benson from tho
depths of the closet. where is thai
old checked coat of miner"
=" Why, John" began Mrs. Benson
timidly.
Mary, have you given that awayP"
asked NIr. Benson, coming into view.
"Why-yes, John, 1 did. You
haven't had that cont on your back
for three years and--and the man had
such-lovcly-" here poor Mrs. Ben
son relapsed into the safe refuge OF
tears.
"Peddlers," exclaimed Mr.. Benson
contemporary. "Why cam u woman
be satisfied with buying what she
wants at decent store, and not DO
picking up u lot of worthless articles
from sneak thieves, because they are
cheRp'i You'll be sorry for 1t some
day, Mary, you mark my words" Mr..
Benson went out and shut tho door
vigorously.
He walked down the street with n
preoccupied frown upon his face. "I
must cure Mary of that" he thought
seriously. Sometime sho will have
something valuable stolen. I've got
it ]" he exclaimed, after pause.
He fitted his key to the door OF his
private office, opened the door and
then turned back.
"Jenning," he said, at shall be
very busy for an hour or two, posi-
bly, all the afternoon. See that l am
not disturbed by anyone"
He entered his office, locked the
door after him. 1t was very easy
matter to open back window, droD
into the alley and hasten to an OBJ
scure costumer's, where detectives
and jail-birds were impartlully dis
Suised to play ut hide and seek with
one another.
Left alone Mrs. Benson cried little
while repentantly to herself, and then
remembered that she had intended to
wash the delicate brIc-R- bruc that was
her pride and joy. To do this she
must get her dainty white apron and
her dear little new pan that she had
Doug lao or the lust poddIor---hRna aha
sighed little. She slipped off her
rings, moved out a little table and
left the room for the necessary arti-
cles.
Little matters detained her and it
was fully an hour before she again
entered the room, bearing the pan.
Just as she set it down peal at the
bell startled her.
II wonder who it can be-and Jenny
is ironing" she thought.
She opened tho door herself, and
then almost shut it again in her
momentary dismay.
Certainly, it was a disreputable
looking object, even for peddler,
that stood on the doorstep.
I've come, mum. ter see 4 We tlid'n
want t exchange some old clos for
cnnnafINint roll
his way past her and established him
self on n hall chair
What have you, my mani" Mrs.
Benson asked hesitatingly.
I've some of tho harnsomest lace
We ever saw" He produced piece
as sample.
1t was just what sho had been want
ing to complete the dainty spring
costume she had just finished
Mr.. Benson doesn't like to have
me bay of peddlers. she said hesitat-
inGly.
mum, eff 'ee was here. Just look
around an see ef thar amt an old
coat you can spare.
Mrs. Benson hesitated q few mo-
ments longer, then rose and went
slowly from the room after long ago
| cast off coat that she remembered.
The temptation had proved too much
for her. AT the foot of the stairs she
paused. John wouldn It like it" she
thought No. I'll go without the
lace till 1 can afford to buy it." She
| turned back just as the sound OF d
| closing door caught her ear.
The peddler was gone Instinctively
| her eyes flew to the table whore she
had left her rings; they, too, were
gone.
Without a moments thought she
rushed to the door and screamed
Police!" at the top OF her lungs.
| Strange to say, her Gull was imme.
diately answered, for around tho cor
ner OF the square appeared a blue
coated guardian, dragging the
unwilling person of the Identical ped
dler.
Hes stolen my ringsp screamed
Mrs. Benson. Don't let him como
near me, sirI"
az thought he'd stole something
when 1 see him come away on the
dead jump" said the policeman. IAN
I thought I'd just run him IN and see
about it" During this speech he had
been rapidly emptying the paddler's
| pOSASbSs SpALS Lib 5LA uB-
giles.
Here they be. ma'am. They'll
give them to you at the police station
when I've sworn to them. Come
along here, my beautyl"
"Maryl" screamed the peddler,
when he could free himself enough to
speak, but Mrs. Benson had sunk in
a heap on the hall floor with the
closed door between them, and the
peddler was dragged of with mot
ley procession following.
To the statement that he was John
Benson, welLknown and Iespecta-
BILE lawyer, only laughter and the re-
ply, "That won't work here" was
| returned to him and he accordingly
found himself in very narrow cell
with every prospect OF q night to be
! spent in 1t.
Mrs. Benson waited for her hus-
bands return that night with inward
dismay, but brave determination to
] ta1 hit vf,rN1o -