The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-12-11
WHOSE DOLLARS /?
A Fat Wallet Found on
the Street.
Curiosities of Human Nature Exflib-
tied in the Actions of Two Ladies
la a Streefcar.

A little incident on Valencia-street car
Friday last may lead some one TO further
trace lost purse and its valuable contents,
while affording to the general reader an in
ST sht TO phases Of human nature.
1t was about the noon hour. Two ladies
stood at Fourteenth and Valencia streets
awaiting the coming Of q downtown ear.
The tall. lady-like blonde had Just
alighted with a transfer from an electric
car.
The other was Of medium size and pro-
nounced brunette.
The blonde. noticing something lying in
the street near the track. stepped forward,
and. picking it up. discovered that her find
was a well-fllled, undiscovered, leather
purse of the kind usually carried by ladies.
Tie car coming up at the moment the
two ladies get aboard.
Although the brunette had seen the purse
picked up. she uttered not word nor did
her manner indicate she thought the incl
dent of any Importance.
Upon entering the car the two ladies
found themselves facing each other.
The blonde lacy, somewhat excited over
her find, opened the purse, and so we'll
filed was it that three twenty-dollar gold
pieces fell to the floor, and more bulging
coin would have followed bat for an effort
to stop 1t. A gentleman reached down and
rescued the coin, and further Investigation
showed the contents of the purse to consist
of gold coin in the center. fat roll Of
greenbaeks on one side. and some loose
wadded bills on the other.
This examination lasted for a minute or
more. and all of this time the brunette
made no sign of being interested beyond
motives OF curiosity. such as the other pas
sengers betrayed. Each and all seemed to
be under the impression that the blonde
lady WAS making somewhat OF an injudi-
cious display of her wealth.
Bnt different thoughts were occupying
the mind of the latter. AS she explained
afteTward, she was so excited and nervous
that she was unable to realize the facts and
circumstances OF the find. and impulsively
concluded the owner might be in the car,
and might be watching her freedom with
his money.
That she should not be Inundated bv
some one addressing her before she could
make showing of being anxious TO return
the money to the rightfuI owner, she held
ont the purse in sight of all and said
Did any Of you lose this purse; found
il on the"
Before the sentence could be finished. the
brunette exeitedly jumped to her feet, ex-
claiming: Yes; it's my purse; lost it;
it's my purse"
Without offering thanks and without a
word of explanation, she rushed to the rear
platform. aud alighted on the street before
the conductor could bring the car fairly to
stop. and the last seen or her she was
walking rapidly down a side street.
The blonde lady then seemed to realize
that she had made a mistake in yielding up
ner ind TO a stranger and under Surh sus-
plcious circumstances. an opinion fully con-
Cured in by the other passengers when
they had been informed mors fully of the
circumstances.
The purse evidently contained a consd-
cradle amount of money. as of the gold
pieces there was over a hundred dollars
How much there was in bills could not of
course be determined, as they were left
nndsturbed without their denomination
being learned.
The purse was OF brown leather, consid-
erably worn by use, and the mud on Its
sides was dry, showing 1t had been lying in
the street some time before it was found.
That the brunette lady was not the owner
is evident. She, while awaiting the street.
car. was quiet in demeanor betrayed no
emotion when the purse was picked up
evidently thinking the blonde lady was re-
covering her own property accidentally
dropped. just as quietly she watched the
examination OF the contents of the purse,
and the first indication of excitement was
when she learned that il had been found.
Her sudden claim to the property must have
come like an inspiration, and her agitated
aud hasty exit from the car stamped the
proceeding as more than suspicious.