Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-03-22
THGF BUY CHOCOLATE.
Two Women, Not Troubled with Homes
 6cruples, Pick Up . Purse.

Two Women, Not Troubled with Honest
 6cruples, Pick Up Purse.
 It was a red purse that was chosen to test the honesty of the average wom- ana lsman. red purse with nickel clasps-one that looked as if it had seen better days. In it were placed some keys that had outlived their usefulness, an outlawed Turkish bath ticket, a lit tie brass ring that looked like gold, thirty five cents in change, and, not least in importance, card with the name and address of the owner plainly engraved upon it
 It was dropped with studied careless ness just where the crowd of shoppers was the thickest in one of the big downtown stores, and the young wo- man who was engaged in laying snares for the tripping feet of her sisters passed to an adjoining counter to look us little like Q villain as her scared conscience would permit and to await developments
 They came sooner than she had ex- pected. A child's bright eyes had seen the pocketbook drop and a piping voice announced: You've lost your money purse, lady," before sufficient time had elapsed to make the traditional ex- clamation concerning one Jack Robin sonl
 There was nothing to do but to take the little red object graciously from the small fingers and to try catching con- sciences in some other part of the shop.
 This time the experiment was more successful-far too successful. in fact.
 Two well-dressed women, evidently friends, who stood near the place where the Bpurse fell, discovered it almost simultaneously. One of them-she of the big-plumed hat and triple, fur bordered cape-picked it up and turned | to the other, who was more soberly at tired in blue serge and a small blue | toque trimmed with mink and blue | quills.
 "Wonder what's in it?" she said, re- | garding the modest affair curiously.
 ''Open 1t and see," her friend sug- gested promptly.
 And SO the clasp was turned and the poor contents revealed to two pairs of scornful eyes The ring was regarded with some interests, the bath ticket subjected to a searching examination, but 1t was evident that the smallnes, of the find did not. recommend it to the respectful consideration of the women into whose hands it had fallen.
 "Only thirty-five centsr exclaimed one. disgustedly.
 "'There's a card with the address, ' suggested the rother, who seemed tc have mild promptings toward honesty.
 "Yes, but who's going to race ones feet of for little bit of money like that?" snapped the owner of the big hat. People that are so careless ought to be taught a lesson. Come along we'll go and get some hot chocolat. \ with the quarter"
 If her friend had an scruples they were young and tender and easily strangled, for she made no verbal pro test, but followed in the wake of tn, holder of the purse with seeming satis faction.
 And the reporter sauntered carelessl, after them, watched them enter a well known confectioner's. and, mortified an, dismayed that such a thing could be
 saw them pay for the check that tn
 courteous saleswoman handed them ou of the little red purse itself. Then she went away and wept fo
 the moral terpitude of her own sex.- Chicago Tribune.