The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-01-31

one had not stolen the purse. Perhaps
some ioker--another joker-had taken it
to teach me as / had taken the ring to
teach her. At last came to think that it
must be a joke, and if it was joke it
would all come out in good time. What
was the use of spelling a joke? There was
still another act, and had to hurry that
should be ready in time.
~ saw Miss Mason just before we went
on and condoled with her-that was help
ing out the joke. Twas on pins and needles
all through the act. To be BRIEF
"To come down to cues" suggested the
soubrette.
Auntie shook her head reprovingly,
looked very serious and went on:
Sup to the time that we left the thea
ter nothing had been heard of the lost rig
My purse was still missing. I thought
that was carrying the joke a little too far
'iDuring the next day the thief was
caught. He was a party who had been
helping the property man for some time.
No one seemed to know who he was or
where he came from, but it afterward ap-
peared that he was no novice in crime.
My own loss was but trifle-a little car
change"
''Chicken feed," chirped Miss Mischief.
ssThe thief was tried and convicted for
the theft of the ring, and can assure you
that participated in no more practical
jokes"
"Not MUCH" Clipped in the soul rette.
"And now,'' said auntie, 'comes the
most serious part of the joke. AS Miss
Mason had recovered her ring never told
her that it was actually stolen out of my
room instead of hers. | was rather
ashamed of my joke, which failed to be
funny, but it was gross, a dreadful error
q Judgment, as you will learn before
have finished. oh, if had only told her
it would have saved me many year of
suspense and fear.
1.-THE theft of the ring and my foolish
ness had passed out of my mind, when
one day few years thereafter I was &C.
costed in the street by villainous looking
fellow, who called me Familiarity by name
and asked:
Say, nam, where can see you about
a little private business?'
who are your asked. you are in
solentp
"sOh, no amt he leered. Don't be
uppish. I'm the fellow that's just out of
quad for stealing the ring that you stolep
81 could have tainted, but managed to
gasp:
What do you wan5?'
Money said he. l thrust my fingers
into my purse and gave him the greater
portion of what had. The convict grabbed
it, and with that same dreadful leer
laughed:
C Il didn't peach, did ]? kept your
secret. There is honor among thieves'
81 was speechless, dumfounded. Before
could recover my self possession he said,
just as he was going away:
Don't squander any money on your
self, for shall see you often.'"
s'Oh, the wretch!" screamed Miss Mis-
chief. II would have torn his eyes out!"
"Dear, that man bounded me for years.
He worked upon my fears. He kept me in
a regular terror. It is part of my hearts
history, but will tell it to you, my little
one. Twas engaged to be married to gen
tleman out of the profession, but I was
forced to send him adrift. For fear of ex-
posurep' The relator fairly broke down
here, but mastered herself and continued:
stI was ambitious and had talent.
made great deal of money, but that
Matchmaking wretch got the most of it. 1t
was nothing but give, givei His demands
never ceased and increased with my pro-
fessional prosperity.
81 have told you of my love. That
scoundrel learned of my approaching
marriage, forbade it and declared, Il want
you for myselfp "
''Horrors'' groaned the sou brette.
II had to give up my lover. broke his
heart-I know it. He died years and years
ago, when you were a child.
wherever I went for years that villain
pursued me- No matter how great my
success, no matter what figure my salary
reached, the great bulk of it went the way
of thousands before it.
"One day he came to the place where I
was living and insisted on seeing me. The
convict brought with him diamond neck
lace of great magnificence and enormous
value.
i" sSee,' he said, this is for wedding
present-for our wedding
III threw them from me with indigna-
ton He picked them up and fairly
screamed: Il stole them for you'll You know
how to appreciate anything that is stolen.
'Then, as he saw that would not take
them, he leered, We'll, as you don't want
them, do, thrust them into his pocket
and stalked out That was the last time
that ever saw him., That very night he
was engaged in burglary, was detected
BY the police and in attempting to escape
was shot and mortally wounded
sBullyr' exclaimed Miss Mischief.
"That is all there is to tell, child. You
are the only one who knows why I am sin
gle today, why am playing old women
and never was star, as deserved to be. !"
Miss Mischief looked glum and said,
"Auntie, it was indeed "A Serious Joke :"
Amusement Globe.