The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-11-26
HIS WIFE'S PURSE.

"Halves!" cried Damper as we both
Etooped simultaneously to pick up an in
Fiting object lying on the pavement at our
feet.
1t was purse not fat purse, but still
purse of undoubted respectasIlity, shin
ing and natty and brilliant as clasp and
rorners-a purse that had assuredly been
taken to the city to receive substantial divi-
dends.
It's odd, but 1 Immediately began TO
bel unaceountably antagonistic to Damp
Or, and Dalnper on his side seemed to eye
me with feelings of profound mistrust.
"Well, suppose we open it, said
grossly.
Suppose we do, then," said Damper
quite savagely.
We did. There were few coins in one
compartment, two postage stamps, and
then, folded up in corner piece of pa
per, peculiarly crisp and crackly.
"Oh, only some old bill, of course
Twenty dollars by JoveP' cried Damp
er, who had managed to unfold the paper.
IA bank motel"
Now, Damper is we'll of, and am con-
sidered rather warm" man among my
friends yet we suddenly felt as though we
Lad come into fortune. We gloated over
the bank note, only we didn't seem to care
about gloating together.
''Halves, you know" cried Damper
warningly; "$22 40 and two stamps"
''That makes $11. 30 and a postage stamp
each''
Il say, there was no name or address or
anything of that kind in the purse?' sug-
gested Damper, with awful hesitation.
Nothing. We felt as though our lives
had been saved.
Well, we dined together. We seemed to
hate each other cordially. I don't know
why, but still we did not separate until all
the money had been spent.
From that day we were changed men.
First Damper called on me and began e
dignified conversation of this kind:
Il say, Sloeboy, heard that Grimsby
lost his purse last week?''
felt horribly uncomfortable, and why
the deuce was my wife looking at me in
that way? When she left the room, whis-
pered to Damper:
IL think that have seen that purse
before, Damper. Seem to remember 1t,
you know. Have you got it ON you?'
Always have, " he muttered sepulchral-
ly, and the purse was produced. But, my
wife coming back just then, Damper made
dash at it and concealed 1t in his pocket
The next time Damper called 1 noticed
with CONSERVATION that my old friend had
been evidently very thirsty and had salts
fed that thirst in a spirit of thuughtless
Hberality.
"Sloeboy, he whispered tearfully, 1--WE
we ought to have advertised I can t
hear it. 1 can't pay attention to business.
l am going into vicious courses. Every
body's been losing purse. I must give
myself up-I mustl''
| "Damper, - l cried, "don't. Pause Let
1 us make amends in some other way. 1 am
/ certain l know that purse. 1t must be
! Grimsby's."
The next day Grinsby received from
anonymous donors two postoffice orders,
each for $11.20, and one postage stamp. In
! the evening, Damper called again, quite
! desperate.
''Grimsby had only So So in his pursel''
Two announcements of $11.20 and a
stamp on the same subscription list struck
some people as startling.
l began to stink down side streets when
l saw a policeman on the horizon.
And, worst of all, l saw-too clearly,
alas!-my wife suspected me. She watched
my face. She started when a purse OF
bank note was mentioned My hair was
getting gray.
AT last the blow came. Danper called
late. He was on the way to Waterloo
bridge. He said he had come to perform a
last duty.
Its burning me, It's-it's like eternal
dyspepsia, he exclaimed in the best man
ner of Mr.. Irving. There, take it. 1 can
bear it no longer
And he threw the purse, the proof OF
our crime, on the table. My wife entered.
1 made frantic efforts to reach the purse
1t was too far. She ran and cried:
MY purse''
She looked guilty.
Il thought you would think me so fool
fsh to lose so much money i'll the street
like that, and-and 1 didn't like to tel
you. 1 thought l would make it out OF
the housekeeping expenses. And you sus
pected me all the while!'
She cried. But what a supper we had
that night I filled the purse with golc
coins and gave it to my wife. Dampel
sang three comic songs, but we didn't say
anything about going halves. -LondoI
News.