The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-02-06
HE GOT THE SHOES,
But the Merchant Excused Him and Gave
Him a Reward.

Al Christman comes 10 the front with
story which he poured into the willing
ear Of an Eagle reporter yesterday.
Last Friday he hung out in front OF
his store a sample Of shoes, but as
was his custom only hung out one
shoe Of the pair. keeping the mate in
the store During the day the shoe
was taken and when Al went TO take
his sign in at night and found the shoe
was gone he got hot and repeated his
Sunday school lesson lefT-handed-
Saturday a representative Of the
Eagle called upon him TO see about an
advertisement and so we'll did the repre-
sentative plead his cause that Al con-
cluded to Try and advertisement and
wrote out an ad saying that if the per-
son who took the shoe would call az
the store and state his circumstances
that the firm would present him or she,
whichever the case might be. With the
other shoe. and further that no ques-
tons would be asked other than the
person who took the shoe desired TO give
and that they would not prosecute the
case. Handing this 10 the Eagle man
he said:
Now, take that and if ii fetches back
the person who took the shoe l Will be
convinced that ads are read by other
persons than regular subscribers Of the
paper"
The ad was taken and put in Sunday
mornings paper. and the circumstances
almost forgotten, but il was called 10
mind yesterday and hence AIS new YER
sion of the story which is as follows:
Today a young man came into the
store and began looking around, and
finally picked up the mate TO the shoe
that had been taken, and asked the
price Of It. 1 told him that we mad lost
the mate 70 il and he would have to
look at something else. / thought the
man looked kind of strange and was
perfectly surprised when he told me he
wanted 10 speak 10 me. l told him all
right and we went 10 the back part OF
the store when ne pulled from his pocket
the al l had written for Sunday morn
ing's Eagle, and asked me if l wrote it.
I told him l had and he asked me
what | meant by writing it; if l meant
exactly what the ad said. l told him
l did, and asked if he knew who had
taken the shoe. He said ne did but
would not tell until I told him why
had written the ad. l told him 1 wa
led 10 believe that the man who took
the shoe was hard up, and was driven
to the act by stern necessity. He
asked me if he would reveal the person
who took the shoe if I would promise
never to tell. 1 gave him the promise
provided the case was a worthy one.
Then he told me the following story
The person who took your shoe was
not natural thief and three years ago
would not have done such thing. Two
years ago last May the man who took
your shoe ran off with his present wife,
and so incurred the i'll will of his moth
er-in-law. The old woman was hot
and she has made life a burden for the
young man. And, 1 might add, his
wife has also made life a burden for
him"
''Oh. see" said I, "you mean to say
that the young couple do not agree
very well?"
Nothing of the kind" said the man,
''in fact there never was a couple that
agreed better, but since their marriage
his wife has presented him with nine
children
Nine what?" said I.
Nine children. five boys and four
girls" said the young man.
"Oh let up" said 1, tell something
reasonable"
1T is a fact. The young mans wife
has given birth TO triplets three times,
and the over-a bundance Of children has
made the young man hard up"
i should think as much" said I.
Well. last Friday the young man
who took your shoe had heard that his
mother-in-law had joined the meeting
house: had forgiven her enemies, Gn-
Guiding her sOn-in-iaw, and was going
10 be baptised on Sunday. and had sent
note asking her son-in-law 10 be pres
emf. Now, l told you the sOn-in-law
was hard up, but he did want 10 go 10
the baptising and see his mOther-in-law
baptised and her sins washed away
in ice-cold water. But he only had
one good shoe, and when he came along
and saw his right sized belonging to
the shOeless foot hanging out in front
of your store he could not resist the
temptation 10 swipe il. and did So
Il am glad Of it." said I. and if
knew who the man was / would send
his wife a pair of shoes and also the
three babies"
do you mean it?" said he.
q told him 1 did"
VIII You never tell his name nor
prosecute him # tell you?'
i told him on the honor Of man
would never tell"
Well, I am the man. and when I
gather KafTir corn I VIII pay you"
He got the shoes for his wife and
some day l am going cut 70 his house
with a kodak and get a picture OF the
nine kids in less than three years.