Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1896-07-30
THE MYSTERY OF rHoRNoALE.
BY EDWIN AUSTIN OLIVER.

All aUOdfu HtdIu IHe Suol
cry, and a few seconds later the train
pulled out of the glass-domed station
l was looking out of the car window
when felt the swish of silk skirt
and, turning, I saw a richly dressed
lady seat herself beside me.
Excuse me, I said, lifting my cap;
"would YOU prefer the seat by the
window ?"
She looked at me through her
heavy veil but made no reply.
deaf; perhaps deaf and dumb, /
thought, as l glanced at her rich at
tire. However that may have been,
l was quite certain, by the odor which
filled the air, that it was not neces-
sary for her to speak to convince me
that her favorite perfume was violet.
When the train reached Thorndale
she arose to get out. noticed she
had dropped her pocketbook close to
my feet stopped and picked it up
and was about to start after her, when
something prompted Inc to keep my
seat. The train started | stealthlly
slipped the purse into my pocket and
looked out of the window, feeling as II
the eyes of every one in the car were
upon me. As a matter Of fact, | do
not suppose any one had seen me. l
consoled myself with the thought that
the pocketbook probably contained
something by which | could ascertain
the name Of the owner.
Perhaps l might tell you that | was
boy l6 years of age, and mp to that
time could not recall a dishonest act
of which I had been guilty. l lived
with my mother and We were in hum
bic circumstances
l was employed as an errand boy IN
a large dry goods house in New York
city.
When my story opens was going
to a place called Brockton, Oh an er-
rand for my employer
How that little piece Of leather
burned my pocket! | had not taken
it out, for fear some one would know
that | had been dishonest, and it re-
NAMED in the place | had first put it
until | reached my own room that
night.
was bewildcred when | opened it
and found it contained $lGO Most
of the money was in new, crisp bills
of the denominations of Sos and sos.
How my eyes danced as | counted
them over. had never handled so
much money before in my life.
Carefully l looked into each com
partment of the pocketbook, hoping
to find something which would lead
to the Identification of the owner.
But | found nothing. This was a dis
appointment, for five minutes after |
had picked up the lost article re-
gretted having hesitated as to my duty.
| almost considered myself thief.
concluded that my only chance of
finding the owner of the pocketbook
would be in going to Thorndale. But
how was to get time to go there? /
hesitated at asking my employer for
leave of absence, for fear that my dis
honesty might become known to him.
Several days later my mind was some
what relieved by being commissioned
to deliver some goods in Thorndale.
l had not time to 90 home for the
pocketbook, but decided to make IN
quiry, and if possible discover the
residence of the lady who had a fond
ness for violet perfume Thorndale
was small village of only a few hun
dred inhabitants.
do you happen to know a lady
who got off the half-past . train last
Thursday afternoon ?" inquired Of
the official I found standing in the
station at Thorndale.
We'll, no, l can't remember back
as far as that, was the disappointing
reply.
"She was tall, handsomely dressed,
and, if l mistake not, is hard of hear
ing"
"Well, we've got lady what lives
here who happens to be about as deaf
and dumb as they make EN-, was
the rather inelegant way he expressed
himself. Lets see what day was it
you asked about ?"
Last Thursday; the half-past 2
o'clock train from New York
did she smell like a cologne bot
tle?" asked the agent with broad
smile.
Eyes, violet, l answered, encour-
aged. That's her. Can you direct