Smyrna times., 1896-05-13

pocket-book, and had been told that i
the owner resided here.
"Ah, yes; that would start him. |
Money is his mania. l hope you will |
not mention anything that has oc-
Cured here. We are very sensitive
about poOr Bobs condition. We come
out here to be quiet.
was much relieved to hear his ex-
PLANTATION, and 1 explained why l had
called. He told me he was sorry he
could not help me, but he knew of no
such lady as l described.
[ returned to the station on foot, and
found the agent had also returned.
told him that he must have been mis-
taken in the house; that no lady lived
where he had directed me to go. He
laughed and said:
'iWell, ladies are often out when
those call they doesn't want to see;
especially bill collectors.
| said no more 20 him, as l did not
want to betray the poor crazy brother;
so, after writing out notice to the et-
feet that had found pocket book on
a certain train, on a certain day, and
tacking it up in the station, l left on
the train for New York.
[ expected to hear from the notice
every day, but no word came. L felt
more guilty than ever, and promised
more than once never to do dishonest
act again. What unhappy days L had
spent, and what sleepless nights! Sup
pose my mother should lind the
money in my drawer? Or, worse still,
suppose it should be stolen! At last L
decided to make clean breast of the
whole matter to my mother, and that
night I told her everything. She
heard me through in silence.
''Well, my boy, am glad you re-
sisted the temptation to spend the
money. I only see one thing to do.
It is not safe to keep so much cash IN
the house; tomorrow l will take II
down to the savings bank and open al
account in your name. If the owner
can be found it will be an easy thing
to draw the money out and refund it
If no owner ever appears, why, thu
money is in a safe place"
The following day my mother wen
to the savings bank. She gave the ad
dress to the receiving teller and handed
him the $3.50 The teller counted Ovel
the money and left the desk. In a few
! minutes he returned.
81 understood you to say you wer
depositing this for your sOn?" said tn
! teller.
eyes sir, replied my mother.
''He must come here and be identi
! fed"
! ''To-day?'
eyes; and as soon as possible
= Where can he be found? 1 will sen
6 a runner for him."
. . 81 don't want to put you to all thu
!, trouble, sir
|, "Please take a seat madam.
!, NY mother did as she was directed
and gave the runner my address.
was at the bank in Is minutes, ant
= with my mother, was ushered into IL
y luxurious private Office of the Pres
T dent of the institution.
"Where did you get this money yOl
\ mother has offered for deposit, N
y bOy?" asked the President kindly.
! ''I found it, sir" was my reply,
. little confused.
- Chow long ago?"
% "AbOut six weeks, sir"
~ ~ "And you have been unable to fiji
y the person who lost it?"
- : eyes, sir. 1 have tried every way
- could think of. l suppose l did wrOl
- in not running after the lady Il
e moment 1 found it." I said hangil
* * E'No, 1 don't believe you did
II T wrong" said the President, tiltil
= back in his chair and lightly tappil
@ his teeth with his gold-rimmed ey
: glasses.
q. a. 1 opened my eyes in astonishmer
n and l saw my mothers open too.
2" had been condemning myself for VIII
10 I considered dishonest act, and he
~ was the President of one of the large
10 banks in New York telling me tha
n had not done wrong! What could
10 mean?
NC NC "You say the lady got off the ira
q at Thorndale?" said the Presidel
he after silence.
% eyes, sir.
on "Did you go to Thorndale to 10
on .al for her?"
'o eyes, sir; but could not find her. >
ho mo, of course not. That's cas-
rS1 understood. What did you do, a
of what did you learn at ThOrndale?"
on then repeated everything that b
ot happened upon my eventful trip. L
" incindent of the crazy brother caus
90 the old gentleman to open his eyes.
20 must say Ifelt little ashamed of mys
for telling it, after the brother had
al | Qu6Sleu me uOb 10. L D0Shu 10 I6
ar from the rigid questioning, that /
done something wrong, and 1 decid
VOC to make clean breast of everything
asf 'My boy" said the President, af
fba he had head my story thrOu;
M M ''mOney with us draws interest, bu
-o,, is seldom that it draws it quite as
as this, inside of week, or Fam n
: o takeni"
'I don't understand you, sir, " I sa
ot- greatly surprised.
,od 81 simply mean that you have bI
'' the means of ascertaining the whe
od abouts of one of the most success
- gangs Of counterfeiters in this count
Most of this $3.50 you have brOus
ort here is in new counterfeit bills. 4
oes woman who lost the pOcket-bOOk ws
Tu male cOunterfeiter masquerading
da- female attire. That's why she :
md deaf and dumb, and-why you cOulC
4 ); find her at Thorndale. The or
90. brother act was o, ruse. These fell'
hed take no chances. They knew if &
ose could be associated in any way "
and the cOunterfeit money that their wh'
,,,os abouts would be discovered. Their
and reward of $1,000 offered for In
nation that will lead to the arres
was this gang, and think you have jul
and earned it. :"
ION And so it turned out as the Presid
inf had said. had run to earth a N
fair notorious gang of counterfeiters W
rom out knowing it.
ees