The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1896-03-14

Lawyer Smith and his clerk Swors
| that Mrs. Nc Murtry came into the office
III great hurry, to get the necessary
papers and receipt, and said: There's
my money lying ready for me on tie
Perrys' table. It's more than | ever
expected, and should have hated to do
what I'd have had to do"
Every one sympathized with the
Perrys, but neither of them could
swear that she touched the money.
Laying it ON the table near her was not
giving IL to her; and shortly it was de-
cided that Mrs. McMurtryhad the right
to foreclosc the mortgage, which was
overdue.
While Miss Amanda, who was very
pale, pinned blue veil about the BON
net of Miss Amelia, who was drowned
in tears, Mr.. smith turned his atten-
ton to&his client, who had found her
plaid cloak too much for her and had
removed it. The garment had fallen
to the floor. It was an intricate thing,
with sleeves, capes and straps and !
know not what. and somehow, in pick
ing it UP, Mr.. Smith reversed il and
laid it over her shoulders upside down.
She, unaware OF what had happened,
shook it wildly, hoping to settle it, and
suddenly small boy, who had some-
how smuggled him self in, shrieked:
sect on 10 the money!" N
Those nearest stared "A $50b illwas
lying at Mrs. McMurty's feet. In a mo-
ment more hollow sauars of court
officials had formed about that lady
and her lawyer, who was on his knees
picking up vast quantity OF bank
notes, all new and crisp and green,
that fell mystcriously as shower
of mama upon the courtro om floor.
1.-TWO thousand five hundred dollars"
he counted at last.
While Mrs. McMurtry tore off her
cloak and flung it from he as though |
its touch were deadly, shrieking:
There's rip in the silk facing, and
it made pocket Of itself, and me a
thief! I did pick up the money with.
out thinking, and / put it IN there.
wouldn't have done it on purpose for |
kingdom. Eut who'll believe me2
Nobody.9
Il believe you, Mrs. McMurty," cried
Miss Amanda, who, perched on
bench, hooked down upon ,.he scene;
"and I guess sister Amelia does, too"
YES" said Amelia, family. "Yes,
it's that rip III the cloak facing that's
to blame for ALL"
Meanwhile bursts of laughter came
from the midst of the group as Mr..
Smith shook out OF the plaid cloak,
upon the floor, host of hairpins,
cards, letters, a ginger-snap, photo.
graph, all sorts of small, Hat trifies,
the accumulation, probably, of several
y ears which Mrs. McMurtlys had pu.
into therip in the facing instead OF he-
pocket. And fiSally the courtroom was
cleared of laughing crowd, who wait
ed to see the paid cloak make its APP
pearance.
1t waited in vain. LAWYER Smith
Struggled his client home through a
back door, and the Misses Perry occu.
pied the vacant seats in the queer lit
tie wagon.
It was Miss Amanda who told every
one, next day, chat Mrs. McMurtry had
forgiven them the mortgage and re-
fused tostouch the recovered money.
''She says she owes it to herself to do
it," said Amanda. land / guess she is
right, though sister Amelia felt proud
about it," 8S Mo- Bks
AS for the plaid cloak, everybody had
seen the gardener burn that to finder
before the McMurtry house, and wher
it's former owner once more appeared
in public, she wore a new outer gar
ment ofspiain dark-brcwn, and ceased
forever to be "The Plaid La,iy.''-N. T.
Ledger. II