Kansas City daily journal., 1897-01-03
FoUND--A P0CKETBooK.
What Came of a Business Mans Ad-
yertisement and the Char
acters 1t Revealed.

From the Washington Star.
"Found-A pocketbook containing a sum
OF money. Owner can have same by ap-
plying at room 43, Blank building, and
Identifying"
That was the advertisement which Mr.
Billion recently inserted in the Star. He
had round a dark green purse on the side
walk while on his way to the Office, and,
after advertising it, went on with his reg
ular business. The next morning a group
of men and boys stood about the door to
his Office, and he was regarded eagerly by
the watchers when he passed in. The office
boy Immediately announced that man
wanted to "see about that pocketbook." F"
The man, who was long on whiskers and
short on cuffs, was ushered into the office,
and Mr.. Billion asked:
We'll, did you lose pocketbook?"
Yes, sir; and it had some money in it."
When it came to a question of color the
visitor hesitated and finally said 'black."
How much money did it contain?"
"Weil, er, I can't say exactly" replied
the visitor.
WAS there more or less than sf0?"
"Yes-that is, there was-more," said the
man, breathing deeply, as if he had cast
the die.
1T is not yours" said Mr.. Billion Good
morning"
The man with the whiskers walked out
and Joined the group. A shabby young
man, wearing a golf cap, next essayed to
prove ownership. He said the pocketbook
was not black, but "sorter reddish yeller
that some people might call brown" In
fact, he said, it might be called by any of
those names.
In answering an inquiry as to the amount
contained in the purse, the young man
said: 81 can't place it exactly, but know
there was between IS and SO in it,
Its not yours. Good morning." said the
business man affably.
The young man with the golf cap walked
| down the street with those who waited
outside. There amt as much as five,''
| he told them. "and it amt red nor yeller
| nor brown. You guessed black, didn't you,
| Whiskers?"
"Tain't black" replied Whiskers.
The next person to appear TO Mr.. Billion
| was young man with a pink shirt, blue
| striped cuffs and Il green tie. He wore
| damaged yellow shoes and smoked cigar
| ette
Good morning." he said. 81 lost pock-
| etbook, y'know, and I guess the one you
| put in the paper is 1t. 1t was green, and
| had some change in it. There wasn't as
| much as s., though
'Was the amount nearer IS than S1?''
| asked Mr.. Billion quietly.
| ''Yes, SIR
"Then this is not your purse, although IT
| IS green"
Wen, guess maze Inlstake, sald
| the sporty man. 81 guess it was a little
less than $3.50
mo, sir: it's not yours" said the busi-
ness man. Good morning.
Mr.. Biiton had three other visitors within
half hour. who stated that they had lost
dark green pocketbook, containing a sum
variously estimated at 81, 81 and so cents
| The last visitor in making his report to his
companions said: "Say, it just makes me
| sick. That guy amt been doing n thing
but having the laugh on us while we was
| a-lyin' to beat the band. Say! How much
do you guess was in that pocketbook? One
| cent! Yes, sir; / cent? And the pocket
| book amt worth that much. De bloke just
put in the ad. to get laugh on somebody.
| If it hadn't been for that, he said, it would
MT been worth while to put it in the paper
| at ALL"