The record-union., 1897-01-10
THE LOST POCKETBOOK.
How Small sAd" Tempted the IN
gScrupuI04Is.

ES~a oPaASsfeos
'Found-A pocketbook, containing a
sum of moneys. Owner can have same
by applying at Room 43, Blara build
ing, and identifying
That was the advertisements which
Mr.. Billion recently inserted In the
Star" He had found a dark green
purse on the sidewalk while son his
way to the office, and after advertising
it went on hissregular business The
next morning group of men and boys
stood about the door to his office, and
he was regarded eagerly by the watch
ers when he passed in. The office boy
Immediately announced that a man
wanted to see about that pocketbook." +"
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 a pocketbook?
yes, sir; and it had some money in
it, When it came to question of
color the visitor hesitated and finally
said black"
How much money did it contain?"
well, er, l can't say exactly" replied
the visitor.
WAS there more or less than S1O?"
1cS-tiIdI lIleIe WdS-mOre, Sd1Q
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
assayed to prove ownership. He said
the pocketbook was not black, but a.
''sorter reddish yeller, that somebody
might call brown" In fact, 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: Il can't place it ex-
actly, but L know there was between
So and $40 in it,"
It's 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 a young man with a pink
shirt, blue striped cuffs and green tie
He wore damaged yellow shoes and
smoked cigarette.
Good morning" he said. 81 lost a
pocketbook, y'know, and I guess the
one you put in the paper is it. It was
green, and had some change in it. There
wasn't as much as 50, though"
Was the amount nearer five than
one?" asked Mr.. Billion quietly.
"Yes, SIR
Then this is not your purse, although
it is green"
We'll, I guess I made a mistake"
said the sporty man. Il guess it was
little less than two-fifty.'
mo, sir; it's not yours" said the
business man. Good morning"
Mr.. Billion had three other visitors
within a half hour, who stated that
they had lost a dark green pocketbook,
containing a sum variously estimated
at 81, 81, and so cents. The last Wis
itor, in making his report to his com
panion, said: 1T just makes me sick
That guy amt been doing a 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 pocket
book? One cent! Yes, sir. One cent
and the pocketbook amt worth that
much. De bloke just put In the ad to
get a laugh on somebody If it hadn't
been for that, he said, it wouldn't been
worth while to put it in the paper at
all. aH."-WaShington Star.