Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1898-10-26

SsTN y instant before
FNLY&N their o W n e r
eSHn& walked on. l stood still. l
SNkN was in love with that girl,
F3 whom ten seconds before /
had never seen.
gazed after her till she
was out Of sight. Then
EaZed at the sacred spot on the pave
ment where she had stood and behold,
there lay a little purse. 1 picked 1t up
reverently and FASTENED after her: but
she was lost in the throng Of Regent
street.
/ reached oxford Circus and turned
and retraced my steps, and presently
| saw the girl again. She was gazing
Into another shop window. l picked
my way delicately through the fem
mime crowd. My arm brushed hers,
and the blood rushed from my heart to
my ears. She turned. Our eyes met.
And, by all the saints in heaven, her
eyes We're brown! 1t was not she, but
some other girl dressed exactly like
her.
My hand fell from my hat and I
gasped an apology. l was wriggling
away. when a hand grasped my wrist
and tried to wrest the purse from me.
| turned and beheld a large man in i'll
fitting clothes.
'Ah, would you?" he said. "Quietw
He dug his knuckles into the back
Of my hand. / restrained a fierce de-
sire to infict similar treatment on his
countenance, and said, Let go, you
ass! Can't you see I'm not a pick
pocket? 1 picked up this purse five
minutes ago, and
Yes, I've heard all that before, sew
eral times; | don't want to hear 1t
again. Have you lost your purse,
missf'
The girl with the brown eyes search
ed for her pocket, found it, and then
felt In 1t.
Yes, | haver' she exclaimed.
| broke out into a cold parspiration.
wrenching my wrist free, l held out
the purse But this is not your
purse"
But 1t is. o, you bad. wicked man!
/ felt you take it!'
This settled the matter. was
marched off to Vine street between two
policemen. The girl and the detective
went in a cab.
The magistrate was sitting. Having
been searched, l was placed In the
dock and the girl in the witness box.
She made a pretense of being dissolved
In tears, and pathetically besought the
authorities to release me. But the mag
istrate-a white-haired fatherly old
-sOothingly explained to her
how necessary it was for the protection
of honest people that rogues should be
punished At length this wretched wo-
man, committing perjury for the sake
of a paltry purse, suffered the oath to
be administered and swore the purse
was hers.
"Silence. prisoner" said the fatherly
magistrate-stil fatherly, but in a diff
ferent way; you will not mend matters
by blasphemy. A month. Take him
awayr'
was taken away TO the cells and a
little later to Pentonville.
In this impolite retirement / spent
the seven most hideous days and nights
of my life. But on the eighth day came
release. A warder entered my cell and
with more respect than l had yet re-
ceived in the prison told me that my
Innocence had been discovered and that
/ had been pardoned for the offense
had not committed.
My good name and my clothes hav-
ing been restored to me, was request
ed-a refreshing change from being or
dered-to step into a private room.
Here I found three ladies-a majestic
matron, the girl with the brown eyes
who had procured me a weeks living
free of expense, and, marvellous to re-
late, the girl with the blue eyes, with
whom l was still in love. Both girls
were, except for their eyes, exactly
alike. Twins. | began to see.
The girl with the brown eyes had
tears in them. The girl with the blue
eyes also had her handkerchief to her
face. But this, she has since Informed
me, was because the humor of the af-
fair had just struck her. She was hid
Ing what might have seemed to me in
decent mirth. The matron said grave
ly:
"Sir, an awful wrong has been done
60 you, for which l question whether
we can make adequate amends. I can
however. express my most deep and
sincere regret. But before 1 endeavor
TO explain. permit me to introduce my.
self. I am Mrs. Geoffrey Featherstone
and these are my daughters, Mabel
and Alice"
Pardon me. Mrs. Featherstone,"
said, II have already had the honor OF
al Introduction to Miss Alice Feather
stone, and the result Of the introduc
tion was such that, having no natural
taste for peual servitude, / would
rather not pursue the acquaintance
Your anger is just, Mr.. Felix. But
yor will at least permit me to explain
On the day on which this awful thing
happened my daughters wore new
dresses exactly alike
All. that explains it. 1 see now
doubtless that young lady in the full
ress of her heart was desiyous thai
others should share her good fortune
l. too, had 4 new dress on the day il
question"
Miss Mabel Featherstone put hel
handkerchief to her face again. Mrs
Featherstone bit her lip, but proceed
ed. The dressmaker had made tn,
pockets Of these dresses ridiculousiz