Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-29
JACOB.
cThe Windsor MngazlneO


Possibly she felt my gaze for she turn
ed And her face was worthy OF her fig
ure. Two bright, blue eyes met mine for
an instant before their owner walked on.
| stood still. l was i'm love with that girl,
whom ten seconds before | had never
seen.
/ gazed after her till she was out Of
sight Then / gazed at the sacred spot on
the pavement where she had stood, ana
behold. there lay a little purse. / picked
IL 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 an
other shop window. l picked my way
delicately through the feminine crowd.
My arm brushed hers. and the blood rush.
ed from my heart TO my ears. she turn
ed. our eyes met And, by all the saints
I'm Heaven her eyes were brown! 1t was
not she, but some other girl dressed ex-
actly like her.
NV hand fell from my hat and 1 gasped
an apology. / was wriggling away, when
a hand grasped my wrist and tried TO
wrest the purse from me. 1 turned and
beheld a large man in ill-htting clothes
"Ah, would your he said. quiet!
hand. | restrained a fierce desire TO inhict
similar treatment on his countenance, and
said, Let go, you ass! can't you see I'm
not pickpocket? ! picked up this purse
five minutes ago, and"
yes. I've heard all that before several
times; don't want TO hear II again. Have
you lost your purse, miss2'
The girl with the brown eyes searched
her pocket, found it, and then felt I'm 1t.
Eyes. / havew she exclaimed.
broke out into cold perspiratlon.
Wrenching my wrist free, / held ont the
purse. But this not your purse"
But It is. o. you bad wicked man! 1
felt you take it,
This settled the matter. / was marched
Off 10 Vine street between two policemen.
The girl and the detective went in cab.
The magistrate was sitting. Having
been searched, was placed in the dock
and the girl I'm the witness-box. She
made a pretence Of being c'ssOlvec in
tears, and pathetically besought the au-
thoritles to release me. But the magis-
trate-a whte-haired, fatherly old gem
tleman-soothingly explained to her how
necessary it was for the protection Of
honest people that rogues should be pun
ished. At length this wretched woman,
committing perjury for the sake of
paltry purse, suffered the oath to be adj
mlnistered and swore the purse was hers.
silence, prisoner" said the fatherly
magistrate-still fatherly, but in differ
ent way; you will not mend matters by
blasphemy. A month. Take him away"
/ was taken away TO the cells and lit
tie later 10 Pentonville.
In this impolite retirement I spent the
seven most hideous days and nights OF
fgbt ID
release. A warder entered my cell, and
with more respect than had yet received
in the prison, told me that my innocence
had been discovered, and that l had been
pardoned for the offence l had not COM
mitted.
My good name and my clothes having
been restored TO me. l was requested-a
refreshing change from being Ordered-to
step into a private room. Here / 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 relate, the girl with The blue
eyes, with whom l was still in love. Both
girls were, except for their eyes, exactly
alike. Twins. I 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
cause the humor of the affair had just
struck her. She was hiding what might
have seemed TO pe indecent mlrth. Inc
matron said gravely:
Sir. an awful wrong has been done 10
YOU, for which ] question whether We can
make adequate amends. / can, however,
express my most deep and sincere regret.
But before / endeavor to explain. permit
me to introduce myself. l am Mrs. Geof-
frey Featherstone, and these are my
daughters, Mabel and Alice"
Pardon me, Mrs. Featherstone," / said.
II have already had the honor OF an in
PRODUCTION to Miss Alice Featherstone,
and the result OF the introduction was
such that. having no natural taste for
penal servitude. would rather not pursue
he acquaintance"
Your anger Is just. Mr.. Felix. But
you will at least permit me 20 explain. on
he day which this awful thing happen
ID my daughters wore new dresses exact |
y alike"
"Ah. that explains IT, see now. Doubt |
ess that young lady in the f1lness OF
her heart was desirious that others should |
share her good fortune. I. too. had |
new dress on the day In question"
Miss Mabel Featherstone put her hand |
zerchief to her face again. Mrs Feather |
had made the pockets of |
these dresses ridiculousiy shallow Mabel |
declared that she would never dare 10 |
put anything In her pockets for fear OF |
having II taken. but Alice laughed at the |
dea and declared that she was compe-
tent TO guard her pocket IL Mabel was !