Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-01-04

An Unexpected Meeting on the street
and the skeleton In One Family
Closet That IL Brought Into the
Full Light of Day.
She was "A stately. comcly old lady.
but there was an unmistakable trace of
sadness and melancholy upon her hand
some features. she was w.ll dressed
and within the ample folds cf her black
silk gown there were surely mum bers
OF places where she might have found
accommodation for a pocket. but in ac-
cordance with the custom Of her sex she
carried her we'll filled pocketbook in
her hand, Offering temptation to every
thief or starving wretch that chanced
70 come along the dimlv lighted streets.
She was old enough 70 have known bet
ter.
AS she turned down a side street.
more gloomy than the avenue. lank
and i'll clad youth suddenly darted out
Of a hallway. flashed = the old woman.
and. without "a word OF look, snatched
the purse which she 30 lightly held and
ran al the top Of his speed mp the street.
stop thief Stop thief 80 shouted
the old lady. eesticulating wildly as she
gaSEered up her skirts and attempted 20
follow IN pursuit.
The cry was taken up by a crowd Of
ncw,boys and few passersby. but. al
though the thief vas never lost sight
OF, be was fleet of foot. and would prob
ably have made good his escape had ne
not run right into the arms OF a burlv
policeman at the corner Of the next av-
enuc
The policeman shook the young fel-
low a. terrier might shake a rat and
held him until the old lady came puff
ing up. She arrived at length. with her
umbrella upraised with the evident in
tention of striking the man who had
dared 60 take the pOcketbook she had
held SO tempuingly in her hand
suddenly and in that ridiculous atti
tude she paused and turned deathly
pale. The crowd stared open mouthed
The policeman Jerked the man by the
collar. but that was not the sole reason
that the fellow fell upon his knees He
turned as pale as the old lady as he
shook himself free, and still kneeline.
with hands uplifted, he gasped:
Mother I did not know YOU. and
and-I was starving, go
John ' calculated the woman in ac-
cents Of agony. My boy Ny poor son
This Is the worst of all Oh. this Is hor-
r. ble!"
The wretched man reached for her
hands, but she drew them away and
buried her face with them. While the
crowd looked on in silence. the thief
slowly reached down 20 his loose and
tattered boot and. drawing out the
pOcketbOok he had stolen held il 10.
ward his mother.
Come on ?" said the policeman
grufhy, gripping the man by the arm
and al the same time seiziue the purse.
Then 20 the woman be added:
ou must come 70 the police station
along II u, ma a'am, and enter "a com
plant
Instantly the old lady dew herself
up Indignantly and with naughty man
ner said.
What do you mean. You have
made great mistake, officer. This Is
not the man who took my pooketbook
Kindly let him so. B."
But-but e 'ad it It's 'erer'
bawled the bewildered representative
OF the law. pushing the purse toward
the digniied old lady
Nothing of the kind. " said she. Il
never saw 1t before in all my life. Why
don't you let the poor man go:"
Because ! as my duty 20 perform, -
was the surly reply. " 'E's your son. I
guess. and you're a-sCreening Of i'm. 80
MY sonH' said the old lady. sadly
and almost tenderly. The young man
made step forward
My SON." she echoed, with a fine
assumption of scorn as she recoiled a
toot or two. My son, Absurdr
Then, adjusting pair OF gold trimmed
glasses on her nose. she stared the cul
prlt calmly III the face and quietly said
knew this man once aS a bright.
brave. manly boy. knew him as a ten
der. loving little child knew him q,
an innocent, cooing baby"
sob was heard. bat it was not she
who sobbed.
Il do not know him now, she con
unued. Give him the purse and les
him SO "
When the stately old lady had sailed
maJestically away, the big policeman
gave his prisoner one powerful. hearty
shake. then flung him from him.
The newsboys hunted around for
mud fitted for pelting purposes.
But the young man did not run and
thus afford good sport. he stood like
( one dazed for few moments. Then be
hurriedly opened the pocketbook and
scattered the contents into the street
Those newsboys had 3 gala time. and
when the scramble was over the thief
the starving scamp the prodigal son.
was nowhere 10 be- seen. New York
Telegram.
DenmHrL's Navy Homemade
An interesting feature of the Danish
navy Is that IL is entirely homemade
Since the monitor Rolf krake. built FOR
them at Glasgow IN the early sixties
the Danes have constructed all their
own ships. They have done more than
hot