Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1899-08-27

ffAtAA AAAN AAAA1N3 AAA A W As AR9hAnR al him at the time, and he never once took his hands or his eyes away from his newspaper
 My dear childi Do you suppose you are quick enough 10 watch the motions of professional pickpocket? That man has my purse, 1 am perfectly sure of 1t; and 1 shall give him in charge the moment We get to Rugby
 1t was clear that l must bolt from the carriage the instant the train reached the Rugby platform and be- fore d policeman eonld be called. The train was already slowing, and l hastily gathered up my rug and umbrella and prepared 10 move toward the door.
 No. you don't. my mau said Mrs. se95e, rising and taking possession of tbe door by the simple process of thras5iug baIf=of her ample person through fhc window.
 "l saw at once that the game was Up.
 That mau he picked my pocket, said Mrs. aeoble soon as the police HaH aPgusd 5H66 6ssf. 'Ssafeb him and you'll fad ntF aafze in his pozsessi0u Ii is marked .8. D. $. and has four five pound notes, t@9 se4ereigHs, and some change in it, besides my ticket
 What do F9a saF to this@ the pc iieeman asked me. evidently impressed with the certainty of my elilt.
 Simply that il isn't true, replied. I know nothing of the lady's purse and can easily convince you that am q respectable person.
 My goodness! exclaimed my ac- enser. Why. the fellow isn't deaf and dumb after all Constable. he pre- tended to be deaf and dumb. That shows what seoandrel heis!
 - rose up 10 follow the policeman, and my foot struck against something That was lying on the floor of the ear riage. l stopped and picked fl aP. It was the missing purse.
 is that your purse, madam2' I asked, as l held itHp You must have dropped it when you were looking out of my window
 wouldn't advise you to play that game any more, said the policeman, severely Let me teIl you. sir, that if you travel under false pretenses you needn't be surPfis. if you find your self in trouble You'll have to give me your name and address, in ease any thing more comes Of this
 T gave him my address as soon as l could get away from the carriage, and at the same time l gave him q sur reptitioUs five shiHines and asked him not 10 give my name to Mrs. SeabIe
 - saw Scoble on the platform as the train drew up al G,reencroft, bat he did moi see me. for I had concealed myself behind the curtains of the ear riage, watched him until his back WAS turned and then sprang cut and bolted into the eloakroom, which was close at hand 1 had hoped to remain there until Seoble had left the station, but 1 was disappointed The porter in attendance, finding that had no par tieuiar business with him, immediate ly suspected me of designs npon the property under his charge and told me that | must not stay in the ctoatToom. 1 tried bribery, but the action only confirmed his suspicion, and he rough ly ordered me 10 go about my busi- ness CT he would have me arrested. Just then Seoble spied me.
 Why, here you are, after alI!' he exclaimed. Where on earth have you been?'
 The niece had returned and was standing looking in bewiIderment. first at me and then at her uncle. Suddenly she took in the full meaning of the situation, and, after saying 10 me: ls this Mr Johnston2 burst into uneon- trollable laughter.
 There never WAS anything so con tagious and irresistible as that laugh since the world began, and the fash of the girls mischieyous eyes would have made John Calvin smile even in the act of burning heretie. l could not help it, but in another moment found myself joining in the girls laugh ter. while Scoble stood and aged at us with an almost frightened express sion.
 The niece was the first to speak. ' Uncle she said, there has been mis- take that would have been perfectly awful if Mr Johnston had not been a real humorist and seen the funny side of it. Auntie has driven home. for she could not wait any longer, and we will all three walk home together, and you shall know all about it.
 II hesitated for second and then said to myself that | would meet 30 aunts sooner than say good-by to the niece before I had convinced her that 1 was not always stupid, and that could sometimes be other than nuisance. l not only walked home with her and faced the dismayed and re- pentant aunt, hut I staid my full week at Greencroft. When Iwent away was engaged to be married, and had aI- ready begun to call Mrs. Scoble aunt partly to show her that | bore no mal- ice and partly by way of emphasizing the triumph that the man whom she had called stupid had won. Pal Mall.