The Press., 1899-05-18
A DOUBLE DEAL.

w hen the ClQ PeuOler came to Ine door with those extremely pretty vases Mrs Christy felt that they were the very things that she wanted in her spare bedroom. and so instead of say ing Mol" when he politely requested her to see if she had any "old clothes to change for some splendid vases, she allowed him to come in and sit down W hile she went up stairs to rummage and came down with some old garments of her husbands and q shawl of her wear again, unless it was at night. for it was fashion which went out before she was married
 It came to her mind that she was foolish to leave a stranger alone so long, but the old man was sitting quietly where she had left him. and looked so much like benevolent old patriarch that she was ashamed of remembering that the spoons were in the pantry and the pantry unlocked. However. he was quite worldly enough to drive a hard bargain. and to the coat vest and shawl she had to add gown that might very well have been worn often again
 However. it was not ready money, and she felt that the vases-gOOd imita tions of very costly ones-were lovely She carried them into the spare room. and they made the mantelpiece quite d different thing Returning to the din ing room however, a shock awaited her Her husbands overcoat, which he had unwisely left at home that day, be- cause it was unusually warm, was gone from it's peg on the hall rack, and opening the pantry door, she saw that the spoons were gone with it. They were only plated, but no one likes to lose anything in that way Besides. she felt greatly to blame for it
 The old man had been gone d long while, and though she sent a messen- ger for police officer. he gave no hope of catching the thief or of getting the things back
 Was there nothing else gone2' the man asked
 Mrs. Christy looked about her and discovered one thing more-a forged el note She had it given to her by some one a year before, and she found that it was worthless and had written across the back, This is counter felt, and added her name. and some how she kept it in her workbasket
 The old man had spied it with his glistening black eyes and had helped himself to it
 At all events, he cant pass it, laughed Mrs. Christy. ''I feel little conscled when I remember how provok- ed he will be.
 Hell pass it somehow. said the policeman as he walked away. promis- ing to report the case.
 But Mrs. Christy, when she remem- bered that the overcoat that had been stolen was worth eS and the plated spoons at least e2, found it necessary to go to her own room and have good cry It was not so much the value of the lost articles as the feeling that it was her fault, and that her husband might possibly so far forget himself as to tell her so At all events she would lose little of that fine character for good sense with which, to her great satisfaction, he had endowed her.
 The day did not pass very pleasant ly. Callers came. and she could not help telling her story. but it was a joke to the best intentioned among them, and as the dinner hour approached she felt very much indeed like running away
 However of course, she was obliged to stay Her daughters were paying a visit to some cousin, and there was no one else to preside at table. Besides, she could only have put off the evil mo- ment She went up stairs and got out some spoons she kept in reserve and waited for the impending moment She hoped that Ter husband would, at least, be in good humor, and not-as when things went wrong with him-a little cross
 MT. Christy, however. returned that evening in high good humor Moreover, be had an overcOat upon his arm. Could it be that he had come back for it. after all, and the theft had been limited to the spoons and the counterfeit bank note2
 II thought you went without your coat. she said, with little rejoicef ul leap of the heart, as she seemed to recog- nize the garment by it's form and color
 But MT. Christy laughed ''So 1 did. he said, ESQ l did No. this is a new coat. 1 bought it for Will liam. My son William is as tall as l am and nearly as stout. and this fits me snugly-snugly came across it in B queer way It is quite bargain You see, it looks entirely new 'Yes it certainly does, said Mrs Christy 'and exactly like yours, too dear Aren you jesting?