St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1900-10-13
5 Finders and Losers

DROADLY speaking. girls are divided
i'd into two great classes-the ones
who find and the ones who lose.
Meta is a girl who finds. Ownerless
earrings and brooches and shirt studs
are scattered along her pathway, en-
treating her to pick them up, which.
ever way she strolls. and little things
like horseshoes and four-leaved clovers
seem to leap up in the most unlikely
places at the first sound of her step.
Guess what found to-day? ?" is her
regular form of greeting; SO no one was
surprised when the question came that
day at Georgia's tea.
''Oh, don't KNOW" said Lillian, indif-
ferently. probably a cotton handker-
chief or somebody's other glove"
Lillian is one of the girls who couldn't
find anything if they would. Possibly
that's the reason she assumes the man
ner of one who wouldn't if she could.
Meta gave a withering glace at the
scoffer. Then she removed her Lady
smith hat and extracted from its crown
a roll of money, which she spread upon
her lap. A $50, SEQ and $40 bill
stared out.
Counterfeit" gasped Lillian.
mo, sir. Uncle Mac says they're as
good as any ever made"
You didn't find them, Meta; you're
joking protested Georgia.
mo joke about it. / was walking
down Wabash avenue, and stacks OF
people were passing in both directions
too. but suddenly there was an open
place about a yard square right in
front of me, and straight in the middle
of it lay this money, all rolled up. II
just seemed as though the crowd parted
aud eyerybody looked the other way on
purpose to let me have it"
ssWell, 1 never!" sung the chorus.
What are you going to use it for
Meta?' somebody asked, but Lillian
whose interest had revived wonderful.
In. didn't give her time to answer.
Use it for?" she cried. do you
sspose Meta would spend that money;
Think of the poor woman who lost it!'
..Noman, indeed!" retorted Meta.
"Uncle Mac doesn't think that. He
says there's little pocket just inside
the waistband of his trousers where he
keeps a wad of bills-whenever he has
one-and that it's the easiest thing in
the world to slip the money in back oi
the pocket instead of into it. And
asked him if that ever happened to him
You ought to have seen how guilty he
looked when he said: tOnce-but don't
tell Ellen!' That's my aunt, you know
Well. we think-Uncle Mac and THAT
some rich club fellow lost it, and that
he'd put it to some extravagant use
even if he had it again"
..But I can't help thinking about
some poor old washerwoman who
hadn't another cent in the world" muE'
INJURED the blue-eyed innocent.
..Washerwomen without another cent
are so likely to 60 strewing $50 rolls
around!r said Meta.
..More likely twas school-teachel
with her months salary-and teaching
Is such nervous work." suggested
Lillian.
.Or -fagged-out woman clerk, add
ed Georgia.
.WeI. / wouldn't take it from WON.
an any sooner than you would" de
rlared Meta. "Of course I wouldn't
mind SO much il it belonged to man
Rnt intend to advertise it, anyway"
..Certainly." exclaimed Lillian as il
she'd been thinking of that all the
time. ~That's the proper thing to do
and blue-eyed innocent added: y
should Just use that money for adver'
tising every day in every paper until
there wasn't cent left.
Meta pursed her lips. well, I'm tax
INC Uncle Macs advice about this" shs
said. He says to study the papers
day or two and see if the loser adver'
tises. Then, after that, he says to id
vartise: tFound-Sum of money, q
such q place, at such time Not .
word to give q false claimant any hell
in identifying the bills. You see. But
he doesn't think I'll ever find the own
er. and, say, girls, if he shouldn't turr
up, what do you say to . lake trip 10
cether or some kind Of q regular spree
With this money!"
II couldn't enjoy it." said the right
eous Lillian.
Not unless you gave half to hos
pital," amended another.
.oh. / don't know" dissented Geor
Ria. 81 think my conscience would takt
81 ! trip to Mackinac."
s.Gsod for you'll" replied Meta. - shs
rolled up her wealth and put on her hat