The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1900-10-18


time. That's the proper thing to do"
and blue-eyed innocent added: 81
should just use that money for adver-
tising every day in every paper until
there wasn't cent left"
Meta pursed her lips. "Wen, I'm TAX.
ing Uncle Macs advice about this" she
said. He says to study the papers
day or two and see if the loser adver-
tises. Then, after that, he says to adj
vertise: 'Found-Sum of money, at
such place, at such a time.' Not
word to give false claimant any help
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 turn
up, what do you say to a lake trip to-
gether or some kind of a regular spree
with this money!"
II couldn't enjoy it," said the right
eous Lillian.
mot unless you gave half to hos
pital," amended another.
"Oh, I don't know" dissented Geor-
gia. Il think my conscience would take
in a trip to Mackinac."
"Good for you!" replied Meta, as she
rolled up her wealth and put on her hat.
"We'll spend it all for gum if we want
to, Georgia; and we won't treat them,
either-see if we do!'
They didn't see her again for three
weeks, and then she came flying into
luncheon at Lilian's with look in her
eyes as if she'd just fallen heir to mil
lion in gold.
"Tve had the loveliest experience in
the world!" she announced. "You re-
member that money I found? Well, I
waited few days, as Uncle Mac said,
and no one advertised the loss; SO put
one in myself. Told them to address X,
the newspaper Office, you know-the
way they do. Next morning I went
down to get the returns. There were
niue answers, and of all the pathetic
things! Not one of the people who
wrote had lost their money on the day
or at the place found mine, but they
were just as hopeful, fer all that, and
they actually made me feel responsible
| for their losses.
First there was a man who had
dropped a small, fiat, black book, with
pawn ticket, laundry bill and two
two-dollar bills in it. And distressed
over it! You'd think he'd lost gold
| mine. And he was SO sure twas his
money I'd found-poor fellow! Then
| a woman poured out whole sheetful
of her heart, and drew picture of the
purse she'd lost, and told me how the
money in it belonged to her sister,
who was in the hospital and who need
ed it dreadfully, and how I'd be blessed
! forever if I only restored it. Next
there was an old man who had dropped
two $50 bills, and he went on in a
shaky, feeble hand to explain that the
reason he was carrying it was because
he couldn't trust the banks; and then
another girl, who tod about an ALI
gator-skin pocketbook containing a
latchkey and time pass over the Gin
cinnati, jackson & Mackinac road.
When I showed that to Uncle Mac after
ward he said that road was regular
joke, because it didn't run to any of the
places mentioned in its name, and he
just shouted over the pass, because
it had expired September 30, 1897. But
it wasn't funny to me. I thought the
girl must be in sad way to be hang.
ing on to an expired pass over a road
like that for three whole years. Be.
sides, she mentioned in q postscript
that there was a five-dollar bill in heI
purse.
II got awfully worked up over those
letters. Then, suddenly, had bril-
liant idea. just made up my mind tc
wait week and then, if no one claimed
that $50, to send for all those forlorn
people and pay them what they had lost
out of what had found. didn't dare
tell Uncle Mac the scheme until the
week had passed and had really writ
ten notifying them all to be at his Of
fee at ten o'clock this morning. Their
4 Just gave him the news all in one
piece. I don't believe in breaking
things, especially when you've set your
heart on doing them. Oh, he thought
was crazy, of course, and wished he'd
answered my 'ad.' himself and claimed
the money. Said he could have dons
it through some one else so I would
never have suspected, and then coult
have kept the money for me until thi'
fit of sentimental foolishness hat
passed off-and all that sort of talk
But the end of it was that he tool
chair over by the window in his of
flee and let me have things all my owl
way with the people I bad sent for
They all came, mind you, and Of al
the surprised-looking beings! Eacl
one was expecting to find the identica
purse he had lost, and at first every
one looked suspicious Of everyone else
They couldn't seem to grasp the situa
tion.
II had the money, all changed int,
the right amounts and lying in tempt
ing little heaps on Uncle Macs desk
First 1 made little speech and thel
l served gold and silver Refreshments
It took every cent of the money, AM
, had to put in dollar besides, 8
, there goes our gum, Georgia; but yo'
wouldn't grudge it if you'd been there
Such larks! l never felt SO much ik
- -: Nh doa