The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-10-03

I very cheap kind. I should say it saved
the smoker SO per cent. Where did you
get it?'
Look here" he said, irritably. az
| won't submit to these questions. Give
me my box back at once. He made a
| grab at 1T. but [ eluded him.
You will have to submit to these Ques-
you want to be shown up. Ever heard
| and it's serious. Once more, where did
| you get this wretched little match? 1t
IF you want to know, I got it from a
| railway porter" he said, sukily
He gave it you on the understanding
you've fallen low, very low"
you don't know that it was his only
MATCH
TITS probable. and you don't know that
1t wasn't. What about this one-the very
short one with the mud on it?'
Il came by 1t perfectly fairly. A small
boy in the street dropped it. He looked
for 1t for some time, but he couldn't
see where it had gone. saw It. I walt
ed about. pretending to look in a shop
then picked it up. These small boys
ought not to smoke cigarettes. It's per-
fectly scandalous. It"
you? Do you know what the law is with
regard to property found in the street?
Have you no relics Of moraf sense?"
In my enthusiasm l had allowed my
cigar to go out. 1 relit it with the rail-
way porter's match, without paying the
least attention to the millicnaire's pro-
And now said, what of these
! three blue-headed matches?"
They're all right They're refresh+
ment room matches. They don't mind
your taking enc Or
How do you know they dent mind7
Do you ask them? Or do you sneak be-
hind the bun-stand and steal them when
you think nobody is looking? And these
TWO with the dark brown heads?"
ST had to see my solicitors about an
investment of mine. l was shown into
the senior partners room. The business
was a mere bagatelle-a matter of $125,-
| 600. But you know how particular 500
| hcitors are. He got up to refer to some
! Wretched book, and in so doing turned
| his back on me. The matches were on
that was my chance. Any other man
| would have done the~ same"
''Any other demoralized blackguard
| might have done"
I'm not going to sit here and listen
4. to this abuse. What business have YOU
got with my private affairs? What does
| it matter to you how got my matches?
| gave you cigar
AZ am not ungrateful, and for the rea-
son have decided not to give your name
and address when 1 show you up. But
! none the less, I am a believer in truth
and honesty, even in small matters,
and"
20, never mind that. Give me back
wait, When I see crime I've got
to punish it. I am sparing you public
| disgrace, and perhaps a prolonged So
| journ in felon's cell, and that is suf-
| ficient reward for a cigar, which is cer-
| tainly too good to be allowed constantly
| to go out like this"
I re1it it with the match that the little
boy had dropped. The millionaire nearly
/ screamed with anguish, for it was the
/ third match that had taken. He said
; that if behaved in other matters as
| did with regard to matches I should soon
| be ruined man. 1 continued
"But though I spare you pubic dis
grace the punishment must be severe.
My own conscience would never be easy
/ if did not do my duty-if I did not give
you lesson which you would not be ike
ly to forge; I am sorry for you, but 1t
| cannot be helped"
| I let the window down with a bang.
| emptied the remaining matches out on
to the l'ne. shut the box and returned 1t
! to him with many thanks.
He said that I was mad. and made a
! dash for the arm in Older 20 STOP the
train. AS 1 held him I pointed out that
| his view as to matches was not the gem
! recover the few which I had thrown out
| of the window he would get himself into
| trouble
He sank back on the cushions silent,
said that he was sorry he had ever
given me the cigar I explained that I,
| on the contrary. was glad.
| When we got out at Waterloo led him
| to the automatic machine. gave him q
penny and told him to make I'D his mind
| to buy matches for himself With G. look
of diabodfcal cunning he slipped the PEN
ny. into his pocket and dashed off to the
refreshment room. When I last saw him
| he had intrenched himself behind the
/ hot water apparatus and was waiting
| with sparkling eyes for his chance to
steal few more matches.
Oece match thief always match
| thief, and when a match thief is also
millionaire his case is peculiarly hope