The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-01-15
; Finders and Losers
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.DROADLY speaking. girls are divided
ID into two great c.asses-the ones
who find and the ones who lose.
Meta is gill who finds. Cwnerless
earrings ard brooches and shirt studs
are scattered along her pathway. en-
treating her 10 pick them up. which
ever way she strCIis. ard little things
like horsezhots and four-le,. sd c,overs
seem TO leap UP in the most unlikely
places at the first sound Of her step.
Guess what I found today - is her
regular form of greeting; 50 no one was
surprised when the question came that
day at Georgia's lea
''Oh, don't know said Lillian. indif-
ferently. probably cotton han6ker-
chief or somebody's other glOye-
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 whitening g,ace at the
scOfTer. Then she removed her Lady
smith hat and extracted from its crown
a roll of money. which she spread upon
her lap a So. so and a SO bill
stared out.
Counterfeit gasped Lillian.
NO. sir. Uncle Mac says they're as
good as any ever made"
"You didn't find them. Meta; you're
joking" protested Georgia
NO joke about IL 1 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 il lay this money. al relied up. It
just seemed as though the crowd parted,
and everybody looked the other way on
purpose to let me have i'll
We'll. never." sung the chorus
What are you going TO use it for.
Meta?" some body asked, but Lillian,
whose interest had revived wonderful
ly, didn't give her time TO answer.
Use il for?" she cried. DO you
s'pose Meta would spend that money?
Think of the poor woman who lost il, +"
Woman. indeed" retorted Meta.
Uncle Mac doesn't think that. He
says there's little pocket just inside
the waistbanl Of his trousers where he
keeps a wad OF bilis-whenever he has
one-and that it's the easiest thing in
the world TO Slip the money in back of
the pocket instead of into il. And l
asked him II that ever happened TO him.
You ought TO have seen how guilty he
looked when he said: 'Onee-hut don't
tell EllenE That's my aunt, you know.
Well. we thinS-Cncle Mac and THAT
some rich club fellow lost it. and that
he'd put it to some eNtravagant use
even if he had il again"
but 1 can't help thinking about
some poor old washerwoman who
hadn't another cent in the world, muir
INJURED the b.ue-eyeG innocent.
"Washerwomen without another cent
are so likely 10 so strewing $50 rolls
aroun6." said Meta.
More likely twas a school-teaeher
with her months salary-and teaching
is such nervous work." suggested
Lillian.
"or fagged-out woman clerk. add
ell Georgia.
We'll. wouldn't take it from a WON
an any sooner than you would" de
clared Meta. "of course / wouldn't
mind so much if il belonged TO a man.
But intend TO advertise il. anyway"
Certainly" exclaimed Lillian as il
she'd been thinking of that all the
time. That's the proper thing TO do
and blus-eyed innocent added: Il
should just ass that money for aGver.
Using every day in every paper until
/ there wasn't cent eft"
Meta pnrssd her Fps. well. I'm TAX
I ing Uncle Macs sdvics about this" shs
said. He says 10 study the papers a
day or two and see if the loser o6ver-
tises. Then, after that, he says to adj
fertise: found Sum of money, AT