The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-11-17

oHcer was contagious, ana TOO, soon
doZed off.
BY and by I was awakened by a
hurried scrambling at my side and
violent humping against my elbow.
rubbed my eyes and saw the fat wo-
man waddling down to the front door.
I watched her till she had passed
through the gate onto the platform;
then, as l turned toward the window
to get one more look at her museum
like proportions. my glance rested on
the seat she had recently occupied and
I found that in her hurry she had gone
away and left her pocketbook. My rig
i'd training in probity instantly nerved
me to brave deeds.
"Hold on l cried in loud voice.
Then l grabbed the pocketbook and
rushed down to the door,
THE brakeman barred the way,
What's up2 he asked.
Don't stand there gaping like a
LOOM / retorted. Let me get through.
That fat woman has gone out and left
her pocletbook.'
THE brakeman got excited at that.
Holy smoke. he said to me- and Hi
there, you he shouted to the woman
The woman heard him, but the train
had started, and although she turned
round and numbered toward us 1 could
mt reach her.
Throw it to her, advised the brake
man.
1--WE had reached the lower end OF
the platform, but leaned as far over
the gate as a decent regard for per-
sonal safety would permit and tossed
the pocketbook in the direction of my
bulky neighbor. The brakeman smiled
upon me approvingly:
g It's a good thing you're one of the
honest kind he said. If you had been
like some fellows that lady would have
found herself strapped when she got
down to 1.-The street, and then what
would have become of her heaven only
knows. It's funny how careless these
women folks are about such things,
anyhow. If they'r lose their money
every day in the week they'd keep right
on being just as lackadasical to the end
of the chapter
Yes 1 assented. 4 guess that's
right. My wife is the only woman 1
know of who isn't always losing things.
But she's mighty careful. She holds
onto her pocketbook like grim death.
A penny has got to be pretty lively to
get away from her.
''He looked at me enviously. Lord
said he, you're in luck to have such
good manager. / wish my old wo-
man was like that
brakeman and I passed into the car.
We found the passengers all standing
up, jabbering confusedly, and craning
| their neckS out of the windows. Even
the policeman was on his mettle, and
felt that he ought to do something to
keep up his reputation. He took me in
hand with decision. Now, sir said he,
what was the matter out there?'
''Oh, nothing / returned modestly.
tNNnf11 q N lost har ha al
| I happened to have my wits about me
and found it before we got past the
station. l returned it to her, all right.
| There's no harm done
Edith had come up close beside me
| and stood listening to my explanation
AT the word 'pocketbook' she turned
| pale.
oh dear she cried. Where is my
own purse? Where can it be? ] had ii
| in my lap when l sat down beside that
| big woman, but / don't remember of
taking it with me when l moved back
| to the rear of the car. Oh, I know I
| didn't take it. 1t had slipped off my
| lap and left it lying in that seat. AL
| bert Stuart
| ''She stopped and glared at me for
| an immeasurable length of time. AL
bert Stuart she repeated at length
what kind of a pocket book was il
/ JNN save " l4ldb WOHidns
/ My head reeled before the dire nos.
sibilities suggested by her sepulchar.
tones. IL didn't notice, l stammered
1 did, spoke up the brakeman. II
was dray alligator skin, long and mar
row. 1t had a handkerchief stuck in
the fly leaf, and was held together by
| rubber band
Edith rocked spasmodically to and
| FRO with the swaying of the car and
her own emotion. I knew it. she said
1t was mine. There were s26.13 in it,
| TOUR postage stamps, six samples, and
! a glove buttoner'
90 oh, my gasped the policeman.
Edith looked up at him appealingly
| What are you going to do about it?'
| she demanded.
HE shook his head sheepishly
Really, he said. I don't see s l can
do much of anything. I'll take the next
train up town, but I doubt If I'll find
the woman. It's hard to run a person
down in a crowd even if she is big as
all outdoors. That husband Of yours
Yes put in Edith with accusatory
| pronptnes, I know it is all his fault
| The idea, Albert, of your not recogniz-
| ing your own wife's pocketbook when
you see it. And you bought it, too, and
| gave 1t to me for a birthday present
Her approach touched a tender
| SPOT. 4 don't see why you put all the
| blame onto me- l said. You were aw-
fully careless yourself. What do you
mean by letting pocketbook contain.
! ing all that money lie loose in your
| lap. anyway
1.-THE brakeman snickered. The only
woman who always holds on tight he
remarked. facetiously.
Edith wept. Well advertise in all
the papers, she said.
"And we did We turned our adver-
tisements into regular literary gems
wherein the fat woman was described
in complimentary terms calculated to
touch her vanity and incidentally her
| conscience in a vital spot, but so far
she has remained impervious to our
insidious attacks, and is battening on
the contents of my wife's pocketbook.
AS for me. I have found nothing since
that lukcless day. but if ever I do
pick up any more purses and things
you may depend upon it shall make
sure they don't belong to my wife be-
fore attempting to restore them to the
loser"
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VACANT CnNGTu.ATE