The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-17
when HER PURSE IS LOST
What Woman Of Resource Can
Do Without Money.
Two Members of n Club Relate Their
That Providence and Chivalrous
Man Can he Relied ON to Help Ont
in Case Ones Money Goes Astrny.

woman's club met last week, and did
stunts in parliamentary law. and discussed
the Anthony sisters test case as to taxa
ton without representation. Then they
had tea and lettuce sandwiches and the
plain garden variety of feminine CONVEX
sation. and were eminently charming and
entertaining
One OF the members had lost her purse
on the way to the club There wasn't
much money in it. but there were some
very valuable notes on woman suffrage
in Colorado. so the thing was really a
misfortune, says a writer who tells about
it in the New York Sum-"
Then of course / hadn't a cent Of car
fare" said the unlucky woman Il asked
the conductor to let me off because I'd
lost my purse. / don't think he believed
me-"
But how did you get down here from
Harlem?" asked club sister,
Took cab. my dear. Thank heaven
there's no conductor to go through a cab,
and one doesn't pay until one reaches
ones destination. The only thing neces-
sary is to choose destination where ons
except when l lose my purse
It's a mean situation-this not having
a cent" said a young woman, refiectively.
1T is, assented the woman who rode
| in cabs.
| Il never thought of the cab solution"
added the young woman. When / lost
| my purse last week / just abandoned my
principles and my religious training and
| went in for deliberate fraud. 1 traded
upon the generosity and chivalry of the
man creature
| We'll, / made some calls on West
| Washington Square. and then l walked
| over to Fifth Avenue to take the stage
| On the corner l discovered that my purse
| was gone. l stood there trying to think
| where l could have dropped the thing,
and stage came along in an aggra-
waiting way just as that instant. There
| was only one passenger in il, a nice
| looking, well dressed man. The driver
pulled up his horses. 1 made sudden
resolve and climbed in. You see l had
| Just remembered that in my ehatelaine
purse there was plugged dime.
Il settled myself comfortably and look
ed nonchalantly out of the window Then
| l ran my fingers into the chateiains
| purse and took out the bad dime. l did
not look down at it, but / turned to the
man who was nearer the front of the
| stage. He lifted his hat and said. Al
| low me- | smiled 2 gracious but sort
| of faraway smile and looked out of tbs
! window again. Out of the tail Of my eye
/ saw the man. He started to hand the
dime up TO the driver, glanced at It, hes
| itated, shot look at unconscious me ian
| his hand into his pocket as guiltily as
though ne had my silver spoons. TOOK out
good dime, gave it to the driver got the
two fve-cent pieces, put one in the box
and handed the other to me-
Your change, madam, he said, and
thanked him politely, but not too polite
ly, you know.
got my ride to Eighty-seeond
Street and five cents to boot, and the man
had the happy consciousness of having
done tactful thing-and everybody was
happy"
Il move that we elect her treasurer.
She has financial genius said the club
president, warmly.
The present treasurer seconded the mo-
ton.
Il had narrowing experience myself
she said but l didn't display any mas
terly financial tactics. Last June want
ed cottage down on Long Island and
invited an elderly aunt of my husbands to
go down with me to look at it. Now I
had had 800 in my bag day or two be-
fore, and supposed l had a good deal Of
money. I quite forgot had been pa ing
bills
Round trip tickets don't amount to
much, and l paid for them out of my
change purse, leaving about 10 cents in
the purse. After we got on the train
opened my bag to see how much money l
had. There wasn't cent in it.
Il blinked and gasped and then 1
laughed. There l was taking my aunt of
for a days spree and only 10 cents to
spree on. Luckily, the dear soul has
sense of hun1Or. l told her the awful
truth and we laughed together while.
We'll evidently not have any lunch
con- l said, and we won't get as far Us A
station. because l got round trip ticket
only TO station and thought we'd take
a carriage and drive to A. But shall We
get off at the next station and take the
next train back to New York;
Never mind, said Aunt Margaret.
We will stay on the train and go through.
The conductor won't notice. Then We'll
trust to luck for getting back home
When we reached A we left the train
and walked up into the village. There
was a real estate office on corner and
we turned in there as bold as you please.
Aunt Margaret is really very stunning.
and had on a swell frock and the agent
was visibly impressed. He fairly fell
over himself to help US He drove US
about the place and finally insisted upon
leaving us at the X House for luncheon
when he disappeared / fell upon aunt
Margaret's neck.
What shall we de-run?' l asked.
No, indeed, my dear. III ask about
rooms and terms for the summer, and
we'll say we've had luncheon, but would
like to wait until the agent comes back
Thea, when we see him coming, wen
stroll down to meet him, so he'll not meet
the landlady and discover we didn't lunch
" If she shows us the dining room
said. and there's anything to eat on the
tables, I'll grab and run
Just then there was a swish of skirts
on the stairs. We Strengthened up and
looked as rich as we could. An imposing
woman appeared in the doorway. l longed
to go out by the window, but aunt Mar
garet faced the situation beautifully. a,.
We wanted to know something about
your summer rates and Accommodations.
she said. This is my niece, Mrs. Court
ney My name is Vandeveer.
THE landlady's eyes grew big as
saucers.
'Vandeveer.' she repeated. excitedly.
"a CLEAN of hope came to me. Could
It be possible she knew aunt Margaret
}. my angel guardian! That would be too
leaevnly.
e 'Not-O not any relation to DIR. VAN
lever of blessed memory asked the
andlady.
His daughter; his daughter,' l insist
ed. I'm afraidI shrieked it. We were
saved.
II sat under him for fifteen years in
Brooklyn, and l owe him everything
Now. if that wasn't direct interposition
Of Providence, what was it? l could have
wept for joy. ! told the woman We were
willing to owe her everything. explain
al our deSDerate situation She couldn't