The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-07-02
AFTER LAPSE
OF TWO YEARS
Boy Returns Lost Pocket Book
Containing $20.11.
FOUND IT AND USED IT
Wrote Letters Explaining That
He Meant to Return.

A case wherein the greatness Of human
conscience is shown TO wonderful ex-
tent has been brought to light in this
city. It is a case that shows that man.
kind is honest by nature and not as
some would have it believed. wholly bad.
1t concerns Mrs. E. Rittenour and a
white boy student Of this city.
Judge McCandless tells the story as
told to him by Mrs. Rittenour's daugh-
ter. He says:
Two years ago, Mrs Rittenour, while
getting out of her buggy on Market
street, alongside the Fourth National
bank, lost her pocketbook, which con-
tanned soil When she discovered hel
/ loss she went back and looked for il
everywhere, but could not find it. She
went to her home in the north part Of
the city, near Thirteenth and Water, af-
ter putting an advertisement in the paper
and really never expected to hear from
the lost pocketbook again. She didn't
hear a word from it and took the adj
vertisement out of the paper She had
given it up and had not thought of it
for some time, when she received a
letter without signature. It had beer:
three months from the time she lost
the money till she got this letter. 1t
explained that the wrier had found the
money and on first impulse had spent it,
because he was sorely in need of it when
he found it. He declared in the letter
tRat he would return it as soon as he
could accumulate the S2O.11. The letter
wac in,
writer said that he was a student in
the Wichita schools.
"Wen. Mrs. Rittenour waited and no
money came. In IT'S stead another let.
ter came at the end of three months
explaining that the writer had meant to
pay the money back and still intended
TO. but had been unable as yet to get
the sum together From this on ho
wrote every three months
yesterday a young man of respectable.
appearance appeared at the door of Mrs.
Riuenours home and announced that
he was the writer Of the letters ana
had come TO pay back that which he
had found and used. He did give Mrs
Rittenour her identical pocketbook back,
with the money TO a cent. Even the
calling cards which were in the pocket
book at the time were still there. The
boy refused to give his name, which
was most natural.
That is the most extraordinary occur
renee that I have heard of in long
time The honesty of the boy is strik,
ingly great. He used the money. because
he needed it, but even then his con-
science hurt him and he made up his
mind TO return ali Of it. For two years
he strived to do this. His conscience
ali that time was alive on this subjecr
and purpose. That his conscience might
have hurt him for a day or week |
would be natural for any honest per
son, but one would think that in two |
years time It would become deadened. /
1 understand that the boy had 10 give
UP. MS last nickel TO make out the full |
SOIL Think how long Ia hast strug- |
gled trying TO accumulate that sum He
succeeded and win never regret ri. |
act Of yesterday and for the last two
years. He VIII grow to be a very hon /
est man and an honor to the commun-
ity. Would that there were more such
boys and men"