The Savannah morning news., 1902-03-10
JOE HAS A CHANCE.
Honesty and a Lost POcketbOOk
Bring Luck to the Little Street


Copyright, 1902, by C. B. Loomis).
1t was about in the morning and
a crowd of people had just left the
Pennsylvania ferry slip and were hur-
rying up CORTLAND street to their va
rious destinations. Joe Dempsey was
Fastening with them, intent on get
ting a chance to carry a valiSe, but
everyone seemed particularly able
bodied this bracing December morn
ing and each person addressed tight
ened his clutch on his bag and shook
his head.
Joe was about to turn back and try
his luck with the Jersey Central crowd
that would be due in a minute when
he saw a pocketbook fall to the ground.
The man who had dropped it rushed
along intent only on catching the next
elevated train which he saw coming
up Church street. No one but Joe
saw the pocketbook fall and he
whipped it up in a second and instead
of handing it back at once, ran into
doorway to see whether there was
enough in it to make it's return a mat
ter for reward. A hasty examination
showed him that there were over $50
in it and he stuffed it in his pocket
and rushed out after the mn.
Where had he gone? All, there he
was hurrying up the elevated stairs
Joe knew him by his long gray coat.
No, that wasn't him, either. Joe's
man in similar coat was already
nearly at the top of the stairs. The
/ boy skipped up the stairs two steps
at a time brushed by the man he had
mistaken for the loser of the pocket
book, bought ticket and dropped 1t in
to the box just too late to catch the up
town train. He distinctly saw the man
he was after and he yelled to him, but
that gentleman, not knowing he had
sustained a loss, was serene in the con-
seriousness that he had by a great
physical effort caught the train and
thus had saved nearly two whole min
uteS.
One would think that it would be
hopeless task to follow and find a man
who has just gone away on an elevated
train, and most boys would have CIV
en- UP the chase and pocketed the
money; but Joe was honest, and there
was the spice of an adventure in the
affair. If the next train was not too
long in coming up, AID he kept his
eye open for a gray-coated man, he
might be able to notice at what sta
ton he left the cars. Trains run on
scant Roadway during the rush hours,
and Joe'S eyesight was a little better
than normal.
Lost our train, didn't me. sonny?"
said the man whom Joe had beaten in
his fight UP the stairway. 81 hate to
miss a train. PheW"
He was out of breath, and had lost
nearly two minutes beside, and there
are not over 500 minutes in a working
day.
Another train was in sight, and the
one they had missed had not yet turn
ed the corner at Murray street. Yes,
l missed it, but dis one is a special, an
it'll do me just de same" said Joe,
with mock Importance that he was
fond of assuming, The man looked
I'm what had caused his haste, but on
second thoughts he decided to say
nothing. A secret was safer If 1t was
held in one head.
When the train came in Joe who
was a socfable chap, would have liked
to sit next the man and talk about the
topics of the .day-Marconi's wireless
biography, the visit of ode Dutch King
Henry" sporting matters and the
thousand and one things that the
wideawake boy was interested in-but
he must stand on the platform of the
first car and keep a sharp lookout
ahead and, If possible, discover the
departure of the gray coated man.
Fate was kind to the boy, and before
they had gone two stations the train
ahead slackened, for some unexplained
cause, and they followed slowly, and
not more than a block behind, until
Forty-second street was reached, and
then Joe saw GraycOat step off and
hurry to the stairway, his long over
coat tapping on his calves.
Hurry. hurry, hurry said Joe, out
loud, as if addressing the engineer. A
decent time had to elapse before Joe's
train could pull into the station, and
while he waited the man made his way
to the street Would he take the troll
ley to the Grand Central. If he did
Joe would have to give UP the chase
or else go it blind and trust to chance.
Ee did not take the car. however, but
walked rapidly east and just then the
train gates were opened and Joe was
released from his special"
go it. Johnny"
Joe looked over his shoulder. His ac-
uuaintance of the Cortland street sta
ton was urging him on. He allowed
him a hasty wink, and then piled down
the steps as if they had been creased.
The man in the gray coat was half
black ahead, and walking like a steam
engine. He paused finally at trunk
store that bore the sign A. Alfriend e.
Co, and with look at his watch, went
in. Joe gave a murmur of relief. His
game was Gagged. He rushed in after
him and ran up to him.
did youse drop a pocketbook?" said
he, visions of reward filling his mind.
81 guess not" said the man, calmly.
did you find one?'
Look and see' said Joe excitedly.
ION need to look, sonny, because I
never carry a pocket-bo My money
always goes into this pocket, and here
it is"
AS he spoke he put his hand into his
fob pocket and pulled out slender roll
OF bills.
"Chee!" calculated Joe. "And me fol-
lyin' you way up town."
He pulled the pocketbook out of his
pocket as he spoke, and looked at it
with an expression of regret that was
laughable 1t was quickly followed by
an expression of joy. but at Nthis juno
ture Mr. Alfriend said:
"Well. you're honest, anyway Maybe
there's an address in it. Come into my
private office and Wen see what's to
be done
The pocketbook was found to contain
SS7. a recipe for making Venetian
cakes. a newspaper clipping about
monkey and parrot, and a white bone
button-not very substantial ciews.
81 say said Joe. suspiciously. Il
think dat findin's keepin's wen a fell
Ter went tree or four miles out of his
way to chase up der wrong duck"