Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-11-28
DAILY SHORT STORY
Stolen Goods.


stupidity. Is it stupidity or have they a
difficult problem to solve? I've "been
there" myself and know something
about it.
One day l saw bundle lying on the
sidewalk III front of my house. picked
it up and was lingering it to discover
what was inside when l saw police
man looking at me. 1 didn't wish to
turn over my find to him, and even if
did so he might accuse me of stealing
it. Assuming a careless air, l walked
on past my house and around the block.
When l reached my door as took out
my key | glanced down the street.
There was the policeman eying me
with very suspicious look on his face.
Once inside 1 opened the package. 1t
contained a piece of silk, some hand
kerchiefs and stockings. At first l sup
posed some one had bought the arti-
cles, but on second thought concluded
that ''shoplifter" had stolen them
and, finding it dangerous to have them
in his or her keeping. had dropped
them.
felt very uncomfortable at my posi-
ton. Indeed 1 became much alarmed.
must get rid of the parcel as soon as
possible.
Mind you, l was not facing a prob
lem OF securing their value. All l
cared to do was TO get them out of my
possession. My first thought was to
burn them. Unfortunately it is very
difficult to burn such fabrics without
creating an unpleasant odor. and 1
could not tell when the policeman who
had followed me might enter the house.
The next eXpedient 1 conceived was to
hide them. That would never do. If
the house were searched it would be
searched thoroughly. These plans were
abandoned as soon as conceived.
tied up the bundle and. going up
stairs to my wife, was about to tell
her what had happened when she
showed me that matters were even
worse than had supposed by eXclaim-
ing:
Heavens how white you arel What's
the matter?"
Then I knew that if found with the
goods on my hands my appearance
would be strong proof against me. 1
told her the story, and she was at once
thrown into the same state of anxiety
as I. We hurriedly talked over differ
ent plans of action and finally decided
that was to make an effort to get the
goods out of the house.
Ours was separate from other houses,
standing in yard by itself. The four
sides of its slOping roof eliminated in
a platform. from which one could see
in every direction. My wife went up
on to this platform, and when the coast
was clear. so far as uniformed officers
of the law were concerned, she called to
me, and dashed out with the bundle
through the back door and into an al
ley.
Up to the moment of finding myself
free from my own premises without in
terruption had supposed that the rest
would be very easy. l did not find it
so. To drop the bundle in the alley in
the rear of my own house would be a
bad giveaway. 1 must reappear with
it on the street Fortunately | was
able to get on an avenue where l
would not be liable to encounter the
man who had suspected me. Summon
ing what GOODNESS there was left in me,
1 emerged upon this avenue and en-
tered the throng.
l could not have regained much of
my equanimity, for my telltale appear
nnce caused people l met to glance at
me. This made matters worse. and the
farther l walked the more 1 was no
ticed. 1 turned into Il recess between
several buildings and was about to
drop my bundle when a door opened
and woman came out. 1 dashed out
of the place and made no further effort
till 1 had gained the outskirts of the
city. Coming to Il bridge, tied a stone
to the bundle with a view to dropping
it in the water. Just as L was about to
friend Charley Reeves.
''Hello. Tompkins," he said, reinins
up. What are you doing away out
here?"
stammered out something incohe.-
ent, and Reeves, looking at me search
ingly, made up his mind that 1 was i'll
and tout of my head" He forced me
into his wagon and drove me home.
BY this time 1 had given up in despair
and concluded to go back without re-
sistance and submit to arrest. 1 entered
my house, expecting to find the police
there waiting for me. 1 was relieved
that they were not and had not been
there. My wife made me lie down and
bathed my temples with cold water.
The bundle lay on the table. and
could not compose myself till she had
put it where l couldn't see it. 1 was
getting Quoted down when there came
"a sharp ring at the door bell.
''Now, keep up. dear" said my wife.
"for my sake" Then she went down
stairs and opened the door. 1 listened
from the landing and heard a boys
voice say:
''Will you please sign for the goods
you bought this morning? 1 didn't get
the receipt when delivered them"
There was silence for some moments,
then my wife seemed to have recovered
sufficiently to say: