The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1903-07-09
With a False Arm.

A man With bot one arm stood leanin
se esinst the showcase. The other arm ID
islse one. rested partly on the tray o
diamonds. Ga the hand Of that srm b
wore . conventional glove Of black. d
vas . we'll dressed man. With . smootl
sh sven face. He wss exsmin som
high priced stones.
With the other band, the left one. b.
6nslly picked on. Q small diamond probsl
~ the least expensive OF the lot, and ssl
ed the clerk 10 wrap II up. Al the SAINT
time be pulled from bis trousers pocket
roll OF bills Ut least three inches thici
and With the lei. hand dei.ly counted ouI
enough to psy Tor bis purchsse.
The clerk took the money and the
purchased gem spd then seized the tray
to replace il 10 the case.
AZ be did 90 lie rapidly counted With
bis eye the remsinipg stones as wss bis
custom. There W., re two missine, 10 cd
dition to the one be bimselt bad taken
from the tray. He glanced suspioiously
Il the one armed man.
l beg your pardon. cir, be said polite
y. bat reaching % be did 90 for bic re
voivsr underneath the counter, but there
are two stones missing. l-hsve you
taken lhemi he made this inquiry With
hesitation.
Tue one armed man looked st the clerk
'qaarely 10 the eye. You ere quite
right 10 be careful. be said pleasantly,
bat did not take the stones. How many
we're there beioref
The clerk told him. Come. returned
the man. We will count them together
then,
They did 90. They found the tally
right. There vas none missing. The
man va, right and the clerk wss wrong.
he apolosix,d profusely, bat The one
armed man took no ofenoe wbstever at
Ihe incident. He received his diamond
md his chsnss and spent several minutes
about diamond robberies and
,aiegusrds assinst them end then went
bis vsy.
Q1eer thing happened lhsp. cslled .hs
,lerk 10 smother. l came near telling
'hst swell that he vas . thief, thonaht
hat be took . couple Of b,illisnts. ]
,ounted 'em wrong and told him tbst be
% uss hsvs 'em. he said hs hadn't
rben counted 'sm over again and found
em oil right. And be wasn't mad sbous
1 either.
Are you sure ther're right nowf return
d .be other, 90 older man. LIT me see
lie trey.
Toe trey vas produced. Before II
esched the counter the old msn seizsd
be two largest diamonds II contsinsd
nd held them to the light.
Done. by Georsel be exclaimed. These
ire made Of glsss, ths.s oil.
"Sneskers" Kelly, the crack plsin
loshes msn q hesdqusrier', wss pat on
be csse at once.
l've heard Of the fellow. be announced
o tie jsveIsy Arm. He's new proposi
ion snd . slick ono st that. understand,
I'd there have been . good msny com
,lsirts about him. We haven't been
BILE 10 mske . touoh - yet I'll see
,hs. l can do. bat / guess its best for
90 10 charge the thing up TO prof, and
oss night nov. Even II ! overhaul the
,sn i's ten 10 one Won't get the stones
II do ny beet. though, sehtlemen.
That hsppened 10 Cbicsso. Ia Jsno
~ OF the next year. on . cold, crisp
o., svo prosperous looking men stood
iuoss side BY side 10 fashionable jewel
, store.
Oae Of them sss dressed 10 furs snd
Iors rich jewels. he sss . shosy men.
,hb . red lace. This vss '6aesken
ely Of Chicago.
The other msn vss . msn OF grave %
esrsnce. he sore gray beard and bic
cir VS. tioged vith white. By bis sp
esrsrcs be vss % sris.ocrst --probsbly
be pre- ident ofs bsrt. 10 bis Ieh bsnd
. beld . for ui.teo -oply oDe. HE
ieht YES clothed iB . light eolo'ed suede
love. he vas buying cismopda
Kelly v,tcbed tth msn closely
,ore closely than did the clerk. Finally
be clerk hsnded oot fev smsIl bills spd
snslI sbite psetsge end be iefl. AZ be
IA 90 Kelly followed bin whsn they
escted lhe aide ssIk Kelly touched bin
o The arm. The men glanced 81 bin
ut once, snd then ssinsips ssoapd sud
erly sssoek Kelly 10 the hesd With bic
Iahs hand. II vM hard ~ iron. kslIy