The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-10-25
LOST ARTICLES In
WASHINGTON STORES

of purses, money, packages !
and other valuables-in the
stores of Washington would be very |
large" said the manager of one of
washington's largest department houses
the other day, ''but such is not the case
But a short time ago the lifetime
savings Of a Washington woman. in the
neighborhood Of si,ooo or so. fell to the
floor in the bag in which she was carry |
ing the money. and remained for time
unnoticed in store in which she had
been shopping. but the bag was eventu-
ally found and returned to it's owner.
1t might seem that in a city like
washington. with shops not excelled
anywhere in the United States. and
with clientele of shoppers representing
enormous wealth, losses of valuable ar
ticles. as well as money would be of
frequent occurrence AS a matter OF
fact, it is said in different shops that
such is not the case.
Thanked the Shop Gin.
There is one story relating to the
loss of necklace that is interesting.
The woman to whom it belonged had
been shopping, and as she made her
purchases the necklace became un-
cIasped and dropped TO the counter. 1t
was found by the girl who had waited
on it's owner, soon after she left, and
taken Immediately to the office, the
girl giving the name OF the woman to
whom It probably belonged. The latter
was duly notified that an article Of
value which undoubtedly belonged to
her was being held at the office Of the
store, and that 1t would be returned at
any time upon proper identification.
1T has been estimated that the neck
lace was worth about $500. This wo-
nan. however, was evidently confident
OF the safety OF anything belonging to
her while 1t was in possession of the
80 before she called for her necklace
and identified it. She learned then the
name of the girl in the shop who had
found the Jewels and-when the story
is told IL IS this part rather than the
value of the article lost and found
which is emphasized-waIked over to
the counter and merely thanked her
for her honesty in seeing that the lost
property was restored
Money Quickly Returned.
There is another incident which oc-
CURED in another store in washington.
which was the occasion of pleasant feel
ing between two women who only knew
each other by name. The one woman
was about to enter the place when she
saw upon the sidewalk a purse which
she picked UP. and. thinking very likely
that its owner had come from the shop.
left IL there 10 await her return. That
was not long after. for the loser soon
discovered that her purse was missing
II had slipped from her hands as she
entered her carriage. II contained a,
comparatively small sum-sb-but she
was well pleased to recover it, and
wrote a courteous letter of thanks 20
the woman who had found It and whose
name she had learned. The finder OF the
purse was pleased at this acknowledg-
ment. expressed her pleasure upon her
the incident was a pleasant one
Changed Her Mind.
Another case is interesting, for Ii
shows what It is well not 20 do in case
OF making a find. A very handsome
feather boa was found on a counter at
which several women were sitting. The
man in charge OF that department OF the
etore naturally anxious TO find the
owner handed the boa to a couple OF
women who were sitting near; they ex-
/ amined It carefully, but said that II
did not belong TO them. Other women
sitting at the same counter shook their
beads in a decided negative. The boa
cid not belong 10 Them and IL was taken
to the cashiers desk and left to be
called for II did not remain long. for
II was not more than two or three min
utes before woman went to the desk
/ described the boa carefully, and as there
| could be no doubt In the cashiers mind
\ that IL belonged TO her. il was handed
ever. and she left Fifteen minutes
after that. however. one Of the Gus
/ toners Of the shop drove up and coming
to the department asked for the boa
which she had left. and was greatly
chagrined at its loss. for IL had been
gift from a dead relative. Investiga-
I ton proved tllat one or the women who
had examined the boa at the counter
and disclaimed ownership was the one
who had later claimed II. The cashier
remembered her distinctly. but there
was no way OF finding her, and up to
the present time her conscience has not
prompted her to return the stolen prop
i erty. Now, no more lost propertv Is
given out without a more careful In
vestigation.
A Conscience Case.
1T was in this same shop that a
strange thing happened. Another of the
regular customers lost her purse AS
IL happened. she was a favorite GUS
toner: for the woman who says pleasant
} things OF the goods shown her, is cour-
teous TO the employees. and appreciative
OF their efforts to please her. does be-
come a favorite, even il she is not al.
ways one of the largest purchasers
and there was unusual regret at this oc-
currence. The woman had been look
|. ing at some fine goods at one of tho
counters, placed her purse on the count
er beside her, and then she forgot IL
It's loss left her without a penny. and
she was a Baltimore woman without
even a ticket for homo She had CON.