The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1903-01-02
THE MEANEST MAN.
He Has Been Found mt Los Angeles.
California.

The worst thing about some stories
is that they arc lies. The worst thing
about this story is that it is literally
true. The meaneSt man in Los An
gelcs has been found the case has
been proved and Next" has been
cllled. 1t is doubtful, in fact, whether
la .meaner man will be found anywhere.
Tile story needs no belishmcnt.
The simple facts are bad enough, and
thfs;S just the way the events occur
red.
a well known woman went out rid
ing Il few days ago. She had her
.pocketbook with her. The pockctlook
contained some money. Therefore it
is unnecessary to explain that the
woman was not out shopping. She
lost the pocketbo0k. When She came
home She told her husband about the
loss. AS to whether lie scoldcd her or
not my informant does not say. At
any rate, that evening the family
telephone bell rang and on answering
it IL mans voice WAS heard to make
tho uSua! Inquiries, after which lie
sal
,und 4 pockctbook today con
r. ,g Il card bearing your wife's
s Z. l supposed the book belonged
hgyo,Ir wife. l have it lit my Office. y
The thanks Of the relieved family
were freely poured over the wire, and
sleep in that household was sweet that
night.
Next morning the husband or the
woman who lost the pockctbook called
at the office Of the wcll-known gentle
man y1,i,n hoI tnlnpl,n,,nI JIo ,,,o,,
presented to 4 fine looking person who
was said to be the one who owned the
found property. The husband dcs-
cribed the portnonnaic accurately.
including tho contents, and the finder
graciously acknowledged tiiat the dcs-
cription %as correct.
The book was then produced and
was promptly recognized,
Il ain very much obliged to you for
tclepho:ing us or your iind,n said the
gratiiicd visitor; then, as Il matter OF
course, he added: Nov, how much
do L owe you for your kindncss?"
The other looked serious for a mo-
mcnt, and then replied slowly:
well. l hardly know just how
much to say. Wen, let's say-no. It's
up to you
TO s;ly that the husband Of the
pockctboo.> loser was surprised would
be putting it mildly. Had lie been
haggling with a pickpocllct, street
gamin or a bcggar he would not have
been in the least taken aback. But to
hear that sort OF cool bid for pit
tancc from a we'll dressed, grown-up
man who had done an ordinary kind
ness such us might he rcturnablc any
hour was more than he was prepared
for.
When he had recovered his breath
lie SD IG.-nAe. -. ,.s.,a,,c htd.
~ ,.Y h;,sSS. LIZ, asFsrrs;rc ii::s..,
life, and has e5ilo idea Of the rules Gus
tomary governing such cases. should
feel better ii you would name the
amount YOURSELF.
The man looked Still more serious.
Taking Il pencil from his pocket, he
began to make figures on piece OF
paper. 6.4s
'fdct's scc,'' lie said, musingly, as
he eyed the pockctbook. Pretty good
pockctbook, slightly worn say, one
fifty. Contents, three dollars and five
cents total, four tifty-iiye. We might
split the diif--no, say two dollars"
And he looked up ut his victim with
the innocence Of Il child.
The man dug into his pocket speech
lcSsly. and handed out So, and started
for the door lie thought he had had
the experience Of his life. Not so. If
the mans diminutiycncss had been ex-
haustcd, his nerve hadn't. Reaching
into his vest pocket. lie drew out !;
card, handed it to the stupiticd caller
and said:
Heres my card. In case you
should ever want anything in our line
we would like to have you remember
the man who found your wifc's peck
ctbook. Los Angeles Herald