The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1903-01-02
INSPIRE OUR SOULS Nd HAKb'sSIss
THE nlEANEsT MAN.
sae HIS Been Found mt Los Angeles,
California.

The worst thing about some stories
is that they are lies. The worst thing
about this story is that it is literally
true. = he meanest man in Los An
gelcS has been found, the case has
been proved and Next" has beer
icllled. 1t is dou btful, in fact, whether
ia ,tneaner man Will be found anywhere
The story needs no belishmcnt
The simple facts are bad. enough, anC
thisis just the way the events occur
red.
+; a well knOwE woman went out rid
ing 4 few days ago. She had hel
.pocketbO0k with her. The pockctbooli
contained some money. Therefore it
is unnecessary to explain That the
woman was not out shopping. She
lost the pocketbook. When she ca5nc
home she told her husband about the
loss. AS to whether lie scolded her or
not my Informant does not say. at
any rate, that evening the family
telephone bell rang and on answering
III a man's voice was heard to, make
the usual inquiries, after which lie
said:
!, u found pocketbook today con
tanning IL card bearing your wife's
name. supposed the book belonged
to your wife. I have it at my oilicc'
The thinks Of the relieved family
were freely poured over the wire, and
sleep in that household was sweet that
night.
woman who lost tho pockctbook called
at the Office OF the well-known gentle
man who had telephoned. He was
presented to fine looking person who
was said to be the one who owned the
found property. The husband dcs-
cribed the portmonnaic accurately,
including tho contents, and the finder
g:aciously acknowledged that the des-
cription was correct.
The book was then produced and
was promptly recognized.
L am very much obliged to you for
tclephoning us Of your iind," said the
gratiiicd visitor; then, as a matter Of
course, he added: Nov, how much
do L owe you for your kind,iess?';
The other looked serious for IL mo-
ment, and then replied slowly:
We'll hardly know just how
much to say. Well, let's say-no. It's
up to You"
To say that the husband Of the
pocketbook loser was surprised would
be putting it mildly. Had lie been
haggling with Il pickpockct, street
gamin or Il beggar he would not have
been in the least taken aback. But to
hear that sort Of a cool bid for pit
tancc from Il we'll dressed, grown-up
man who had done an ordinary kind
ness such as might be rcturnable any
hour was moro than he was prepared
for.
When he had recovered his breath
lie Sal :...,., .,,. ..,.. ..,t : 81 - Il
= * ;;iY 2 llsEavsls ..y;
life, and aha-I Ifaio idea Of the rules Gus
tomary governing such cases. I should
feel better if you would name the
amount yourself."a.
The man looked Still more serious.
Taking 4 pencil from his pocket, he
began to make figures on a piece of
Faper (11isa
4ict's"sce, he said muslnely, as
he eyed the pocllctbook. Pretty good
pockctbook, Slightly worn-say, one
fifty. Contents, three dollars and five
cents total, four fifty-iive. We might
split the diff-no, say two dollars"
And he looked up at his victim with
the innocence Of a child.
The man dug into his pocket speech
lessly. and handed out 50, and started
for The door. He thought he had had
the experience OF his life. Not so. If
the mans diminutivcncss had been ex-
haustcd, his nerve hadn't. Reaching
into his vest pocket, lie drew out a
card, handed it to the stupified caller
and said:
Here's 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.