The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1904-09-14
Absentminded
Jones
By CYRUS DERIcKSON
Copyright. 1904. by X. M. Whitehead

The sign on the village store read,
Zones & CO., Dry Goods, Groceries,
Hardware, Etc." but there was no
&C.," 1t was put on by Jones because
he thought 1t would look well and
somehow increase his importance Sa-
lathiel Jones was Jones & Co.. and the
only Jones, and he was a mystery to
all who knew him. He was success
full merchant, and at the same time he
was so absentminded that he was
daily laughed at by scores of people.
His store was by all odds the largest
establishment of it's kind for miles
around, and for many years he had
had four male clerks In his employ.
times, he gave place to young wom-
an, and Miss Minnie Trent made her
debut behind the counter at which
most of the women customers made
their purchases.
In taking in Miss Minnie, Jones had
aided worthy widow and a smart and
good looking daughter to exc out their
income, and he deserved all credit for
1t. True, he called her Minnie or Miss
Trent half the time, and there were
occasions when he looked at her and
wondered where he could possibly have
seen her before, but he was good
employer and she smart salesgirl,
and things went along without any
trouble.
One of the three male clerks in the
store was named James Thomas, and
1t was generally understood in the viii
lage that he was sweet" on Minnie.
Some said that it was through his in
fuence that she secured the place, but
that was not true. One Of the other
clerks was bachelor Of forty-five.
Nobody could ever understand how he
turned to mercantile life. He seemed
to be as slow witted as he was slow
footed, and his personal appearance
was anything but prepossessing 1t
was doubtful If any OTHER merchant
except Jones would have employed him
at any wages, but Jones wanted honest
people about him, and he had the high
est confidence in Albert Ross.
Things had been running smoothly
at the store for months and months,
when there came such an interruption
as had never been known before A
| woman lost a purse containing $50.
There were not half dozen people
In the store at the time, and she was
sure she had it in her hand when she
sat down ct che counter presided over
by Miss Trent. Search was made at
once and continued for half an hour.
Jones had left the store five minutes
before the alarm was raised to get an
early dinner and attend funeral, and
he did not learn of the loss until sew
eral hours after. Then he proceeded to
judicial examination. He called in
| the constable and the justice of the
peace, and the employees were exam
ined and cross examined. The loser
was firm in saying that no other per-
son except Miss Minnie was at the
counter when she missed her purse,
and, although she made no charge,
there could be but one inference. She
herself was permitted to seach the pro-
testing and indignant girl. and thor
ough search was made above and I'M
der the counters and all OVER the store,
but nothing was brought to light. Then
Jones did the right thing. He handed
the woman $50, with his compliments
and regrets, and said nothing further
to the clerks Nothing further would
have been said by any one had not the
woman talked. & n#u a.
Anything Is a sensation In village
The fact that $50 had been lost in
Jones & Co.'s was big sensation, Zig
ger than a circus and Fourth Of July
in one. People at once divided off.
One half Of them were sure that the
daughter of the widow had yielded to
the sudden temptation and concealed
the purse for her future benefit The
other half charitably argued that some
one else had picked it up or even that
there had been no loss at ALL Jones &
Co. tried to pass the affair over and
hush it up, but the people wouldn't
have 1t that way. It was good thing
to hang on to until some woman eloped
or some man stole sheep. and it be-
came a leading and burning ques-
ton. 1t resulted in quarrels between
neighbors, and those quarrels finally
resulted in Miss Trent being called a
thief and having to take legal cogni-
zance of it by bringing suit for SIAN
der. The, defendant in that suit swore
out a warrant for the girl on charge
of having appropriated the $50, and
there was as pretty a kettle of fish as
town ever saw.
Jones & Co. and the three clerks
were placed in an unfortunate posi-
ton. While all of them fully believed
In the girls innocence. their testimony
on suit would hardly favor her. If
the purse. was lost at her counter, as
the loser was ready to swear, then 1t
must be admitted that only the two
were there at the time.
Things certainly looked very bad for
Miss Trent, and the mental worry had
put her under the doctors care. when a
strange thing happened. Albert Ross,
the old bachelor clerk, went before the
Justice Of the peace and charged him
self with the offense and made full
confession. In this confession he adj
mftted to passing the counter while
clerk and customer were busy looking
at goods and to have seen the purse
and slipped 1t into his pocket. He had
destroyed the purse, but he was ready
to restore the money. He asked to be
arrested, tried and punished. and in the
course OF week he was arrafgned and
bound over to a higher court for trial
If there had been excitement before
there was a sensation now. While Miss
Trent's character was cleared. people
hesitated to believe that Albert Ross
was thief. However, when man
says he is "A. thief, swears that he is a
thief and demands that he be sent to
prison as thief, what are you going
to do about it? The key to unlock the
mystery was kicking around under
foot all the time, but nobody could see
IL. ~ I'll.
The trial in the higher court came
along in about month, and Ross
pleaded guilty and was sent to state