Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1904-08-03
Absentninded
Jones
BY CYRUS DERIcKsoN
Copyright, 1904. BY k. NJ. Whitehead


clones & Co, Dry Goods. Groceries.
hardware. Etc but there was no
go" II was put on by Jones because
Ne thought II would look well and
.omehow increase his Importance sa-
,,blel Jones was Jones & Co. and the
on,r Jones. and he was mystery 10
all who knew him. lie was a SUCCESS
ful merchant. aud at the same time he
was so absentminded that he was
as,ly laughed at by scores OF people
His store was by all odds the largest
establishment of its kind for miles
around. and for many years he had
had four male clerks In his employ
Then one day, 10 keep up with the
times he gave place TO a 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 a worthy widow aud smart and
good looking daughter TO exc ont their
income, and he deserved all credit for
It. 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 a smart salesgirl.
and things went along without any
trouble.
One OF the three male clerks In the
store was named James Thomas. aud
II was generally understood In the viii
LACE that he was sweet on Minnie
Some said that IL was through his in
fuence that she secured the place, but
that was not true. One of the other
clerks was bachelor of forty-tiye.
Nobody could ever understand how he
turned 10 mercantile life He seemed
10 be as slow witted as he was slow
footed, and his personal appearance
was anythssg but preoossesslng. Ii
was doubtful II any other merchant
except Jones wonld have employed him
at any wages. lat Jones wanted honest
people about / n, AID he had the high
est confidence in Albert Ross.
Things had becl running smoothly
at the store for AJaths and months.
when there came such an interru ptlon
as had never been known before A
woman lost a pu-sN containing $50.
There were not half :; tJ;. n .ce2 ,r
in the store at the time. and she was
sure she had II In her hand when she
sat down at the 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 sev-
erai hours after Then be proceeded to
a judicial examination. He called la
the constable and the justice OF the
peace. and the employees We're exam
tned 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 arse.
and, although she made no c4arge
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.
Anything Is a sensation in village.
The fact that $50 had been lost in
Jones 6 Co 3 was big sensation, big
ger than circus and a 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 charitabIy argued that some
one else had picked II up or even that
there had been no loss at all. Jones Il
Co. tried 10 pass the affair over and
hush IL up, but the people wouldn't
have it that way II was good thing
to hang on 10 until some woman eloped
or some man stole sheep, and it be-
came n leading and burning ques-
ton. II 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 II by bringing n suit for slam
der. The defendant In that suit swore
out warrant for the girl on a charge
OF having appropriated the $50. and
there was MS pretty kettle of fish as a
town ever saw.
Jones & Co. and the three clerks
were placed in an unfortunate posi-
ton. While an OF them fully believed
In the girls innocence. their testimony
ON a suit would hardly favor her. If
the purse was lost ri her counter. as
the loser was y to swear. then it
must be admitted tsat 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
strange thing happened Albert Ross