The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1904-09-21
AEccn(minded
Jones
Ey cYSUS DEREcKsoa
Copyright. 1904. by X. NJ. whiteh ad


The sign on the village store read.
"Jcncs 4 70. Cry Goods. Groceries.
Hardware. Etc." but there was 10
GO" 1t VAS put on by Jones because
he thought 1t would look we'll and
somehow increase his Importance. Sa-
LttLiel Jones was Jones * Co.. and tie
only Jones. and lie was u mystery to
all who knew him. He was a success
ful merchant. and at the same time he
was so nbsen.IlinJcd that he was
ia.ly laughed ut by scores of people.
Ills store was by all odds the largest
establishment of its kind for miles
around. ana for many years he had
had four male clerks in his employ.
Then n day. to keep up with the
times. he gave a place to a young wom-
an. and Miss Minnie Trent made her
debut behind tie coun.er at which
most of the women customers made
their purchases.
In taking in Mss Minnie, Jones had
aided u 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 TIE time. and there We're
occasions when he looked at Eer and
wondered where he could possibly have
seen her before. but he was a good
employer and she q smart salesgirl.
and things went along without any
trouble.
One Of the three male clerks In the
store was named James Thomas, and
II was generally understood in the vii
iagc 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 a bachelor of forty-five.
Nobody could ever understand how he
turned to mercantile life. He seemed
to be rs slow witted as he was slow
footed. and his personal appearance
was anything bat prepossessing. 1t
was doubtful II any other merchant
except Jones would have employed him
OF any wages. but Jones wanted honest
people about him. and lie had the high
est confidence in Albert Ross.
Things had been running smoothly
at the store for months AMI months.
when there came such in interruption
rs had never been known before. A
woman lost a purse cont lining SO.
There We're not half a dozen people
In he store at the time. and she WIS
sure she had it in her hand when she
Sat down ut the counter presided over
by Miss Trent. Search WAS made 81
once and continued for half IN hour.
Jones had left the store five Minutes
before the alarm wss raised to get IN
carly dinner and attend a funeral. AMI
be did not learn of the loss until sew
eral hours after. Then he proceeded to
a JUDICIAL examination. He called in
the constable and tie justice of The
peace. anu the employees were eyam.
incl AMI cross examined. The loser
was firm in saying til I no other per-
son except Miss Mime was at the
counter when she missed her purse.
and, although she made no charge,
there could be but one Inference. She
herself YES permitted to seach the pro.
testing and indignant girl. ana a thor
cugh search was IN ,de above and I'M
der the counters AMI al over the store.
but nothing wss brought to Ii. hit. Then
Jones did the right thing. He h ndel
the woman so. 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.
The fact that $50 had been lost in
Jones & Co.'S was a big sensation. big
ger than a circus AMI a Fourth Of July
In one. PEOPLE at nee divided OF.
One half of them were sure that the
daughter of the widow hal yielded to
the sudden temptation AMI concealed
the purse for her future benefit. The
orher half char.tably argued tn I ONE
u else had picked II up or even that
there had been no loss at all. Jones X
Co. tr,el to pass the affair over ana
hush 1t up. but the people wouldn't
have 1t that way. 1t W s Il good thing
to hang on to until some woman elo~ed
VI SobfS hhNh " ohNSp ~ - ~
came a leading and q burning ques-
ton. 1t resulted in quarrels between
neighbors. AMI those quarrels finally
resulted in Miss Trent being called 8
thief ana having to take legal cognf
lance OF II by bringing a silt for SIAN
der. The defendant In that suit swo e
Il a warrant for the girl on Il charge
of having appropriated the so. and
there was rs pretty a kettle Of fish as a
town ever saw
Jcnes & Co. ana the three clc'ks
were pl:ced in ar unfortunate rosi-
ton. While all Of them fully belle ell
In the girls innocence. Their testimony
on a suit woull hsr-ly favor her. II
the purse was lost at her counter. as
the loser was ready to swear. then It
must be admitted that only the two
were there 1T the time.
Things certainly 10 ked very had for
Miss Trent. and the mental worry had
put her under the doctors care. when a
strange thing happcHci. Albert Ross.