The daily morning Alaskan., 1904-01-14
GOODS
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UIlee on NACll NAANNNA lAAttN -Atra --NN -r stupidly. Is 1t stupidity or have they Q difficult problem to solvel I've "beer there myself and know something about 1t.
 One day I saw a bundle lying on the sidewalk In front of my house. picked lt up and was lingering 1t to discover what was inside when ] saw police. man looking at me ] didn't wish to turn over my find to him, and even if J did so he might accuse me of stealing it Assuming a careless air, l walked on past my house and around the block When l reached my door as ] took out my key I glanced down the street There was the policeman eying me with a very suspicious look on his face.
 Once Inside l opened the package. u contained piece of silk, some hand. kerhlefs and stockings. At first l sup posed some one had bought Che aru- cles. but on second thought concluded that a "shoplifter' had stolen them and, finding 1t dangerous to have them in his or her keeping, had dropped them.
 l felt very uncomfortable at my posi- ton. Indeed l became much alarmed. ] must get rid of the parcel as soon as possible.
 Mind you, was not facing a prob lem of securing their value All l cared to do was to get them out of my possession. My first thought was to burn them. Unfortunately 1t is ve7y difficult to burn such fabrics without creating an unpleasant odor and ] could not tell when the policeman who had followed me might enter the house The next expedient l conceived was Co hide them. That would never do. Y the house were searched it would be searched thoroughly. These plans were abandoned as soon as conceived.
 tied up the bundle and going up- stairs to my wife. was about to tell her what had happened when she showed me that matters were even worse than l had supposed by excloim- ing:
 Heavens. how white you are! Whats the matterg'
 Then knew that if found with the goods on my hands my appearance would be strong proof against me. ] told her the story, and she was at once thrown into the same state of anxiety as l. We hurricd.y talked over differ ent plans of action and finally decided that was to make an effort to get the goods out of the house.
 Ours was separate from other houses, standing in a yard by itself The four sides of its sloping roof Culminated in a platform. from which one could see in every direction. My wife went up on to this platform, and when the coast was clear. so far as uniformed officers of the law were concerned, she called to me. and ! dashed out with the bundle through the back door and into an al- ley.
 Up to the moment of finding myself ! free from my own premises without in- terruption I had supposed that the rest would be very easy. ] did not find 1t SO. To drop the bundle in the alley in the rear Of my own house would be a | bad giveaway. ] must reappear with it on the street. Fortunately l was able to get on an avenue where ] would not be liable to encounter the man who had suspected me. Summon ing what coolness' there was left in me, l emerged upon this avenue and en- | tered the throng.
 I could not have regalned much of my equanimity, for my telltale appear ance caused people I met to glance at me. This made matters worse, and the ! farther I walked the more ] was mo- ticed. l turned into a recess between several buildings and was about to drop my bundle when a door opened and a woman came out dashed out of the place and made no further effort tn J had gained the outskirts of the city. Coming to bridge tied stone to the bundle with a view to dropping ! it in the water. Just as l was about to ! do SO who should drive by but my friend Charley Reeves.
 "Hcno. Tompkins" be said, refining up. "Wbat are you doing away out ! heref'
 l slammered out something incoher- ent. and Reeves. looking at me search ingly. made up his mind that l was ill and "out of my head He forced me into his wagon and drove me home. By this time l had given up in despair and concluded to go back without re- sistance and submit to arrest l entered my house. expecting to find the police there waiting for me. ] was relieved that they were not and had not been there. My wife made me lie down and bathed my temples with cold water. The bundle lay on the table, and ] could not compose myself tin she had put it where l couldn't see 1t. l was l getting quieted down when there came a sharp ring at the door bell.
 "Now. keep up, dear," said my wife, "for my sake" Then she went down stairs and opened the door. I listened from the landing and heard a boys voice say:
 twill you please sign for the goods you bought this morning? ] didn't get the receipt when I delivered them"