Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-07-22
Absentminded
Jones
By CYRUS DERICKSoN
Copyright. 1904. by X. NJ. Whitehead

he thought IL would look well and
somehow increase his importance. Sa-
lathiel Jones was Jones & Co. and the
only Jones, and he was mystery to
all who knew him. He wns q success
full merchant, and at the same time he
was SO absentminded that he was
daily laughed ut by scores OF people
His store was by ali odds the largest
establishment of its kind for miles
around. and for many years he had
hao four male clerks In his employ
Then one day, to keep up with the
times. he gave a place to a young wom-
an, and Miss Minnie Trent made her
debut behind the counter at which
most or the women customers made
their purchases.
In taking in Miss Minnie, Jones had
aided worthy widow and n smart and
good looking daughter 10 exc out their
Income, and he deserved ali 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 a good
employer and she a smart saiesgirl.
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
lage that he was sweet" on Minnie.
Some said that 1t was through his In
huence that she secured the place but
that was not true. One of the other
clerks was a bachelor of forty-fiye
Nobody could ever understand how he
turned to mercantile life. He seemed
10 be as slow witted as he was slow
footed. and his personal appearance
was anything but prepossessing. 1t
was doubtful II 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
ut the store for months and months
when there came such an interruptjon
as had never been known before. A
woman lost a purse containing $50.
There We're not half a dozen pqonle
In the store at the time, and she was
sure she had 1t I'm her hand when she
sat down at the counter presided over
py Miss Trent. Search was made Mt
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 a funeral. and
he did not learn of the loss until SOW
eral hours after. Then be proceeded 70
a Judicial examination. He called I'm
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 Mt the
counter when she missed her purse
ana although she made no charge.
there could be but one inference. She
herself was permitted TO seach the pro-
testing and Indignant girl. and a thor
ough search was made above and nm
der the counters and all over the store
out 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
woman talked.
Anything is n sensation in n village.
The fact that $50 had been lost in
Jones Co.'S was n big sensation. big
ger than circus and Il Fourth OF July
In one. People at once divided of.
One half OF them were sure that the
daughter or 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 II up or even that
there had been no loss at all. Jones &
Co, tried to pass the affair over and
hush II up, but the people wouldn't
have 1t that way. IL was n good thing
TO hang on to until some woman eloped
or some man stole sheep. and 1t be-
came leading and a burning oues-
ton. 1t resulted In quarrels between
neighbors. and those quarrels finally
resulted In Miss Trent being called n
thief and having TO take legal cogni-
zance OF 1t by bringing suit for SIAN
der. The defendant In that suit swore
out n warrant for the girl on O charge
or having appropriated the $50, and
there was as pretty kettle of fish as o
town ever saw.
Jones & Co. and the three clerks
were placed In an unfortunate posi-
ton. While oil OF them fully believed
In the girls innocence. their testimony
on n suit would hardly 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 ut the time
Things certainly looked very bad for
Miss Trent. and the mental worry mad
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 q full
confession. In this confession he ad-
mitted to passing the counter while
clerk and customer were busy looking
at goods and TO have seen the purse
and slipped it 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 arraigned and |
1~e-N V'SA " u AiSACI tTlHl.
IL there had been excitement before |
there was a sensation now. While Miss |
Trents character was cleared, people |
hesitated Co believe that Albert Ross |
was a thief. However. when a man
says he Is thief. swears that he is a |
thief and demands that he be sent to |
prison as a thief, what are you going |
to do about 1t? The kew To uniock the |
was kicking around under |
foot all the time. but nobody could see |
It.
The trial In the higher court came |
along In about month, and Ross |
pleaded guilty and was sent to state |
prison for year. He took the sem
tence meekly and in a couple OF days
had disappeared from sight of the peo-
pie who had known him Tor fifteen
long years and believed in his honesty
every day. Miss Trent returned to the
store. and things went on In the old i