Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1905-09-29

as he got out he robbed pos, office In
a country town, an from the money
he got he sent $40 to the asylum au-
thorities TO pay for his two weeks
board. Told 'em he was no pauper, to
be supported by the benevolence of the
state. If that doesn't show he had
conscience, what does?'
Great Scott! Did he have any more
Of them conscientious spells?"
II should remark that he did. One
Sunday, when he was doin' nothin', he
went to church-for Steve had been
brought up mighty strict, ye see. When
they passed round the collection plate,
he whips out S5 bill an puts it in.
1t was a counterfeit, but Steve thought
the heathen wouldn't know the differ
ence, an he wanted to help things
along. An there's where he made a
mistake an give his conscience an aw.
broke into store, an it happened to
belong to one of the deacons of the
church, an in robbin' the safe he took
all the missionary money that the dea-
con had charge of. OF course, Steve
didn't know that at the time, but he
found it out the next day, for there in
the pile of bills was the counterfeit five
he had put in. Well, sir, if ever there
was a feller teetotally flabergasted an
busted up in his conscientious feelin's
it was Steve Lowder when he saw that
bill"
what did he do about it?"
For awhile he didn't know what to
do. He wanted to get the money back,
but how to do it without givin' himself
away was the question. He thought
of sending it by mail, an would have
done it that way if it hadn't been
church money. Bein' as it was a
church he had robbed his conscience
wouldn't let him do any sneallin' work
to right the matter So, after a deal
of considerin', he broke into the dea-
cons house one night an walked right
into his bedroom. The deacon saw him
an was about to get up, when Steve
covered him with revolver.
Lie still, Deacon he said, or your
preacher will have some funeral exer-
cises to tend to day after tomorrer.
Now, listen to me. robbed your store
the other night, an by mistake | took
some money that your church had
raised for the heather. I've felt awful
bad about it ever since, an have
brought it back. Here it is
"'Did you bring back with it the
money you stole from me-? asked the
deacon, anxious like.
Not much said Steve. I draws
the line between deacons an heather,
though in some cases l can't see much
difference between 'em. By the way,
that's a mighty nice gold watch on the
table there, an maybe you've got some
loose change in your clothes. Keep
STILL deacon, this pistol might go Off
"The deacon ducked under the quilts
very sudden, an Steve put the watch
an what money he could find into his
pocket, an left the house. He'd cleared
his conscience an felt better
81 s'pose," said the patrolman, that
he was more careful after that as tn
what money he took, wasn't hep
Eyes, he tried to be. But, for all
that, it was his conscience that got him
into this last trouble. .Ye see, Steve
was an expert burglar, an last month
he broke into the vaults of safety de-
post company an carried off a big
package of money. In the mornin',
when he saw the owners name on the
package, he almost tainted away. He
hurried right off to police station,
handed over the package an give him
self up. Told the captain his con-
science would never let him keep an
use that money"
"Why, who did it belong to-"
at belonged to the Standard Oh
company" replied the old sergeant
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