Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1906-08-23

the hand of the street car passenger
sitting beside her, crawl stealthily into
her pocket.
Mrs. Osgood was intelligent as well
as self-possessed, and she knew that a
cry would instantly project the thief
to the rear platform, whence he might
easily step TO the pavement Consid-
ering the emergency hastily, Mrs. Os-
good did the very best thing that could
have been done under the circum-
stances She dropped her own hand to
her skirt and cla5ped the intruding
digits as firmly as she was able. In
stantly the digits aforesaid were
wrenched free and the young man on
her right hurried out of the car
Mrs. Osgood held her pocket for a
few moments while she decided to hold
her peace. She could feel that her
purse was safe and she realized that by
that time the young man must be in
the same happy condition. Since moth
ing had been lost, nothing was to be
gained by creating a disturbance. Mrs.
Osgood remained on the car until it
reached Seventy street, where
she resided. and then, her self-satis-
faction showing in every movement,
she walked home.
That night, while she was dressing
for dinner, her maid remarked: Il put
you" new ring in the jewel box, ma
DAM"
My new ring?" inquired Mrs. Os.
good.
THE one in your pocket" replied
the maid. 1T wasn't wrapped; just
loose like"
All" quoth Mrs. Osgood. Let me
see it."
Ii was curious trinket of the sort
known as burial scarab. Doubtless,
hundreds of years before 1t had
adorned the hand of some spiced
Egyptian gentleman boxed and con-
signed to a polytheistic paradise. More
recently Mrs Osgood felt certain, it
had slipped from the finger of another
gentleman bound for a place remote
from any paradise whatever. In fine,
the ring unquestionably was the prop
erty of the pickpocket, and its present
pOsesSsor had foiled a thief emily to be-
come a thief herself.
The funny part of it, said Mrs. Os-
good while the fish was being served
SIS that | can't bring myself to hope
that anyone will ever claim the thing
It's the most extraordinary ,caras
ever saw"
Il shouldn't think of wearing It," re
fnrnpH Mr. nCOnnH eft Dniobt hp in
fected, or, for all you can tell, it might
he a symbol to identify you as a mem
Der Of some criminal society"
"Oh, that's too good" exclaimed his
wife, and attacked the fish.
A few days later she advertised in a
paper that the owner of fine Egyp-
tian scarab lost on a Columbus avenue
car might have the same by the simple
process of describing his property. The
notice also contained the reassuring
information that no questions would be
asked. Notwithstanding this promise
of consideration for a tender con-
science, no one ever called to claim the
ring. and, after time, Mrs. Osgood
began wearing it herself. OF have a
strange Partially for things out of
place." she commented and a 1000
year-old beetle bound to the third fin
ger of ones right hand may certainly
be said to be out of place"
Don't be surprised" her husband
admonished, IF some anarchiStic-look-
ing rutfian stops you on the street and
asks for the countersign."
Mrs Osgood laughed again. Deep in
her heart she did feel a little uneasi-
Eess, but. as she wore the ring evening
af;el evening and the prophecy of her
lord and master was never fulfilled,
even this Slight fear left her. On the
first night of the COnried season she
selected the ornament from q large
number of others and carried 1t so far
into society as d Left, in the Metro
pclitan opera house. There it excited
considerable attention, particularly
from a thin, nervous woman IN loud
! gown and the adjoining seat.
The thin, nervous woman proved to
be anything but an agreeable neigh
Dor. She fdgeted restlessly in her
chair and expressed her annoyance at
the contact of -. Mrs. Osgood's opera
cloak, which had been thrown care
lessly over the space of seat-back be-
tween them, by frequently plucking at
its soft folds. At first Mrs. Osgood laid
these gaucheries to standardization,
an opinion born of her husbands
laughing remark: She goes out after
every act and is worse every time she
comes back" Subsequently, however,
! Il was agreed that the offender prob
ably was merely IAN outsider who
didn't know how to conduct herself.
There isn't any bar in the foyer, is
there?" Mrs. Osgood asked during one
! or the intermissions.
Mr.. Osgood said there wasn't
We'll, them" returned Mrs. Osgood,
! adding: Besides, noticed that she
simply walks about. Perhaps this is
! the first time she has ever been among
really nice people, poor thing:"
Whether the proximity mention ed
had an inebriating effect or whetA er
the vexatious person was merely tired,
she came so near to embracing the oc-
cupant of ID Left, after her last tour,
that Mrs Osgood was much ruftied and
calculated angrily, do be careful"
"Oh, that's all right" whispered the
Outsider" impudently, and Mrs. Os-
good turned her attention to the stage
Guo Marguerite, who was in the very
act OF going to heaven.