Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-08-30
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The Pickpocket'. Scarab
By CLAIMING POLLOCK
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 Copyright, 1908, by Joseph B. Bowles)
 Mrs. Duncan Osgood. being woman of great presence of mind, did not scream when she felt a hand, probably 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 g cry would instantly project the thief to the rear platform, whence he might costly 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 clasped 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 noth- ing had been lost, nothing was to be gained by creating disturbance. Mrs. Osgood remained on the car until 1t reached Seventy-second 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: T put your new ring in the jewel box. ma- dam."
 My new ring?" inquired Mrs. Os- Cood.
 The one in your pocket" replied the maid. Tt wasn't wrapped; just loose like"
 'Ah!" quoth Mrs. Osgood. Let mo see It."
 It was curious trinket of the sort known as burial scarab. Doubtless, hundreds of years before it had adorned the hand of some spiced Egyptian gentleman boxed and con- signed to polytheistic paradise. More recently, Mrs. Osgood felt certain, 1t bad slipped from the finger of another gentleman bound for place remote from any paradise whatever. In fine. the ring unquestionably was the prop erty of the pickpocket, and its present posesssor had foiled thief only to be- come a thief herself.
 "The funny part of 1t, said Mrs. Os- good while the fish was being served, ''is that I can't bring myself to hope that anyone will ever claim the thing It's the most extraordinary scarab I ever saw"
 T shouldn't think of wearing it," re- turned MT. Osgood. Tt might be in- fected, or, for all you can tell. 1t might te symbol to identify you as 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 . 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 1t herself "1 have strange partiality for things out of place." she commented, "and a 2000- year-old beetle bound to the third fin- ger of one's right hand may certainly be said to be out of place"
 Don't be surprised" her husband If some anarchistic- look ing ruffian 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 after 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 large of others and carried it so far into society as D Left, in the Metro- pclitan opera house. There it excited attention. particularly frnvx, O thfu. |. norvouo v,nx,or sc o loud gown and the adjoining seat.
 The thin, nervous woman proved to be anything but an agreeable neigh Dor. She ndgeted restlessly in her chair and expressed her annoyance at the contact of Mrs. 0sgood's opera cloak, which had been thrown care lessly over the space of seat-back be- tween them. by frequently piucking 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. t was agreed that the offender prob ably was merely ''an outsider" who iidn't know how to conduct herself.
 There isn't any bar in the foyer, is there!" Mrs. 0sgood asked during one ,f the intermissions.
 Mir osgood said there wasn't.
 Well. then!" returned Mrs. oscood, aiding: Besides. noticed that she simply walks about Perhaps thi. s Inc first time she has ever been am,ng