Los Angeles herald., 1907-05-11
ONE BIG JOKER
IS BILL BROWN
IMPERIAL TREASURER LIKES
HIS FUN
Mrs. C. W..HinchcIffe Helps the Game
Along, and the Two Make
Monkeys of Bunch of
ShrIners

Client Arabic Order MOBILES Of the Mystic
Shrine, is the biggest joker on two
continents, and yesterday he had some
of the other imperial officers very much
disturbed. Mr.. Brown wears the gold
badge of the imperial treasurer, a
handsome jewel that any man might
be proud to possess.
Trading badges is the order of the
day every day during the conclave,
and yesterday woman. thinking Mr..
Browns jewel one of the ordinary SOU
venir kind, asked him to give 1t to her.
He told her he had promised to give
it to another woman, and did not ex-
plain that it was his jewel. He walked
over to the headquarters of AL Malai-
kah temple in the Alexandria corridor,
where the imperial officers receive in
formation, and there he presented his
badge to Mrs. c. w. Hinchcliffe a
member of the woman's reception COM
mittee.
In hurried whisper he told her to
let people know that she had found
1t, and watch the fun. .
Feels Bad About 1t
In some way word was quietly passed
around that Mr. Brown had lost his
jewel, and there was CONSERVATION and
deep mourning in the ranks of the
Shrine. Finally a man, who did not
know Mrs. Hinchcliffe, saw her with
the jewel and wanted to know where
she got it.
"Why, that belongs to the treasurer
Mr.. Brown" he said, with tone that
was almost one of offended dignity.
"Well, 1 don't know Mr.. Brown.
found it and 1 am going to keep 1T.
Mrs. Hinchcliffe said.
But, madam, that is very valuable
jewel, and you must give it to Mr.
Brown"
'I tell you don't know Mr.. Brown u
'But 1 will get him and bring him
to you at once" and the Shrinei
walked off to find Brown.
A couple of minutes later he re-
turned with his man in tow.
Here's Brown now; please give hin
that jewel"
But I do not know you are Brown
You will have to be identified" said
Mrs. Hinchcliffe. 'I found this and
am not going to give it up unless
really find the owner
Something of Joker Herself
81 am here to identify Mr.. Brown
said the man who had first discovered
the jewel.
well, pray, sir, how do I know
you?" Mrs. Hinchcliffe questioned.
BY this time quite crowd had gath
cred. Mr. Brown protested that NJ
was Brown and everybody else pro
tested that Brown was Brown:
Fred Hines told Mrs. Hinchcliffe tina
Brown was her man, all right, bu
even then she could not be persuaded
to see~1 It that way. Another Shrine
stepped up in the crowd and declared
''Why, of course it's Brown, madam
I'VE known Bill Brown for ages. Any
one will tell you that's Brown. Ther'
Is not another man like him in the
country. He comes from Pittsburg."
MADAM, let me give you my card,
said Brown, and when she put out hel
hand to receive 1t he handed her
Pittsburg stogie.
"Here is Browns, signature on my
receipt; is not this proof enough thai
he Is Brown?" offered another Shrinel
anxious to help his friend.
"Anyone could write Mr.. Browns
naue.' said the skeptical Mrs. Hinch-
cliffe: and then Brown offered to write
his name and compare signatures.
Writes Name Backward
He wrote it and handed it to Mrs
Hinchcliffe. Does that look anything
like it?' he asked, and she looked
puzzled. She could not even read II
He walked to nearby mirror what
aho,,t that's that the signature?"
.ewe1I. it might be; but that is
croolxed and the other was straight
was Mrs. Hinchcliffe's half-hearted ad-
mission.
'rwelI one was before and the other
was after. That's all there is to that :
He had written his name backward
and the looking glass gave II correctly
Mr. brown got his jewel and walked
off very soberly without ever letting
anvone know the whole thing had been
a put up job.
4 few minutes later Frank Roundy
the new imperial potentate, was lean
ing against one of the marble pillars
in the Alexandria. HIS niece was SIT
ting near him, and Mr. Brown walked
I'D and addressed him.
"Pardon me, but are you not Roundy
the new potentate?"
"No, SIR replied Mr.. Roundy. with
a straight face.
not him YOU must be his double, fol
YOU certainly look like him."
AwfuIIy InsuIted, You Know
mo- sir; I am not Roundy, or any,
one else ike HlIl. w hebI Wy JOu AiO"N
by speaking to me?"
.eWell, you need not get angry about
it. No offense meant; I assure you
I meant no harm. Will you exchange
cards with me?'
mo, sir; will not.
"Oh, very WELL" and Brown started
to walk away.
Mr.. Roundy's niece, who had been
watching this conversation with
nuzzled look on her face, walked over
to her uncle.
''Uncle, how could you tell that man
such a story; and you were SO horrid
to him.
f"Say, Brown" Mr.. Roundy called
after him; "come back here and meet
my niece"
i'My dear, this old boy and 1 have
known each other ever since!T can re-
member, and he is just about the worst
iolxer there ever was" The girl
laughed and looked more puzzled, and
Mr.. Brown went off to find new
worlds peopled with credulous ones
- ;4;,o. to he fooled