The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-03-19

armed And her face was worthy VI
Ter figure. Two bright blue eyes met
line for an instant before their own
n walked on. l stood still. was
love with that girl, whom ten sec
)nds before had never seen.
/ gazed after her till she was out
If sight Then l gazed at the sacreu
spot on the pavement where she mad
stood, and behold, there lay niue
purse. picked 1t up reverently ana
fastened after her; but she was lost
In the throng of Broadway.
/ reached Twenty-third street and
turned and retraced my steps, ana
presently / saw the girl again. she
was gazing into another shop window
picked my way delicately through the
feminine crowd. My arm brushed hers,
and the blood rushed from my heart
to my ears. She turned. Our eyes
met. And, by all the saints in heaven,
her eyes were brown 1t was not
she, but some other girl dressed ex-
actly like her.
My hand fell from my hat and
gasped an apology. / was wriggling
away, when hand grasped my wrist
and tried to wrest the purse from me.
| turned and beheld large man in
ill-fitting clothes.
"Ak, would you?" he said. "Quieti"
He dug his knuckles into the back
of my hand. | restrained a fierce de-
/ sire to infiict similar treatment on his
countenance, and said; Let go, you
ass! Can't you see I'm not pick
pocket? I picked up this purse five
minutes ago, and"
Eyes, I've heard all that before, sew
eral times; don't want to hear 1t
again. Have you lost your purse,
miss?"
The girl with the brown eyes
searched for her pocket. found it, and
then felt in it.
yes, have!" she exclaimed.
| broke into cold perspiration.
Wrenching my wrist free I held out
the purse. But this is not your
purse"
But 1t is. Oh, you bad, wicked
man! felt you take it,"
This settled the matter was
marched off between two policemen.
The girl and the detective went in a
cab.
When brought before the magistrate
she made a pretense of being dis.
solved in tears, and pathetically be-
sought the authorities to release me.
But the magistrate white-haired,
fatherly cid gentleman-soothin ex-
planned to her how necessary it was
for the protection of honest people
that rogues should be punished. AT
length this wretched woman, commit
ting perjury for the sake of a paltry
purse, suffered the oath to be admin
istered and swore the purse was hers.
Silence. prisoner" said the father
ly magistrate-sti fatherly, but in a
different way you will not mend
matters by blasphemy. A month
Take him away"
was taken away to a cell.
In this impolite retirement / spent
the seven most hideous days and
nights of my life. But on the eighth
day came release. A warder entered
my cell and with more respect than ]
had yet received in the prison, told
me that my innocence had been dis
covered and that had been pardoned
for the offense had not committed.
My good name and my clothes hay
ing been restored to me, | was re
luested-a refreshing change from be
ing ordered-to step into private
room. Here l found three LADIES'
majestic matron, the girl with the
brown eyes who had procured me
weeks living free of expense, and
marvellous to relate, the girl with tn,
blue eyes, with whom | was still il
love. Both girls were, except TO
their eyes. exactly alike. Twins,
began to see.
The girl with the brown eyes ha,
ears in them. The girl with the blu,
eyes had her handkerchief to her face
But this, she has since informed me
vas because the humor of the affai
rad just struck her. She was hidini
What might have seemed to me indie
emit mirth. The matron said grave
ly:
Sir. an awful wrong has been don
you. for which / question whethe
We can make adequate amends.
an. however, express my most dee
ind sincere regret. But before | en-
eavor to explain, permit me to intro
luce myself. | am Mrs Alexande
'eatherstone. and these are M
daughters, Mabel and Alice"
Pardon me. Mrs. Featherstone. "
said, Il have already had tho homo
i an Introduction to Miss Alic
'eatherstone, ard the result of til
Introduction was such that, havin
% natural taste for penal servitudt
would rather not pursue the %
uaintance.
Your anger Is Just, Mr.. Felix. Bu
you will at least permit me to explain
n the day on which this awful thin
appened my de lighters wore ne,
.resses exactly alike"
"Ah, that explains 1t. | see nov
oubtless that young lady in the full
ess OF her heart was DESTROYS thu
Tiers should share her good forum,
too, had a new dress on the day /
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