The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-01-22


turned And her face was worthy Of
her figure Two bright blue eyes met
mine for an instant before their own
er walked on. stood still was
IN love with that girl. whom ten sec
onds before ! had never seen.
gazed after her tin she was out
Of sight. Then I gazed at the sacred
spot on the pavement where she had
stood. and behold, there lay a little
purse. picked it up reverently and
FASTENED after her; but she was lost
IN the throng Of Broadway.
I reached Twenty third street and
turned and retraced my steps. and
presently I saw the girl again She
was gazing into another shop window.
I 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 we're brown II was not
she. but some other girl dressed ex-
actiy like her.
My hand fell frcm my hat, and /
gasped an apology. was wriggling
i4Wa4 s4en hand grasped my wrist
and tried to wrest the purse from me.
turned and beheld a large Tau in
ill-ittsng clothes.
"Ah, would you?" he said. "QuIetl"
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 a pick.
pocket2 picked up this purse five
minutes ago. and"
Yes. I've heard all that before, sew
eral times; l don't want to hear It
again. Have you lost your purse.
miss?"
The girl with the brown eyes
searched for her pocket. found 1t. and
then felt in it.
Yes. havel" she exclaimed.
broke into cold Precipitation.
Wrenching my wrist free held out
the purse. -But this is not your
purse"
But It is Oh. you bad. wicked
mani / felt you take IT,"
This settled the matter. I was
marched on between two policemen.
The girl and the detective went in a
cab.
When brought before the magistrate
she made pretense OF being dig
solved in tears, rid pathetically be-
sought the authorities to release me.
But the magissrate-a white-haired.
fatherly cid soothingly 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 purss WAS hers.
Silence, prisoner" said thc father
ly magistrate-still fatherly. but in
different way; you viii not mend
matters by blasphemy. A month.
Trke him away"
was taken away to 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.
Ny good name and my clothes hav-
ing been restored sS me. | was re-
quested-a refreshing change from be-
ing ordered-to step into a private
room. Here found three ladies-a
majestic matron. the girl with the
brown eyes who Lad procured me a
weeks living free Of expense, and,
marvellous to relate, the girl with the
blue eyes. with whom I was still In
love. Both girls were. except for
their eyes. exactly alike. Twins,
began to see.
The girl with the brown eyes had
tears in them. The girl with the blue
eyes had her handkerchief to her face.
But this. she has since informed me.
was because the humor Of the affair
had just struck her. She was hiding
what might have seemed to me inde.
cent mirth. The matron said grave.
":
"Sir, an awful wrong has been done
to you, for which l question whether
We can make adequate amends.
can. however. express my most deep
and sincere regret. But before / en-.
deavcr to explain. permit me to intro
ducc myself an Mrs. Alexander
Featherstone, and these are my
daughters. Mabel and AIiceT
Pardon me, Mrs. Featherstone. Il
said. 4 have already had the honor
OF an introduction to Miss Alice
Featherstone. ard the result OF the
introduction was such that, having
no natural taste for penal servltude.
would rather not pursue the &C.
quaintance
Your anger Is jrst. Mr.. Felix. But
you will at least permit me to explain.
On the day on which this awful thing
happened my dsaghters wore new
dresses exactly alike"
"Ah. that explains It. I seq now.
Doubtless that young lady In the full.