Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1907-02-01


mine for an instant before their own
er walked on. l stood still. l was
in love with that girl, whom ten sec
onds before had never seen.
gazed after her till she was out
of sight. Then l gazed at the sacred
spot on the pavement where she had
stood, and behold. there lay a little
purse. I picked it up reverently and
fastened after her; but she was lost
in the throng of Broadway.
reached Twenty-third street and
turned and retraced my steps, and
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. 1 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 your" he said Quiet"
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.
pocket? 1 picked up this purse five
minutes ago, and"
Yes, I've heard all that before, sew
eral times; l don't want to hear 1t
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, / have!" she exclaimed.
broke into a cold perspiration.
Wrenching my wrist free I held out
the purse. But this IL not your
purse"
But 1t is. Oh, you bad, wicked
man! felt you take i'll"
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 magistrates white-haired,
fatherly old gentleman-soothing ex-
planned. to her how necessary 1t was
~ IL
that rogues should be punished At
length this wretched woman, commit
ting perjury for the sake of paltry
purse. suffered the oath to be admin
tstered and swore the purse was hers.
Silence, prisoner" said the father
ly magistrate-still 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 |
covered and that had been pardoned |
for the offense | had not committed.
My good name and my clothes hav- |
ing been restored to me, l was re-
1uested-a refreshing change from be-
ing ordered-to step into a private |
room. Here / found three ladies-a
majestic matron, the girl with the
hpr rxrf,n I.,1
weeks living free of expense, and,
marvellous to relate, the girl with the
blue eyes, with whom ! 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 indie
cent mirth. The matron said grave
ly:
Sir, an awful wrong has been done
to you, for which l question whether
We GAh AahC huOQudtC dHcuuS. i
can, however, express my most deep
and sincere regret. But before / en-.
deavor to explain, permit me to intro
duce myself. l am Mrs. Alexander
Featherstone, and these are my
daughters, Mabel and Alice"
Pardon me. Mrs. Featherstone. II
said. Il have already had the honor
of an introduction to Miss Alice
Featherstone, and the result of the
introduction was such that, having
no natural taste for penal servitude,
would rather not pursue the &C.
quaintance."
"Your anger Is just, Mr.. Felix. Bat |
you will at least permit me to explain. |
On the day on which this awful thing |
happened my daughters wore new |