The daily Alaskan., 1907-03-29
WHY THEY LIKE
 AMERICA

pay all we earn for board and would
 never have d home Let us wa!s awhile"
 ! Hans did wait awhile. but there seemed no more prospect after 1t than
 before, and he grew impatient. Gretch- ! en coaXcd him. telling him she had saved SGO during the year and if he ! would save the same In three years they . would have enough to buy furniture and could go to housekeeping. Then together they might live cheaper than apart and save more money for the
 family to come. Three years seemed a long while to Hans. Resides, man Is not uS good at saving as woman, and he had not put by more than half what Gretchen had.
 One day when Hans was walking on tue street he saw right under his nose q fat pocketbOOE. Some one had evl- dently dropped 1t but moment before, for people were passing continually. Hans picked it up and hurried on, thinking to overtake the owner, for he was an honest fellow. and every one he passed he asked if he had dropped anything. All looked at him in sur prise. and some felt in their pockets, but no one claimed the property. Then Hans. thinking that the loser must have been going the other way, deSlst- ed. He took the poCketbook to his room. opened it and found $6JO in bills. He carried it to Gretchen, and they consulted what they should do. Nei- ther of them thought for moment to keep what would be a treasure to both. and they decided that Hans should take it to the police, who would doubtless try to find the owner.
 The next morning Hans started for thr police office and. passing point near where he had found the pocket book. saw notice posted of the loss aud saying that if it, with its contents, was returned quarter of the con tents would be given to the finder Hans went back tu Gretchen and told her of the notice. We are in great luck" he said. "A quarter of $500 k SlG2. 90. With that We can buy enough furniture to commence housekeeping Gretchen admitted thac it would ccr. tuuly bring them >uearcr to their de slrrs aud advised him to go at once and deliver the money.
 He found the man who had lost il a diSagrccablr looking creature with blrar eyes. Snagglc teeth, hook nose and cunning expression. Hans hand. cd him the pockcthook. lie opened 1t, felt of it. looked in it and, affecting great surprise, asked:
 'Nrrr iS the djmuud>E'
 "Wbat diamuudS:'
 "Tnr drmoudS that vrre in the pOck- etlook with lhc mruiSh.
 Hans declared that there were no diamonds. whrroupou Jhc Jew began tO abuse him for d thief. Hans. be- side himself with raS, at being ac Cu~ri of swindling au 1 especially ut l.s acguSrrS evident Intention to de prirr him ut the promised reward made dash for the pnck"tbOOk. The Jew cried luStily for tht police, and an officer came running into the shop Hans and the Jew stated their case. and the officer took them before mag istratc, together with the pocketbooG and its contents. The magistrate beard the story of each. giving especial atten ton tu the Jews statement, uSkiu. him many questions respecting the jewciry, their size and value. Then he QueS tiOned Hans. drawing out tue cirCum stances of finding the treasure and his returning it. When he was satisfied as to the merits of the case he turned to the Jew and asked;
 For what did you aGvCrtiSe:"
 "A lost pOcketbOok, your honor, con tainiug $65O"
 And how many GiamOndS:'
 "No di'mondS, your honor"
 "Why didn't you mention them?"
 "BecauSe didn't want any one who found them to know what they was"
 That was very prudent of you Knowing their value, the finders would have been more likely to keep them"
 "NcS, your honor"
 And tue money and the diamonds were in the pOcketbOOk:
 "YeS, your honor"
 "The contract you made with the finder was to return a pOcketbOoll con, talning $6JO and you would give him quarter of the amount for reward"
 "Yes. your honor"
 every well. Since this pocketbOok contained only $G5O and no diamonds 1t cant be yours" Then, turning to Hans: You keep the pocketbOok and the $65O until the owner calls for them. and if he never calls for them they are yours"
 The Jew protested. hut the magis- trate was lnfexible. He cried and wrung his hands, while Hans walked away with the pocketboOk followed by the Jew. who offered him all the mon ey if he would give up the poCketbook. Hans would do nUtAinG till he had seen Gretchen. so he declined the offer. The Jew offered more and more money till by the time he had reached Gretchen the amount was $6OOO. The lovers of fered to accept the amount if he would state his reasons for offering so much, whereupOn the Jew asked them to