The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1907-03-10
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Justice or the city jail. under the es-
cort Of a man in 2 uniform. And with
such background. what show would
one poor candle have OF lighting up
the silhouette Of an honest man?
So ] discarded the ways and means
Of the ancient philosopher and wan
dered into a shop. my brain teeming
with ideas OF my own.
Four dollars were in my hand. Be
fore me tray OF really lovely brooches.
All sorts and descriptions were there.
from plain gold ones To those more
gorgeous in their ruby. emerald and
sapphire dress Diamonds there were
TOO; but. even to the Impractical eye
the. brilliants did not scintillate with
more than a $50 sparkle. So I put the
diamonds behind me and went forth.
bearing ny implements OF warfare in
eight pins. large and small, plain and
very ornate
strolled up Van Ness avenue.
picked out the first woman to whom I
should offer my wares. ] stepped up
behind her touched her arm and she
turned. Il beg your pardon, but did
you drop this pin?r / asked I wonder
now what il was I was afraid of.
believe II was the fear that she would
take that pin ] had picked her out as
an honest woman. and didn't want
TO be disappointed at the very outset
She smiled pleasantly enough and then
shook her head.
NO, I'm sorry. but IL isn't mine.
Thank you" and she passed on.
There was satisfaction within my
heart; content possessed my soul And
the next five women helped to
strengthen the comfortable feeling.
None Of them wanted my pins.
A Born Sapphira
Then ahead OF me ] saw a woman in
dark gray gown. poorly made ana
badly worn. Beside her was a .child
about 10 years old.
I spoke TO the woman and she turned
quickly.
Did you drop this pin?" 1 asked d.
rectly- Yes she answered as direct
" And then. because such people are
given 10 explanations. she went on.
Ny husband gave me that pin I would
not have lost II for anything" I was
stunned. ] do not know exactly what
/ said or did. remember murrnuriug
something inane, but the next thing
clear in my memory was the child with
the woman. She must have been bone
OF her bone, flesh OF her flesh. untruth
OF her untruth, ''Oh. mamma" she ex-
claimed. that's the one papa gave YOU
just before he died, isn't it?" Now.
wasn't that pretty good inventive power
for ten years. And all unsolicited. too
Inc very atmosphere IN which that
child had been born and reared was
charged with the poisonous gases of de-
ception and double dealing. They
moved away from me. a glaring exam
pie OF morals and standards tragicaliv
out of Joint. But they carried off my
pin.
IT was an actual relief to encounter
the next ten women, none of whom had
dropped the pins offered them for
thsirs merely for the say-so- Some of
them smiled at me in a plying sort
OF way. commiserating the stupid hon.
esty that led me TO endeavor to find an
owner Of the lost jewels. But the ma
Jority disowned them clearly and
frankly.
Such universal honesty became al
most tiresome- Then i dropped a queer
looking pin-art nouveau. ii had been
labeled-with a deep green emerald
flashing all sorts of beautiful lights. I
stopped. picked ii UP and offered il, re-
luctantly enough. to three women TAX
ing individual notes OF the new lingerie