The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-02-21
Mayor and Thief.

lOTndl TONE. AS our trlenu, the oar
on says he is very positive, We who
played with him can do nothing but
offer ourselves To be searched, and as
in my quality of mayor. am also
chief OF police. want the baron to
give me his orders
My words had the desired effect.
The baron understood that he, as a
I gentleman, could 20 no further In a
house as highly respected as that or
the chamberlain's. He declared that
after all; trife like this did not mat
ter, and that he felt sure the money
would be found tomorrow either here
or in the hotel. IF II should not be
found, the loss OF 100 crowns did not
mean anything to him.
As we were about TO leave, the
chamberlain took me aside and wills.
pered TO me that he wanted 10 see
me alone the next day. walked home
| with the health commissioner. and
both OF us agreed that the baron had
been acting like a Gao, and that his
only excuse was that he had been
drinking.
He had practically, l said, accused
somebody present at the dinner OF be-
ing n thief / grew more and more ex-
cited, and at last my friend. the COM
missioner, tried to make light OF the
thing.
well. after ALL" he said. IF you or
I had really taken the one hundred
| crowns, wouldn't 1t have been good
moral act to take away from the
baron some OF the money he had
cheated a-peef- minister eff22-ANeala
we not have acted as tools OF just
Nemesis? Would not the minister,
as a representative OF God absolve us
of this sin?'
Please don't mix the name OF God
into this affair."" I said, land l must
say that consider stealing the most
contemplate and lowest Of crimes. |
can understand that man can Kill
another In a ut OF temper. An act OF
| this kind may often be justifable. !
can also forgive a man who has stolen
when he or his family Is starving, but
theft solely for gain, committed by
somebody not in need deserves the
severest punishment"
While I said these words, felt hap
by and bright at being able to pro-
nounce them in such convincing
manner, and at the same time | was
afraid that the motion OF walking
, would make the bill drop from my
shoe
When we had reached the market
place the commissioner and I parted,
and as soon as he had turned around
the next corner stopped down to see
II the bill was still In my shoe. and
finding 1t, lifted II to my pocket.
deciding not to spend the money I'M
TIL the first of the month. when re-
ceived my salary. Every time | was
paid I was In the habit of changing a
couple of large bills in the local bank.
When had reached home turned
on the light in my sitting room, open
ed bottle Of Madeira, and lit a Hav-
ana cigar.
II am sure,' I said TO myself, that
just at this moment the baron also
Is lighting one OF the cigars saw him
put into his pocket before he left. Was
he really better than IT,
had never felt better than I did
! then. In front Of me, on the table next
| to the wine glass. was the stolen bill,
and l felt as a man feels having won
the great prize In lottery, or has
suddenly gone into money without
any effort on his part.
Before going to bed l hid the bill
among a number of letters which
kept In an unlocked box In my store
room. Nobody would ever think oil
looking for II there.
The first thing did the next morn
ing was to see my tailor and order q
xxffh oil hn foii
or's went to the Chamberlain. whom
l found in his office. He received me
very cordially, but I could see that
he was greatly indisposed.
my dear mayor" he said. wasn't
that a most annoying affair last night
What do you advise me to do? am
afraid that there's no other explana-
ton than that one of the servants.
either my old valet Lars. or the waiter
I hired for the occasion, Christian
Knibdang, has stolen the money.
don't understand this, however, for I
have known both OF them for years,
as absolutely reliable and honest per-
sons. But Eufin. appearances are
against them, and I suppose I ought
to turn the matter over to you, but i
do not wish to bring any Of them into
trouble. They are both married, and
l therefore think will write the baron
telling him that after he had left we
found the bill, and enclose hundred
crown bill. Wouldn't you do the same.
II In my place? Don't you think this
would be the only correct thing to do?
Nobody will suspect anything. II was
to tell you this, dear friend, that l
., tod x,p,x N rnc,a karo
Now, 1t must be remembered that
the late chamberlain was anything
but wealthy. without any pride OF
fortune, he did his best to fill the
responsible position he held. and he
was generally beloved and respected
as the first official Of the Province.
II made me feel bad to think that
he should pay the enormously rich
baron an amount of 100 crowns. which
meant considerable to him, but moth
ing to the baron.
therefore replied: my dear cham
berlain, really think that you take