The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-24
THE EVENING STORY
Major Aldrich and His watch.
NBy LdWI6IIC5 AIIftu CIdy.J
I :.

on a train between New York and
philadelphia, and handsome young
girl occupying a chair only a few feet
away, he felt that he had a moral right
to study her profile. He did il in a
dreamy sort Of way, and he did not
know that she had caught him at 1t.
For an hour or more he was thinking
how her face would look on canvas,
and for an hour or more she was say
ing to herself that he was a young man
who lacked energy and ambition and
would be heard of only among the
dreamers.
AS Jersey City was reached and the
passengers disembarked for the ferry
the young girl became nervous and
hurried out.
When Lester reached her chair on his
way out he saw her silver purse lying
on the floor. He picked 1t up and hur-
ried out to find the loser among the
crowd hurrying to the boats, but the
young woman was no where to be seen
He looked for. her as his boat headed
across to Chambers street, but he de-
cided that she must have taken the
other ferry.
When the purse was opened it was
found to contain a few dollars in
money, couple of keys and a card
bearing the words: Miss Jessie AL
drich, Irvington.' This information
would save Mr.. Lester the troutEe of
and sister lived at Tarrytown, and he
spent much of his time with them. He
would drop off at Irvington and return
the purse. He had been taken by the
girls race and wanted another and a
nearer view of it. In his dreamy way
he thought of things that might hap
pen.
When Miss Jessie Aldrich reached
home, which she did because she had
the luck to have a return ticket in her
glove, she told her father of her loss.
The retired Major Aldrich at once be-
gan storm and roar. Such criminal
carelessness he had never heard of be-
fore! No; it was worse than careless
ness. She had probably fallen asleep
in her chair and given some passenger
a chance to pick her pocket. While
oni-- $12 had been lost, suppose it had
been a hundred-a thousand Suppos-
and commission? Supposing she had
had the family plate with her? Could
she remember that any of her fellow
passengers looked suspicious?
Miss Jessie was provoked with her
self and vexed with her father, and,
thinking she must urge some excuse in
excavation, she replied:
t'Why, there was a gentleman with
dreamy eyes who looked at me good
deal. but can't say
HE was tie pickpccket!'' shouted
the major.
"But he wasn't near me-
f'Oh. but he must have been. Dreamy
eyes. Ell? A thousand to one he got
your pursel'
but I think he was a poet
"Poet be hanged He was a rob-
Der! He couiG put on any kind of look
he wanted to I'd give a hundred dol
lars to get my hands on himi'
Two days later Mr.. Lester was jour
neying up TO Tarrytown. A friend
shared the seat with him and was told
of the purse. In reply he informed the
artist that Miss Jessie's father was
Major Aldrich, retired. and that he
knew the ex-officer by sight. They
were talking of the major when they
reached Irvineton. CHANGING out of the
window the friend exclaimed:
'why. here is our old war hero on
the platform!
Acting on impulse, Mr.. Lester hur-
ried out of the car and approached the
ramrod with the gray moustache: He
thrust the purse into one of his hands
and his card into the other, and hur-
ried1v exclaimed:
"Your daughter's purse-dropped on
the floor of the car-tried to And her
but couldn't-happy tC restore itI''
And then the bell rang and he
swung hiself en- to the car. He was a
little disa ppoInted at not having come
face to face with the girl. but rather
glad to have +he matter off his hands.
The major did not come to himself
until the train was out of SIGHT. Then
he insnected the card and purse. Then
he started for home ard reached it to
say to his daughter:
always right Your Raf7es heard
was on his trail and he drops off the
train to restore the plumber and pla-
cate me. M':mbled out something
about finding your purse on the
floor
"But perhaps he did. I know had
if in my Ian Just before I got up.
thief wouldn't bring it back and
leave an address card at the same
"But he had an object-an object!
He NAV have hoped to get into the
house and see how the windows were
fastened. DID serve thirty years IN
the army not to know the little games
of confidence men and burelars?'
The major went away to saw board
in two to rerair the hen house. He
changed to IN old suit of clothes to
do it, He changed back when the work
was finished. His wife and daughter
had figured i out tfat the finder of
+he purse was a gentleman. and that
the mystery Of the return would some
day be explained. when the major,
who had gone to the post office with a
letter after his work. came striding
home with pale face and duivering
chin. The two women looked at him
in alarm.
ly exclaimed.
'sWhat is tit
SCI was made a major after second
Pu1i pin for bravery on the field.
Rae 1,aai regiment presented me with a
gold watch, suitably inscribed"
1--WE know"
.rvhere is that watch-where? ?"
"TIave you lost it?''
Lost il! Lost it! No! That con-
temptible scoundrel picked It off my
nerson when he restored the purse.
IFS gone. Presented to me for brav-
cry and it's gonei"
ftBut-but--
,"But I'll catch the scoundreli III
live to do it, I'll live to see him in
etate nrfson for twenty years. There's
YOUR dreamy ewes for you! By the
homes of Gettvsburg-
Z. -. n. 1,sa to faIx with the ma ior. /