The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-02-08
A Bit Careless Was Econonical Man
Laid Blame On Office BoyDdn Dream That His Wife Night Have Had Something to Do With the situation-A Roll of Bills and New Umbrella the
 Cause of the Trouble
BY DOLLY DALRYMPLE.

My friend, the Economical Man, who vows that he has never had a super stition in all his life, and was never known to be careless was caught in 8 pretty trap the other day, according to his own statement in the matter.
 q put a roll of bills amounting to BIO in my vest pocket said he
 Well, there's nothing particularly careless about that" I chirped.
 Certainly not; but wait" said he. 'When the time came for me to use the money I fumbled and fussed about and couldn't find it to save my life."
 Perhaps there was rent in your pocket and it spilled out I suggested.
 Tt couldn't have been that, I knew full well from the beginning" said he, "for there was no hole in my pock- ct. My wife is far too dutiful to all low such a thing to happen to my clothes"
 "So, of course, you laid the blame on somebody-out with it," I said.
 T will acknowledge that did, said he. q often take off my coat at the office and work for hours in my shirt sleeves and the very first thought that came into my head was that the new office boy had appropriated the funds unto himself"
 Brute" I shrieked. "To accuse 9, poor, little unoffending office boy Of highway robbery
 Well I don't like him and I don't trust him." said the Economical Man, "and besides, he's cross-eyed."
 Well, he can't help that any mora than you can help being er-stingy," l ventured.
 Well, at any rate we decided-that is, my partner and I--that we'd dis charge him on Saturday evening"" said he, and in the meantime I had an- other loss that saddled upon him, too which made me all the more decided in my views that he should go.' said he emphatically.
 Something else that he got that belonged to you?" l queried.
 q tn fought so at the time" said ne sheepishly. sOne rainy day l went out to lunch that same week with friend of mine and used for the first time my new umbrella, which my wife had given me for a Christmas present. That evening when I got home my um- brella was missing"
 "It's considered the height of bad form to return an umbrella" said I facetiously.
 "I was patient about the matter though and went over in my mind ev- cry possible place that ! might have left it." he continued unheedng my comments Tn the car, in the restau- rant, or in my office-and the last named place seemed the probable one that it had escaped from
 Didn't you ring up the street car department" I asked.
 "Oh, yes," said he. 'I did that the very first thing and gave descrlp- ton of the missing article, which would have done credit to the Bertillon sys- tenn. After much parleying, however the man came back to the ph one, after thorough search, and said there was no umbrella answering to the descrip. tion."
 Then hope you went to the restau- rant before you accused the poor, little cross-eyed office boy,' I said furiously.
 "Oh yes,'' he said nonchalantly Hope springing eternal in the human Jreast sallied forthwith, and after telling my troubles to the head of the establishment, and making my presence at the pace the day before perfectly plain to the mana ger. I was told that might look over the stray umbrellas which had been left there. And from closet, he dragged out an assortment and united the string