The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1911-01-20

|
tried on my bonnets; she wanted a
nice one but could not At her. She
said she lived somewhere In the sub
urbs and she was in a great hurry
She finally picked out one and said it
would do well enough for size, but she
wanted it trimmed differently. have
made the alterations as she described
but have not seen her since l have
made bonnets for number of wealthy
people. Some of my customers ride
in their carriages within block of
my store and walk the rest of the
way, AS it would not do for them to
be seen in a little store like this They
have recognized the fact that l make
the SWEETEST bonnets and sell them at
about half the price asked in the large
millinery parlors.''
well, l DECLARE" said the old gen.
tleman; that is about the kind CT a
bonnet I want"
Il thought you would fall in love
with it," said the little milliner. "as
!! 1t is beautiful. The woman hasn't
called for it, yet even if l thought she
would, will sell it inasmuch as it IS
going out of town and can make her
another just like it,
After haggling about the price for
a time the old gentleman concluded to
buy it.
Il will take it along with me-" said
he, as he laid down a twenty dollar
bill of the National Shoe & Leather
bank to pay for it.
| The milliner picked up the note and
looking it over for moment, her
face lit up with smile of pleasant
sarcasm, as she said, Look here, old
fellow, this bill won't do
! The curious expression upon her
face was certainly amusing, and the
countryman thought he noticed Turk
ing smile upon her countenance that
betokened sympathy and indicated
that she was posted on that kind of
money
Look here, 1 know that stuff as
we'll as you do, SO you just keep it and
! give me something else.''
They stood and looked each other
, sympathy-two souls with but single
| thought.
my name is David Kirkbride,'
naming a well-known counterfeiter
Good gracious" exclaimed the
woman" why didn't you say so? I
have never met you before, but have
| often heard my friend Eva Cole talk
about you. What we're you thinking
about when you came in here?"
''Oh, just about what l told you;
besides l thought it was good
| chance to shove a twenty
why" said she, Il buy these bon
nets at Johnson's and keep them for
a stall. If you really want this one.
you are welcome to it."
AS she became more confidential,
she said, putting on a peculiar smile.
Suppose l had given you your change
in bill like this one,'' as she pro-
duced five dollar BILL
"Well, WE'LL" said the old fellow,
ut would have been all right with me.
But l am keeping pretty shady at this
time; I carry my stuff concealed in
my tobacco pouch and only keep
little on hand at time"
"Oh," said she, "you men think you
are smart at doing things, but you're
slow. l was arrested in Cincinnati:
by the city detective because offered
a counterfeit bill in payment for a
pair of gloves, but they searched me
at the police station and couldn't fin0
any of the queer about me. put up
a nice spiel and was very indignant,
and Jim Ruffin, the the chief of po-
lice, got scared and turned me loose"
what do you think! l had more
than a thousand dollars of those five
dollar bills with me at the time, but
they couldn't begin to find them. Just
her hand into an opening in her dress
she pulled a strics and drew her bus
tie to the front.
This on being opened at the end
contained a pocket. The widow, by
pulling the string, could move the bus
tie around her waist at will.
What is this continuance for?"
Kirkbride inquired.
"You can put your hand into it and,
See@"
He pulled out handful of clean
five dollar counterfeit notes. AS he
did so he expressed great amazement
at the ingenuity of her plan.
II have carried 'phoney' with me for
years" she said, "but no one has ever
! discovered or even suspected it,
At this moment the Jersey farmer
reached out and grabbed the widows
hustle. Unbuckling the belt that held
it, he pulled it from her person. She
was greatly surprised when she real.
lied that she was at last fairly caught
| red-handed.
This charming little widow was now
| escorted to my branch office on
| Blocker street. After 6 long and te.
dious questioning and convincing ar
gument on my part, she so far yielded