Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1911-05-23

man, tell me some way to find her"
II give it up
Several weeks passed in misery for
me, when in a Philadelphia newspaper
read OF the trial of Miss Octavia
Merton which was soon to come of In
that city. She was accused of having
stolen some valuable gems while one
OF house party at a lady's country
seat. What was my establishment to
see in a description Of Miss Merton the
following words:
In her corsage she wears bow of
orange or corn colored ribbon.
/ sprang to my feet. | had found
my love. But, alas, Calkins was
right. She was an adventures. Her
personal, taken together with this
charge, was conclusive proof of this.
And yet the item said that she was
a member of the house party. This
indicated that IL she were thief she
must be lady, and lady of the up
per classes would not be likely to adj
vertise for the address of a man she
had met on the street
torney In Philadelphia whom | knew,
asking him to keep me posted as to
the coming off of the trial In which |
was so deeply interested. In reply |
received telegram stating that 1t was
down on the calendar for the next
day. ] went to Philadelphia that night
and the next morning appeared among
the spectators in back seat where
would not be observed.
When the accused was led into court
I recognized her at once for the girl
had been seeking. She was very pale
and appeared to have suffered much.
/ could not see If she wore the ribbon,
for an outside coat was buttoned over
her chest.
l listened eagerly to statement of
the case made by the prosecuting at
torney. The girl was member of a
house party: the jewels were missed,
and she afterward wore one Of them
that the owner claimed was hers. Miss
Merton's counsel claimed that it had
for years been his clients property.
He also said that on the day the jew
els were stolen she had taken a flying
trip to Washington, but since her OBJ
ject In going there was secret she had
kept a knowledge of her trip from
every one who knew her. Were 1t
not for this secrecy. your honor" con-
cluded the attorney, I'VE could easily
have proved an alibi"
Jumping from my seat | hurried
down to the rail, called for the attor-
ney and in an undertone gave him
the points of my meeting with the
accused in Washington. He at once
put me on the stand and In series
Of questions drew out my evidence.
When he asked me for the date Of this
meeting was puzzled, but finally re-
called it as the day Of an important
meeting to which ! was going when
I met Miss Merton.
did anything pass between you and
the accusedg' he asked.
Eyes, something passed between us
that will corroborate my story IL she
still possesses it. gave her bit OF
corn colcred ribbon"
With that Miss Merton threw open
her coat and displayed the token.
There was suppressed applause
among the spectators. The attorney
put his client on the stand.
"Why do you wear that ribbon" he
asked.
81 have worn 1t ever since ! have
been accused, hoping that the gentle
man who gave it to me might see it
and by proving that was in Washing
ton on the day the jewels were stolen
his address, but received no reply"
OF course there was an acquittal
without the jury leaving the box. 1
was taken by Miss Merton's counsel to
his client and introduced to her. |
had been mistaken In her object in
wearing the token. but IL she bad done
so for the reason l had supposed she
could not have given me a warmer
pressure of the hand or a look with
more heart in it.
"Just think" she said, had 1t not
been for you I would have been con-
victedr'
ct was a close CALL" said the attoF-
| ney, who seemed as much relieved as
bis client.
Fate" | said, had a purpose In
bringing about the very commonplace
accident that occurred just at the mo-
ment we met"
| IL my words referred to her vindica-
ton the look I gave her In speaking
them referred TO something beyond
That she understood my meaning was
evident from blush
And now | am back to what said
In the beginning of this story with re-
gard to those slight happenings which
will at times turn the whole course of
our lives. When Miss Merton's skirt
came unfastened / was a clerk In the
treasury department in Washington.
Now am that lady's husband and the
father of her children | reside In
Philadelphia and am banker there.
What would have been had not that
accident changed the course of my
life? Doubtless lone old bach and
q government clerk
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