Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1912-06-20
Changing a
Bill
By HARRY c. ASHMORE
By HARRY c. ASHMORE

spring vacation, | was attracted by
family who were bidding goodby to one
Of their number. young lady. Just
before the boat left gentleman, whom
took to be the lady's father, hur-
rledly took some bills from his wallet
and showed them into her hands. Then
all except she went ashore and we
left them on the dock waving to her
There was that about her appear
ance which interested me, and | would
have been glad to make her acquaint-
ance. but there was no one to introduce
me, and while in the west the scraping
Of aequaintances between the sexes is
not considered improper, eastern girls
do not usually permit it. However,
on reaching New York, Just before
landing, had an opportunity to do
her favor. she was trying to find
Quarter in her portemonnaie to pay
porter,
She took out q bill and looked
about heplessly for some one to
change 1t for her She held it In her
hand folded so that a figure was
visible From roll of bills gave
her four "onesr and the rest in change.
She thanked me very graciously and
handed me the bill she held, which /
put in my pocket without looking at 1t.
On reaching home and LOOKING over
my cash | pulled open a bill and was
! very much startled to see that 1t was
of a $500 denomination. Knowing that
| Y =
note when started from Fortress
! Monroe | at once concluded that some
one had given 1t to me in change by
mistake.
| A little hard thinking brought back
the young lady for whom | had chang
ed a S. bill and | concluded she had
given it to me for IS. In endeavoring to
account for how she happened to have
such an amount in her pocket | con-
cIuded that her father in the hurry Of
her departure had given 1t to her by
mistake.
Be this as it may, l found myself
with $495 in my possession that didn't
belong to me. Moreover had taken
it from a very pretty girl whom adj
mired immensely. But how was to
return this balance? She had gone
from me TO mingle with millions of
people, not leaving me any trace by
which to find her knew that she had
left relatives at Fortress Monroe, but
not their names, what hotel they stop
ped at. or whether they were still
there.
/ wrote at once to the proprietor Of
the principal hotel at Fortress Monroe,
describing the persons had seen with
the young lady and asked him if be
could give me any information to
guide me in finding them. He replied
that since it was at the height of the
season and persons were coming and
going all the while he could not pos
sibly know to whom | referred with
out names. / kept watch of the per-
sonals In the principal New York news
| papers, but saw no advertisement in
tended for me.
] was puzzled what to do further
| Day after day passed and | saw no
way Of returning the money. thought
of going back to Fortress Monroe, but
| 1t was quite d journey. and | feared
| the persons ! wished to find had gons
elsewhere. A month passed and /
! heard nothirg from any one connected
with the adventure My only hope-a
slight one-was that some day | might
meet the young lady and thus be able
to return Whit belonged to her So
! hn itt sc
pocket intending to keep it there that
In case / ever crossed her path might
have it ready. | fancied she lived i'll
the same place as l, New York, and
though New York is a big city, 1t was
| possible that I might meet her
A year passed, and the note had been
/ transferred from one vest to another
Then an idea struck me. There was
ghost of chance hat the family ! had
met at Fortress Monroe might go there
again at the same season as before I
went there and looked through the ho-
tells.
Vain hopel The day after | ar
rived strolled into the fort to witness
dress parade. Who should | see seated
uu one Vi the pencHeS on tle parade
ground with other young persons but
the young lady was looking for.
/ took out the note and, approaching
her. handed it to her. saying:
Il beg pardon. but think this be-
longs to you"
She drew back, surprised almost Of
Tended / explained further
"a year ago on arriving at New York
l changed what we both believed to be
five dollar bill II turned out to be
$500 bill"
Still she did not understand me Il
have no remembrance of any such
transaction. | would prefer that you
see my father about it, Colonel c.. com
handing the post"
bowed myself away and went to
Colonel C,'s Office He listened to my
story with attention-indeed, with in
terest-and when | finished said to me:
$50 that's where that $500 bill went
to. | must have given III to nv dauph-