The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1912-12-05
THE WRONG
CLEW
By MA7JOR'E CLOUGH

SdtlOu Iell upon lnCluenUS pefUulnllS u
their profession. Several had told
yarns, each more remarkable than the
last, when little wizened chap who
had been listening respectfully to the
others spoke up.
Il would like he said, ito make
collection of small incidents that have
led to great results. You fellows have
been telling how a handkerchief or
button or something like that had led
to the recovery of hundreds of thou.
sands, but that's only in one line Ev.
cry time we meet a new person some
marked event is liable to come of it.
Take the beginnings of love affairs,
for instance. How many tritling Incl.
dents have brought two people of oppo.
site sexes together, resulting in gen
GRAFTON after generation of progeny.
Let me give you an instance. Do
you remember the 'bobtair street cars,
in which the passenger entered through
rear door staggered up to the front
and dropped a nickel between inclined
planes of window glass? Then the
driver pulled something that let the
coin down into a box Well, | was
riding in one of those cars once when
every seat was taken. A mighty pref
ty girl got in and managed to get NJ
near the fare box. where | was sit
ting. / was young then and, If | say
it myself, not such Il miserable looking
specimen Of man as am now, and
dressed pretty well then too. So | go
up and offered the young lady my seat
She took it very smilingly and. getting
out her pocketbOk, put her dainty
thumb and finger in to get out hel
fare. 1t was late in the day, and there
was no artificial light in the car, so
she couldn't see very well and picked
over several coins before she selected
one.
81 was leaning up against the cash
box, and to save her the necessity of
rising l took the coin from her lovely
fingers. l could tell by feeling it that
1t was nickel, so without looking at it
l dropped 1t In the hopper. 1t wasn't
second before the driver gave a pull.
and down 1t went into the box.
suddenly the young lady started. She
evidently remembered something. TAX
ing out her portemonnae again. she fin
gered over the coins in it for few mo-
ments; then, looking up at me with a
terrified expression, exclaimed:
e /" Goodness gracious!
S''Whats the matter?' ! asked.
"'You put a five dollar gold piece in
that box
"'You don't mean it, | was a good
deal disturbed at the responsibility |
was under
"She got out a handkerchief and be-
gan to wipe away tears.
II opened the sliding front door and,
calling to the driver, told him what
had happened, asking him if there was
any way by which he could get the
gold piece out of the box. He said there
wasn't and showed me a brass paddock
on the opening. But he said that if the
lady would go to the end of the route,
about three miles farther on, the fare
gatherer would open the box, and If
there was a five dollar gold piece in it
he would return it.
81 told the girl what he had said. and
she began to cry the harder saying
that she was intending to meet her
mother at railway station a few
blocks farther On and they were goinG
on a train that would leave in twenty
minutes to distant city. where her
father was very sick and not expected
to live.
well, l was in for it, took S4.95
out of my vest pocket and handed it
to her, telling her that was going to
the end of the route and would collect
what was due. She gave me the pret-
tiest little smile through her tears you
ever saw on pair of vermilion lips.
| told the driver what had done, and
he promised TO see that | was repaid
from the gold piece in the box. | felt
very proud of myself. Time and again
the dear little creature looked up at
me and every time with a grateful
smile. When we reached the railway
station and she got out. peering
through the window. I saw her throw
a kiss to me-
the listeners "You met the girl after
ward at ball or somewhere and mar
ried her"
IF you think you know more about
1t than | do you can tell the rest of
it yourself" snapped the narrator.
Go on" said the others
well, when | got to the end of the
route told my story. the driver back
ed me up and the collector agreed that
If there was a FIVE dollar gold piece
in the box | should have it,"
The story teller paused.
well, did you get it?"
"No; there wasn't any gold piece in
the box"
8 "How about the grip
'The girl never saw again for two
years; then | was called in to arrest
her for shoplifting."
There was a universal groan, and
the story teller was abused for Start-