Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1912-08-22
Confidence
BY F. TOWNSEND SMITH
Copyright by American Press Asa.
citation, 1911


my friends Mr.. and Mrs. Jim Pei
body at their country place. Anothe
guest, was Miss Virginia Wothe,
spoon, to whom l had taken despeI
ate fancy. One afternoon after
game of tennis I went into the bath
room on the floor where my room wa
located for bath, and on the marble
basin saw a ring set with four Iarg,
diamonds, which l recognized at ono,
as one 1 had seen on the finger o.
Miss Wotherspoon. / took it to m,
room, intending to hand it to he,
when we met at dinner Jim called
me to his room to tell me about some
amusements he was arranging, and
left the ring on the mantel In my
room. He kept me half an hour and
when l returned the ring was gone.
} l was liable to be considered a thief
and Of having appropriated to myself
the property of girl TO whom 1 had
already given the biggest part of my
heart. was sufficiently cool to think
before acting. What would be the
safest course for me to pursue
While weighing the pros and cons Of
different courses dinner was announc-
ed
once knew very successful man
who said, reversing a common adage,
II never do today what l can put of
till tomorrow" l was much impress
ed with the idea, and rather than de
eide hastily In this instance l conclud-
ed to defer decision till after dinner.
decided dead wrong. I should have
brought the matter out at once. While
l had been in Jim's room the house
keeper had gone into mine to leave
some towels and had seen the ring ON
my mantel. Miss Wotherspoon missed
1t and ran to the bathroom. Not find
Ing her property, she made her loss
known to the hostess. The hostess
communicated with the housekeeper,
who said she had seen the ring on my
mantel. Had l, on going down to din
ner, made the facts known my story
would have been believed. But, not
saying word about the matter, 1t all |
looked very singular to my friends
Nothing was said about Miss Woth
erspoon's loss, and at first there was no
constraint at the board, but befors
the dinner was finished I noticed q
considerable GOODNESS toward me Oh
the part of every one
Knowing well the cause and begin
ding to realize the position i WIS in,
grew embarrassed. 1 saw that had
made mistake all around and did NOT
see any way to vindicate myself.
did not know that the ring had been
seen in my room, but 1t was plain to .
me that my connection with It was In
some form known. | had but one |
theory as to the disappearance of the
property-that some one, probably
servant, had gone into my room and
seeing the ring there, had stolen It,
After dinner l took Jim aside and 1
TOLD him the whole story. He looked !
rery serious. He said that he didn't {
doubt word of what I had told him,
but he didn't see how we were to :
convince the women of the family =
'NThey don't take the same views OF
things that we do" he said. They }
Judge In accordance with their feel y
lngs. That's the reason we men don't
let them into the jury box. The main
trouble in this case is that all our
have been with us a Ions
while, and, although we have lett val 4
1ables where they could have been 4
.asily stolen without detection, VIC
have never missed anything. But I'll y
10 the best 1 can for you" &
You never know what different Z
riQxxre dfffaronf I'll toI |
mystery in which you are implicated
Until you are the subject of it. The q
'nly person In that whole household q
Who thoroughly believed my story was ,
who? Y
I'll tell you y
After talking with Jim I went out q
or walk In order to leave him tt =
ell my story to the others and to gel y
uieted down. When returned no one 70
vas about, but on going into the X
rawfng room Miss Wotherspoou adj 2
anced and, putting Out her hand and =
king her honest eyes on Dlfne. said:
Il haSc heard your explanation ane
ave not the slightest doubt that every
7ord of It is absolutely true" In
BY Jove! What do you suppose |
Id? i opened the sprinkler in my
yes
Pretty soon I went up to Jim's room
, tell him the good news. He listened
} me, but without that enthusiasm l No
i'd expected. When had finished he -
lid: Ia
1--WE must find the thief That's the
lily way to exonerate you. told II.
~ that women are prone to decide
Ich questions in accordance with to
cir feelings. am not surprised at
ISIS Wotherspoon's action, for both Pc
y wife and I have noticed decided be
rtiality on her part for you" in
Thank God for thatr' 80
My wife is more unprecedented. I e.
sh her to feel perfectly satisfied in ~.
e matter and shall take measures to III
;cover the thief" OF
left the next day under a cloud gal
least with Mrs. Peabody Si1 pla
ntbs from that finn fbo tbiof hoH