Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1912-11-14
WEEKLY SHORT STORY
NE MRONG CLEM.

had told yarns, each more remark
able than me last. when a little Wild
ened chap who had been listening re-
speouuly TO the others spoke up.
Il would Ike" he said. 20 make
collection OF small incidents that have
led 10 great results. You fellows have
been telling how a handkerchief or
button or something like that had led
To uhe recovery Of hundreds OF thou
sands. but that's only in one line. Ev-
cry time we meet a new person some
marked event - liable to some OF IT
Tao the beginnings OF love affairs.
for instance. How many trihing incl
dents have brought two people OF op-
posite sexes together, resulting in
generation after generation OF proge-
ny.
Let me give you an instance. Do .
you remem Der the 'bObtail street cars, ,
IA which the passenger entered /
through a rear door, staggered up 70 /
the front and dropped nickel between 4
inclined plains OF window giaSsE Then 1
the driver pulled something that let
the coin down into a box. " ell. j was
riding in one of those cars once when I
ey1ry seat vas taken. A migaty pref
" glrl got in and managed 70 get up
near the fare box, where I was sit
II myself. not SUCH a miserable look
ing specimen o. a man as ! am now,
and I dressed pretty we'll then, too.
SO / got UP and offered the young
lady my seat she took II very snl-
ingly, and, getting out her pocketboOk.
put her dainty thumb and niger in TO
get cut her fare az was late Ia the
day. and there was no artificial light
IN the car, 50 she couldn't see very
well and picked out several coins be-
fore she selected one.
Il was leaning up against the cash
box. aud 70 save her the necessity OF
rising I took the coin from her lovely
fingers. I could tell by feeling Il that
Il was a nickel. 50 without looking at
Il I dropped II In the hopper. II
wasn't = second before the driver gave
q puii, and down IL went mo the box
Suddenly the young lady started
She evidently remembered something
Teing out her portemonnaie aga.n. she
fingered over the coins in Il for rev
moments; then. looking up al me With
a terrified expression, exclaimed:
Goodness gracious
~'Mbat . the maIJerg / asked.
You put q i've dollar gold piece
IN thai box
deal disturbed az the responsibility
was under
"Sne got out a handkerchief and be-
gan 10 wipe away tears.
Il opened the sliding front door and
calling 10 the driver, told hsm what
had happened, asking him II there was
any way by which be could get the
god piece out OF the box lie said
there wasn't and showed me- a brass
paddock at the opening. But be saiC
that Il the lady would go 70 the enc
Of the route. about hree miles farhei
on, The faregatherer would open I'll,
box, and 4 there was a i've dollar gOls
piece N 1t he would return II.
4 told the girl what be had said
and sue began 10 cry the harder. say
Ing that she was intending 70 NEE
her mother at a railway station a fey
blocks further on and they were go4n,
on a train that would leave IN twent
minutes 10 a distant city. where he
father Was very sic and not eXpecte
70 live.
We'll, was In for It / took sac
out ot my vest pocket and handed
10 her. telling her that / was gong
phe end of the route and would oOlleC
what vas due. She gave me the pre-
test little smile through her tears 30
ever saw on a pair Of Vermilion lip
tod the driver what had done. an
he promised 10 see that / was repa-
from the gold piece IN the box. / fe
very proud Of myself. Time and aga
the dear little creature looked up
me and every time with a gratef-
smile. When We reached the railwg
station and she got out, peerdr
through the window, / saw her thro
q kiss 70 me"
cut out the rest OF it. said OF
Of the listeners. You met the a
afterward at a ball or somewhere a.
married her"
IF you think you know more abo
= than / do you can tell the rest
II yourself" snapped the narrator.
Go on" said the others.
Nell. when ! got 10 the end OF {
route j told my story. the driver bac
ed me- up, and the collector agre
that II there was fiye dollar 70
piece In the box l should have It
The story teller paused
Wei. did you get it?"
NO; there wasn't any gold piece
Ae box"
How about the girl?"
The girl ! never saw again for Z
years; then ! was called In 10 arr
, her for shoplifting."
There was a universal groan. a
the story teller was abused for sta
ing In TO tell one kind OF a yarn a
telling another.
Where does the love story,
wife. the children and generations
nhoFn Coraa IN >"