The Prescott daily news., 1913-01-04
RECOGNIZED A PATCH
By JACOB LOWENBURo.

"Is there any interesting incident m his life that the public would en- Joy reading about?" The reporter turned to MT. Johnson, the friend of the great singer, whose concert they had just come from.
 Why, yes." MT. Johnson smiled at the memory. Tt happened about seven years ago. and was the beginning of Alfred Hendricks career"
 May have it?" The reporter took out his pad and pencil ready to take ais notes.
 'It was late afternoon, and was coming from the ferryboat with Mrs. Johnson, then my fiance; as we stepped into the street she dropped her umbrella. I stopped to pick it ID, and small box, containing the en- gagement ring I had just purchased Tor her, dropped out. There were a lot of newsboys gathered about One grabbed the box before I could get 1t and disappeared into the crowd. in- stantly darted after him, and Mrs. Johnson after me
 "We ran through Twenty-third street to the elevated station; he ran up one side and down the other, con. tinuing after him. He was a better runner than I. so in a short time he managed to lose me. Mrs. Johnson had grown tired and taken the car to my mothers, so I at once telephoned to the police, then went home"
 Gee! What luck to lose such ring" The reporter spoke sympa- thetically.
 We put several detectives on the case, but there was little they could do, outside of watching the various newsboys at the ferry.
 That evening my mother was not we'll, so my fiance sat with her, and father and I went to the theater. It was amateur night; they had the usual bill, followed by the amateurs. Most of them were impossible.
 About the tenth on the bill was a little fellow who looked about ten years old. He was nervous chap and very shabby. He worried through the first verse of popular song. Some thing In the song-or perhaps it was the boy-pleased the bowling mob, for they actually let him sing the chorus, not once, but fully a dozen times
 "His voice was beautiful, the most vibrant. sympathetic boys voice have ever heard"
 Well, it's wonderful now" the re- porter smiled knowingly.
 AS he left the stage" MT. Johnson resumed, something familiar caught my eye-a patch on the seat of his trousers. had chased that same patch from the ferry to Ninth avenue that afternoon. The patch was black-and- white check. and the trousers gray.
 T whispered word to my father, and together we left the theater. Fath- CT hurried to the police station, and went to the stage door, found the man. ager and told him the story
 "The boy was waiting with the crowd for his prize. He received 1t; then MT. Emery, the manager, brought him to me.
 Johnny he said. did you ever see this gentleman before?'
 "'No. sir the boy replied promptly.
 But I was sure about the patch. so simply accused him at once. For minute he seemed terribly frightened. then he looked me in the eye and said:
 "T didn't take your ring sir.' And his lip trembled slightly.
 "'But, my boy I think said 1t kindly, I recognize the patch on your trousers
 "Oh, sir he smiled. these ain't my pants; didn't have any so good, so he lent them to me, the boy next door did He's sick tonight
 T laughed at the boy, but the clue was too good to lose so offered him a large reward if he would take me to his friend.
 "'Will you put him in jail?' he ask. ed And 1t was not until I had given him my word not to punish his friend. If the ring was returned, that he con- eented to take me to his house. He had worn the pants, and he could not be unfaithful to the one who had been kind to him"
 Did you recover the ring, and what became of the thief?" The reporter had been busily writing
 We sent the guilty one to a farm. where he was cared for, and Mrs. Johnson received the ring in due time"
 And little Hendricks?"
 We looked up his family records.