Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-06-01
TheEveningS Story
The Stolen
Brooch
By DWIGHT NORWOOD

Though women have gained In the
past half century In independence, they
have lost in that chivalrous treatment
by men that was formerly prevalent.
In 1850, at q dinner party in Charles
ton. s. O.. lady missed brooch Of
considerable value She was very
much frightened for fear 1t had been
stolen and lost her equanimity. The
host, Mr.. Du Bots, was much put out
about the affair. declaring that she
must have dropped the brooch. Never
theless a search failed to produce 1t.
Then Du Bols said:
"Fhis is a very serious matter for all
Of US, for me as host especially, for 1t
seems to implicate me in having a
thief among my friends. It must be
thrashed out here before we separate.
viii some one kindly suggest method
Of investigationf"
~ PROPOSE" said a gentleman pres
ent, that we all voluntarily submit to
be searched"
Du Bots asked each guest In turn II
he or she would assent to the PROPOSE
tion, and all expressed themselves as
quite willing to do SO till he came to
Edwin Porcher, gentleman of Savan-
nah, Ca, who was visiting Charleston.
"Why do you decline to do your part
at getting to the bottom Of this mat
terf' asked the host.
ii decline to answer"
There was q constrained silence for
some time. when Du Bots, who was
much excited, said:
my friends, must crave your par
don for introducing this man among
you. / had no idea he was thief"
All looked at Porcher, wondering
how he would receive the word thief"
He was unruffled. All rose from the
table, and Porcher, bowling formally,
left the room. Those who remained
discussed the matter. asking Du Bots
about how he came to be acquainted
with Porcher, for the latter, not being
resident of Charleston, had not been
known to the guests till introduced by
their host Du Bots explained that he
had met Porcher at his club, at which
the latter had been put up as guest
by member. Porcher appeared to be
a & Gentleman. Du Bots. desiring to be
courteous to a stranger, had invited
him to dinner.
The party were about to break up
when a negro servant handed the host
a note. Tearing 1t open. he read IT.
knitted his brows, then put it in his
poe iet without making any reference
to 1t. But every one present OWNED
that it had something to do with the
disa greeable affair that had happened
during the evening.
While the guests were bidding the
host adieu he asked one Of them, Mr.
| Fitz Hugh, to remain after the Others
| had departed. AS soon MS the two
men were alone Du Bots handed hi
| friend the note he had received. i
| ran thus
| Having been invited to your house anc
| called a thief because j did not assen
| to the method proposed of clearing up tn
| matter OF the loss of the brooch. 1t seem
| to me that a gentleman-which / CLAIM
| to belt is my privilege to demand sat
| sfaetion from you for the insult offeret
| me At your own table and In the presenc
| OF Your guests. | would be glad to &C
| eept an apology IL an apology would ex
| onerate me. but 1t would not. Tho onl
| approach / can make to exculpating my
| self is by the code. common THE
| would not likely be SO sensitive to hi
honor as to risk his life for 1t. VIII yo
| please refer me to friendf
! Du Bots and the man to whom b.
| showed the letter consulted for al
hour. Fitz Hugh held that Du Bots ha,
not the right to call his guest a THE
simply because he would not consen
to be searched. But since Porcher ha,
| called attention to the fact that al
| apology would not remove the evi
dende, such as it was, that he ha'
stolen the brooch, there would be N
use In offering one. Under the circum
stances there seemed no way open bu
to accept the challenge, though Fit
Hugh maintained that Porcher's re
fusal to be searched placed him In tn
position of a thief, and a gentleman
was not called upon under the code
fight such a person Du Bois was no
| COAhRGhC4 " AOlAS0 INC ChhAiCh6Up W.,
on the other hand, Porcher had NO
been convicted Of the stealing. an
Du Bois felt that he was entitled t
satisfaction. Fitz Hugh met a frien
of Porcher's, and the terms were al
ranged-that the principals shout
meet the next morning at sunrise.
Now, the real thief, a woman. ha
observed tho results of her action an
when Poreher's note came felt sure
was a challenge. After bitter strue
gle with her better nature. at 2 o'cloc
in the morning and but II few hour
before the time appointed for the due
she drove up to where Percher wa
staying and asked to see him.
II have como to confess" she sale
'sThe brooch became unfastened fror
tk~ Hraca and Arornnd into