Locket Was Missing.

Otago Witness, Issue 2303, 21 April 1898, Page 52

Locket Was Missing.

It Contained the Picture of an Old Sweetheart. He dropped into the club, a picture of mute bub complete despair. Tbe other two, respecting his grief, quietly ordered him a drink and said nothing. Down ife went, and motioning for another he Sink into the depths of the big leather chair and didn't, offer any explanation as to the sorrow that had evidently come into his young life. For several minutes no one said a word. Finally one of his friends asked sympathetically : " What is it, old man ? Have yoa lost your best horse,' or your money, or v?Jja ! ; is the matter ? We know that your wife i& ali rsgUt, because we just saw her go by." "O, Lord, that's ju«t the trouble— my wife. No, she ain't dead, bub I am, almosb. Some people have bad luck dropped on fcheta like a ton of cosl. That's the class I'm in. •'You know that, before I married Mabel I was rather sweet on her chum ; of course, there wasu't anything serious in it, and we returned all the doll rags and things, but I wanted to keep, ju-,t as a souvenir, a little picture of her I had been carrying in one of those trade dollar lockets. "Now, yon fellowa needn't grin, because Mabel doesnet go through my pockets. Than I know. Bub the lockefc is gone, and I cou?fc know m litre I have lost it, or whether or uofc it's lost, or if my wife has found it and eesn fcfee picture." And ha ordered another drink, with a deep groan. "What's that, Thomas— somebody wants to speak to me on the phone ? " '• Hello, hello, who is this ? " "Yes, this ia Mr Smediey." " I can't understand you ; speak louder. O. Mabel, i* ii; ? Well, what can I do for you ? Gob something you want to ask my forgiveness for ? Well, go on. What's that ; you weni through my poskefcs this morning ? I'm surprised. But; you onlf took a silver dollar. (Aside. Lord, boys, i'/s coming ) What did I say ? O, nothing, nothing ; ib must have been the central. lam too astonished to speak. " You ar* down at Mra Smith's pink tea for charity. Well, what can I do for you ? The naan at the door says the dollar is a trade dollar and only worth 35c. Ha, ha, and you want me to send you some money by messenger, but only on condition that you give back the dollar that you took from my clothes. "Waab's that ? You bear something theft sounds lik*! someone dancing a. jig ? I'm sure I don'b run tbe telephone company ; somebody on the wire, I suppose. Good-bye. Yes, I'll hurry tbe mes enger ; bub miud, you returirthe stoleu prope-rfcy ' " " Thomas, make it a cold bottle." — New York Journal."