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A Thief Shrewdly Caught

A Thief Shrewdly Caught image
Parent Issue
Day
29
Month
November
Year
1878
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

JJishonest people ofton show a great deal of cunniug - and they have use for a great deal, But very few of them master all the secrets of deteetion, so as to perfecüy shield theinselves long in their bad trade. " Where did you get them tomatoes?" asked an old Long Island farmer of a neighbor, whose real estáte yields not a (ornato vine. His basket was fnll of very fine, ripe specimens, which he thought he recognized. It was not the first time suspiciou of his neighbor's honesty had arisen in his mind. " Where did you get 'ein?" he asked again. "Bough', 'em." "Ah ! Let's look at your hands." With his basket on his arm, he held out both hands for examination "What do you want to look at my hands for? There ain't nothing on to 'em." The old farmer was washing his ora hands at the samo time in a tin basis of water, with a wooden bowl of soft brown soap before Mm. "No, there ain"t nothing on 'em that you can see; but look a-here! Set down your basket and wash 'em. It's ! werry coolin', and your face and hands look hot." So saying, he emptied the basin and fiUed it with cold water, pointed to the so&p-dish, and relieved the bearer of his basket. The first immersion and friction of the hands in the water caused the fluid to turn green. It grew greener eveiy second, and at length tnrned an j intense dark green. "Here, Jim," said the farmer to his tow-headed son, "take in this basket and empfcyit, and bring it out ngin." Then, turning to his honest neighbor, he said : "You hooked them tomatoes from my patch half an haur 8go. Three or four of tho top ones I knew in a minute. Here's your basket !" If any country reader of the foregoing would test this discovery of a theft, let him piek one or two tomatoes next season, separating the vines with naked hand, and then wash it. There is a mysterious something about the plant, perfectly colorless, that remains on the li:mds until water removes it. A fine illustration of the effect of a guilty deed, always. One never comes out of it with clean hands, howcver fair an appearauce he may put on.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus