How a lost coin purse containing no ID was returned to its owner 5 months later

An Islander'sefforts to return a missing coin purse has the owner sending him big praise calling Russel Matthews"the most honest man on P.E.I."

Stan Gordon lost the coin purse back in August, somewhere along Charlottetown's Gold Cup Parade route.He says he'd longgiven up hope he'd ever see the purse or the $60 inside, especially since there was no I.D. along with it.

Then earlier this month, the phone rang at their home in Crapaud, P.E.I. It was Matthews, wanting to know if they'd been at the parade, and had lost anything.

"My wife said, 'Wow, how did you track us down?'" said Gordon."We couldn't believe it."

'I just believe in honesty'

Matthews explained he'd found the purse along the side of the road during the parade.While there wasn't an I.D. inside, there was a small rewards card with a bar code on it,from the Bass Pro Shop in Moncton, N.B.

He says he held onto the purse, until he finally had a chance to get to the shop during a trip to New Brunswick this month.

Bass Pro Shop staff scanned the card, and handed over Gordon's phone number.

"I just believe in honesty, and just to give something back that someone owns.That's the way it should be," said Matthews.

"It was no big deal to him, just the right thing to do," added Gordon. ""But he put the time in, big time.The act of him going through all that extra work to make it happen?Not too many people out there would do that."

It's a good thing to see, and it doesn't come at a better time than Christmas.- Stan Gordon

Gordon drove to Matthews' home in Wellington, P.E.I.,to pick up the coin purse, and to thank him in person for his efforts.

He also wrote an e-mail to CBC's Island Morning ahead of its holiday greetings program, wishing "a Merry Christmas to the most honest man on P.E.I."

"Hejust kind of reinforces your faith in mankind, you know?" said Gordon. "It's a good thing to see, and it doesn't come at a better time than Christmas."

Matthews says being able to return the coin purse, and to make a 'good friend' in the process, has turned into a Christmas gift for him too.

"It makes you feel good, especially this time of year, right? It's a good feeling when you help somebody out."

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