The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-08-14
EDGERTON'S BAGGAGE

the g., Ii. " ID. 1t was monster trunk,
too, covered with sheet-iron, and ter.
ror TO the mercless smasher, who could
not inhct any injury upon II. 1t be-
longed to q man named EdgertOn-War-
rem Edgerton, l Believes drummer for
a wholesale millinery establishment IN
the East.
Hs was tail good-looking man, with
sandy hair and cunning eye. His
voice was mellow for man of his years
and habits, and he often delighted his
fellow-travelers with certain songs which
he could sing to perfection. His huge
trunk was the only thing that accom-
panied him on his drumming expeditions,
and rs he never looked after its welfare
which he consigned TO the are OF baggage
masters and porters, many people deemed
him careless fellow.
Edgerton's trunk, by its repeated tran
sits over the line l have mentioned, had
famllisrized itself with the men OF the
road, who were wont to bestOw many
jocose remarks upon it when it reappesr-
ed after one of it, brief absences.
Here we are again, old boy" said
Wilson McGfew one evening, as he saw
the great trunk pushed into his car by
the expressmaR and his sable assistant
"Haven't seen you TOR three weeks.
By joveI you're heavier than usuall'
he exclaimed, as he moved the ponderous
thing over the floor of the car,
and having completed this task he
turned to Murphy, the agent, "W here 5
the owner Of that contouuded trunkP'
"Dou't know," answered Murphy,
smiling at the almost exhausted appear.
sncC OF McGrew. Hes beer up TO
the Hatfield House these two days.
Guess he'll be on maud in Cincinnati to
claim his trunk. What's the matter,
Mack2
Nothing particular. He must be
running for hard ware store, now, Nc
Grew said. with one of his peculiar
laughs. 1--we handled that trunk tor
siN wears Oh this line, and I'll wager my
salary that it is one hundred and fifty
pounds heavier to night than it has ever
been before.
Nothing but womanish gewgaws in
it, | know Murphy answered, rs he
took up the lines and spoke to his horse.
"Tn tell the boys about Edgerton and
the hardware store, and we'll have q
big laugh ut him when he comes up
again.
Then the train moved Oft, and Nc
Grew laughing at Murphy's last words,
.urncd upon the heap ottrunks and other
baggage that almost filled the baggage
car,
an go back and joke Edgerton,' he
SAID TO himself after having looked to the
baggage entrusted to his care at the city
Just lett behind, and WAS about to leave
the car when Clyde, the messenger, en-
tered.
Before McGrew could address Clyde,
that worthy was at the great trunk look
Ing at it MS though he half doubted its
IDENTITY.
Its Edgerton's iron mountain" said
McGrew. "Instead OF flowers and rib
oons. hes filled it with kingbolts and
amples of wagon tire. pity the porters
ut he Gibson
"Mack," and there was startling Sc
-iousness in the messengers looks rs he
finished this inspection OF the trunk,
and turned to the bagge-master, 81
.ell YOU there is SOME strange mystery
here. Haven you seen Edgerton to.
light?'
"No"
This is mis- trunk
"Undoubtedly recognize it after an
acquaintance ofsix years"
well, we'll call the identity Of the
trunk settled" said Clyde. "Now tor the
identity of the man who checked 1t in
the name o: Warren Edgerton."
"Where is he?" asked McGrew, be
coming interested in the messenger 5
manner.
"cio into the third csr-number ten -
and look ut the man asleep in the fourth
RIGHT hand seat from the forward door
Go. and take a good look, then come back
here and answer what questions 1 may
put,to you"
McGrew looked st Clyde in a benevo-
lent manner. The young messenger was
excited, and the baggage master saw that
something singular had happened. He
regretted 10 leave the car without ques-
tion,ng Clvde about the suspicious be
seemed to hold, but when he WAS told to
90 Quietlv and look at the sleeping man,
he hustled out of the car, wondering II
the messenger could not be partly out OF
mis- splendid head.
The bsggagc-master found the man in
the seat Indicated.
POOH" be exclaimed rs his eyes fell
upon the man. Nobody but EdSerton.
I've notion to wake him and tell him
how he has deceived jim
"He approached the sleeper, doubtless
for the purpose of rouslng him, when ne
stopped.
A closer look told HIM that the man
was not Warren Edgerton, the drummer.
There was the drummer'S hair, his pecu-
Iisrly cut whiskers, his long eye-lashes
and broad face, but yet they did not COM
plete Warren Edgerton. The drum
mer's left index finger was missing, but
the left hand OF this man was whole.
With this exception he WAS the com
plete double of Edgerton.
This means something! McGrew
ssid, rs he turned from the man, who
really slept, and returned to Clyde.
"Wen?" SAID the messenger. with trl-
umrh in his tone.
If he had q finger missing, he'd be
Edgerton," said McGrew.
Just so; but since he does not lack a
finger. he's somebody else. | saw Ed
gerton at Sidney day before Yesterday,
and he had finger missing. There's
some mystery here, and I'm going 20
solve it before we get to Cincinnati.
What do you think of itT"
McGrew, who had been thinking, an
swered:
"He might have stolen Edgerton
baggage. His face would help him
Admitting it, would ask where is
Edgerton?'
The baggage master smiled family and
shook his head
This is Edgerton's trunk" said Clyde
at is heavier than we have ever known