The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-07-09
LOST AND FOUND.

that small country town. The events now
related happened soon after the old French
war, and long before the establishment of
railways, money order postoffices the tele-
graph, and other modern cOnveniences
Communication by mail was then under very
heavy postage, and all communications and
packages of above certain weight had to be
sent as parcels by the coaches. Hence
bankers, gOldsmths and others who were in
the habit of sending valuable packages, when
they could not find responsible person will
ing to take charge of such articles, sent such
parcels by private hands in the luggage of
passengers, rather than go to the expense of
carriage and run the risk of loss by the guard.
My father had repeatedly carried bankers,
parcels containing large sums from Newport
to London and brought back similar parcels
in return; but fearing any further responsi-
bility, he at length declined all such future
commissions except those from his own
bankers. and those he could not well refuse.
His business called him a good deal to Lon
don, and as he.was methodical and orderly he
got his full address engraved on a heavy
brass plate, which was firmly riveted to the
end of his black Ieathern portmanteau
This was in the days of bank of England
OIlt pOilliu llDltS anu Oblitl paper hiphtN3
and these securities answered instead of spe-
Gle with the country banks, so that there was
a constant passage and exchange of money
parcels between the country banks and their
London agencies. On the occasion in ques-
ton, money parcel had been duly taken to
London and delivered and the recipients in
quired when the party (my father) was to
return, in order that they might remit the
usual reply parcel The answer was that his
stay was uncertain and he begged that the
bankers would if possible find another mes
serger. But just as my father had all his
luggage packed except the black leathern
portmdnteau, clerk arrived from the bank
ing house with an ominously large parcel
whose square foldings of strong paper and
wei! sealed stringbands conveyed the un-
pleasant idea that it was one of more than
ordinary value. At first the parcel was alto
gether declined and it was not until the clerk
had assured the intended carrier that it had
already been advised to the Newport bank
ers as sent by him, that it was accepted, and
thrust into the portmanteau. Meanwhile the
coach was delayed, the coachman and guard
demonstrating loudly and my father was fl
naly hurried inside the coach, having in the
first place desired the boots of the inn to
deposit the portmanteau in the boot of the
coach, which, being under the feet of the
coachman, was considered the safest place.
The coach arrived at Portsmouth, whence
the sailing packet transferred the passengers
to.the Isle of Wight across the SOlent. There
were at that time no steamboats,, and when
the wind and tide were contrary, the passage,
although only of five miles, often took from
two to three hours to accomplish. Great in
deed was the dismay when, on unloading the
coach, the black leathern portmanteau could
not be found. The cOachman and guard
were strictly nterrogated, but to no purpose
All that could be ascertained with certainty
from the coachman and 5OX-seat passenger
both of whom were above Suspicion-was
that either one or the other Of them had their
feet on the cover of the boot the whole night,
and that no single article had been removed,
nor had the boot been opened once.
Clearly, then, the only thing to be done
was to write to the London bankers, and to
the inn-keeper, with a strict charge to find
out from the ''boots'' what he had done with
the portmanteau, and to await events. On
examination the ''boots' declared that he
had put the gentIeman's pOrtmanteau into
the coach, as he had done many times before,
and that he had at the same time attended to
the rest of the lugeageys The reply of the
London bankers was that every inquiry pos
sible had been made without discovery, and
that tthe parcel contained ten thousand pounds
of Bank of England notes, payment of which
had been stopped.
This was a pleasant story to go to the
country bank with, and as it was not very
large concern, the loss Cshould loss occur)
A. F,tf, ,.FF
partners ard stated the facts. Some pro-
posed advertising, but as the name and ad-
dress in full was on tine portmanteau and as
the owner was so well known as public
man, it was thought best to wait and see
what might turn up all parties acquainted
with the facts being strictly charged in the
meantime to keep the matter absolutely Sc
cret, and that nothing whatever should be
said outside. In spite of all this, my father
felt that he was in a most disagIeeable posi-
ton, especially when the rumor went around
every goSsping tea-table in the town that
Mr.. - had been intrusted with a parcel
containing ten thousand pounds, which, not
being accountable for. he had made away
with.
Things went on in this way for some weeks
when one night after all had retired my
father was startled by violent knocking at
his front door, and on his opening his bed
room window, which was almost directly
above the door, and haiiing the intruder, he
was answered by the welcome shout 'Is
that YOU Mr.. -, and have you lost port
manteau? / have one here in my hand with
your name upon it. and as the tide will only
serve half an hour longer, aud my vessel
must soon be under weigh, l ventured to
awaken YOU
'Have you any one with you?" inquired
my father.
eyes, =" replied the man who was the mas
ter of a coaSting schooner; "my cabin boy"
''Wen, tell him." said my father, ito go
back to the schooner, and let the hands take
her down the river, and wait for you at
Cowes. You shall join her tomorrow
Meantime, l will pay all charges"
VERY WE'LL" said the captain. "Come
down and take il the portmanteau, and l
will see you in the morning"
''No: that will not do at ALL was the re-
ply. "You must come with me at once: and
don't let the portmanteau out of your hand
for mnute-it is of more value than you
think; and | will be down directly
He dressed and came down, and took the
captain and his load away to the bankers
house knocked up all hands, and sent out
for the other partners, before he would al
low a word of explanation to be said. When
. I all were assembled