The Portland daily press., 1881-04-16
Somebody's Portmanteau.

"Change here for Whartonr'
"What did he say?'' inquired the stout
gentleman opposite, waking up.
repeated the information.
My corpulent Wis avis rapidly collected
his loose impedimenta, opened the door and
beat hasty retreat.
We had been the only occupants of the
carriage. 1t was a cold afternoon in early
December and rapidly growing dark; so, af-
ter drawing up The window with shiver of
mingled discomfort and Impotence, l
wrapped myself in my travelling rug and
nodded again. The nod resolved itself into
a decided doze ; and in happy unconscious
ness of things material l arrived at my des-
tination, where the shouting of porters and
confusion incidental to the arrival of the
express speedily aroused me.
Eaying delivered up my ticket, gathered
together my few effects, consisting of a pc
culiarly natty portmanteau and a newspa
per, and made my way out of the station.
'.How dye do2 How dye do? Glad to
see you, old fellowr' cried hearty voice.
Just in time, you see-here's the trap"
Releasing myself from the somewhat un-
ceremonious grasp of my friend, and warm
some misgivings the lofty trap" and we
started for home-not my home, though.
No; was only wanderer-a cosmopoli-
tan. My home was anywhere--the best ho-
tel procurable generally; my domestic min
istering spirits were chambermaids and
landladies; and the form of response most
familiar to my ears was "Yes, SIR"
1t was to Jenkins's home 1 was going. He
had taken unto himself wife and also sis
ter-in-law, and had settled down in the little
town of Rem more than year before. He
was always bluff, hearty fellow, lacking
doubtless much of the polish of polite life,
but also happily destitute of articles or in
sincerity. No truer-souled friend ever
breathed than Harry jenkins, bushy- whis-
kered, black-eyed radical as he was, and his
welcome, knew, was sincere one.
We arrived at the Wren's Nest, as Jen-
kins had dubbed his pretty villa, and very
cheering indeed was the sight of the open
hall door and the bright lights shining down
the avenue.
Speedily found myself in room the like
of which had not greeted my eyes for many
a long day--in which the first impression
was brightness and warmth and rosy color
ing, and, best of all, meet mistress of such
scene, fair English girl put her white
hand into mine with welcome less noisy
but not less cordial than her husbands. Har-
ry then showed me my room, where bright
fire was burning, and left me to rub off some
of the signs of my long journey.
lproduced the key OF my portmanteau,
and, unlocking the article, beheld that which
caused me to star. back in amazement. Had
some sorcerer been at work? All my neat
travelling arrangements were upset, my
shirts and collars were soiled by evident
marks of wear, and my dressing-case was
represented by a large black pocket-book,
which assuredly had not weighed down the
pockets of any garments of mine.
'What's the matter, old fellow?'' inquired
Harry, putting his head in at the door,
"Didu't hear YOU call OutT'
''Oh, l say, here's a position to be imp
Anything wrong with your collars?" he
asked, looking obviously over my shoulder
at tho tnnnhlad- haap- hafare
My collars! Gingerly lifted one, and be-
held before me, marked neatly on the back,
the name "George Potter"
Harry" said, turning solemnly to my
astonished host, "you see in me luc1less
fellow-a man who has robbed his fellow
creature of perhaps his little ALL and is
therefore doomed to imprisonment
81 don't understand it at all! Haven't you
taken some one else's portmanteau in mis-
take? Then of course he's got yours, and,
from appearances, he has made good thing
by the exchange, 1 should sayr'
"Happy thoughtp' cried. ''My consci-
ence is cleared. Lend me collar, my dear
jenkins. I am no longer the miscreant I
thought myself"
Speedily finishing my toilet, we descended
to the pretty parlor, and 1 then related the
history of my misforthnes to the sympathet-
ic pearly, pink and white ears OF Mrs. Har-
ry.
Dear mellow tiresome. to be sure!
Can't you recollect who in the carriage had
a portmanteau like yours@'
There were four passengers in the car
riage when l started, but was awake when
they got out, and should therefore have seen
them if they had taken my property Then
there was stout gentleman got out at
somewhere