Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-10-06
MISS POLLY'S CARPET.BAG.

|
MISS POLLY'S CARPET.BAG.
"Dave," said Mrs. Burt, one after
noon when Dave Burt came in from
school, Il wish you to go around to
Barnes drug store, and get Miss Polly s
carpet bag that she left there about half
an hour ago.
''Miss Polly? The stout country lady
with glasses, whose brothers farm
house we STAYED at last summer?'
Eyes, Miss Polly wainwright. She
came from the depot in the street cars
to Barnes corner; but there she was
perplexed how to get along, having, be-
sides her carpet-bag, her arms full Of
bundles and packages. Some stranger
who left the car at the same time, learn
ing that she had still some distance to
walk, advised her to leave her carpet
bag in the drugstore. which was what
he proposed doing with his"
Before starting, Dave went out to the
dining room closet to get an apple or
two to eat. While thus engaged, he
overheard his mother saying in an I'M
dertone to Mary, the upstairs girl, that
Miss Polly was commencing to feel
rather anxious about her carpet-bag.
lest the strange man might have had
some design to purposely exchange it
| for his own.
'sBe sure you get the right bag" said
Mrs. Burt. as Dave went out. /" Miss
! Polly says hers was placed under the
right-hand counter just opposite to
where the stranger had his placed; and
! to make no mistakes, see Mr.. Barnes
him> elf, if possible
At the drug store. Dave found one of
Mr.. Barnes clerks, who was standing
at the back of the store, between the
| two rows of counters.
| Eyes, there were two bags here,
Dave said the clerk; but the gen.
tleman described by Mr.. Barnes as the
owner of one of them has been back and
taken his away"
well, Miss Polly is always just
dreadfully exact, and she says hers was
put under the right-hand counter"
continued Dave. going to look behind
the counter next to the side of the
street.
There's where the man took his
bag FROM said the clerk, quick y NOV
ing to look under the soda-fountain
counter. ''But here's bag under this
counter"
"He's got Miss Polly's bagp ex-
claimed Dave. (Which way did he
goP'
81 didn't notice However, 1 re-
member him saying that he had been
up to Mr.. Joseph Cooper s, five blocks
| above here, but it was not the gentle
man of that name he was looking for.
You had better run Up there, Dave, and
see if he has been there. But first, are
you sure that this isn't Miss Polly's
bag?''
"Yes. I'm sure, because it wasn't
| where she said she had left hers; and
hers wasn't new and bright like this
one. Last summer her nephew Joe
and took her carpet-bag, without ask
| ing leave. to carry things to picnic,
and somehow we got ice cream on one
side and blackberry pie on the other"
The stranger had been at MIR. Coop
er's, and had been directed to inquire
| in Porter Street, about mile away, for
the man he was looking for. Return
ing to the drug store, the clerk advised
| Dave to wait until the man could have
time to discover and remedy his mis-
take. But Dave was so positive it was
worse than mistake, that when q we'll
! known grocer wagon came along, go
| inc down town, he asked for ride to
| really gone there.
"Then take this bag along with you,"
said the drug clerk lin case you find
the man, you can exchange bags with
him without further trouble"
Dave repeated ringing at the bell of
the house in Porter street finally caused
woman to look out from an upper
window.
"Go away, boy,'' said she. "We
never buy anything from peddlers."
But I've got a caTpet-bag here, that
isn't Dave began to protest.
"You needn't tell me how good it is.
I don't want a carpet-bag. Therer'
And down went the window-sash.
Dave was about to ring the door-bell
again, when a sleepy-loOking girl came
! growing to the basement door. She
answered that the stranger with car
| pet-bag had called there; but as the
| gentleman he was looking for had
moved, she had sent him to house six
blocks away.
Going to the designated house, Dave
set the carpet-bag down on the door
step with bang, and pulled the door
| bell until he could hear it ring again.
| A boy of about Dawes age answered
| the summons, and he was questioned
relating to the strange man with the
carpet-bag.
Ibid Uncle Seth bring a carpet-bag
with himp" the boy called to some one
within the house.
Eyes. What is wanted?" said a
lady. coming to the door.
Then Dave repeated why he wished
to make the change.
This is rather strange said the
lady, eying Dave closely. "You de-
scribe the gentleman who came here
with his carpet-bag though now he is
downtown attending to some business,
| and will not return until seven o clock