Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1881-12-03
The BLACK BAGS.
A jewelers. Story.
CHAPTER I.
MY URN EY.

" X Il 1s
1t was on the Doth of October, 1859,
that / was returning to England, having
taken the steamer at Dublin for Holy
head. Business had taken me to Ire
land Il am a jeweler-and it had been
necessary for me to visit q branch of my
own firm in Dublin. was bringing
back certain valuable jewels which re-
quired re-setting-diamonds of great
value, and some other things of less i'm
portance, but still valuable.
1 found all the passengers talking on
one subject-the terrible and appalling
wreck which had occurred only three
days before, off Moelfra, on the Angle
sea coast. No less than four hundred
and forty-six lives were lost that night
when the Royal Charter was totally
wrecked. She vas a screw steamer
commanded by Captain Taylor. A
large sum of money-e700, 600 or $780,
600 in gold-was lost also, it was sup
posed but I have since heard that
some of the gold was recovered. am
a silent man habitually, and the awe in
the voices of my fellow-passengers
struck me forcibly; but I had another
reason, as will presently appear, in re-
membering my journey from Dublin to
London on this occasion.
] carried the jewels which l have al
ready mentioned in q small black hand
bag, and so long as knew that it was
safe, was free from care. Arriving at
Holyhead I took my seat in an empty
first-class railway carriage. just as the
train was moving of, however, gen.
tleman suddenly got in. He sat down
nearly opposite me, SO 1 had q good
opportunity of observing his appear
ance. noticed that he was young,
apparently not more than four-and-
twenty, that he had broad black band
round his hat, and that on his face were
traces of recent sorrow, almost in fact of
agitation. He seemed relieved at hav-
ing caught the train, and being like my
self quite disinclined for conversation,
our journey proceeded in silence.
Ny bag lay beside me, and quite un-
der my eyes. I was tired after my
crossing, and fell into q sort of doze.
On waking 1 instantly glanced at my
bag. There it lay, quite safe. My
companion, however, had moved his
seat. We stopped at Chester, and here
thought I would get out and walk
about little, as we had ten minutes to
wait. / took my bag and got out. On
my return to the train there was my
companion apparently asleep. I got
into the carriage without disturbing
him, and we continued our journey.
At Crewe, our next stopping place, he
got out, and did not come back. / was
very tired now, and fell into sound
sleep with my hand holding the handle
of my black bag. I did not wake until
we reached London, then getting into
the first hanson 1 saw, and still carry
ing my precious bag of which L was
heartily tired, I drove home. On my
arrival, with a method which suppose
is habitual to a man in my trade, in
stantly went to the safe in which keep
valuable jewels, and depositing the bag
on a table, I opened it. Imagine my
dismay at finding that, instead of my
diamonds, it contained only some rusty
bits of iron and wooden debris. MY
bag was gone, this other bag had been
cleverly substituted for it, so cleverly,
indeed, that even the weight as well as
the appearance had been judged.
put the affair into the hands OF the
police, giving them exactly every par
ticular as I have here written it. The
bag was lost.