Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1881-12-03
CHAPTER III.
THE 1890 VERY.

was standing in my shop; 1t was 0
dull morning in November, and the
visitor who came in spoke first to my
assistant, who referred HIM to me, and
then in a moment / recognized my fel-
low passenger. Not wishing to make
everything quite public, / led the way
to the inner room reserved for myself
and handed the gentleman q chair. He
was too excited to sit down, but began
his story at once.
"You remember the day I travelled
with you from Holyhead, sir ?"
Perfectly" I replied. 'T have too
good reason to remember it.
$50 have I. 1 had been ON the
Anglesea coast all the night before,
searching for some perhaps the
body. of my drowned brother. 1 had
only twenty-four hours, and was obliged
to hurry back, with only few bits of
wood and iron gathered from the wreck
age which strewed the beach. These l
put into small black bag"
GA black bag" said I. "Had you a
black bag, too?'
"Listen," said the gentleman. "I
saw that you had one, and remarked
that it was like mine-so much so that
at Chester, where you got out and did
not, you may remember you took my
bag with you instead of your own. /
felt sure you were coming back, for you
had left your coat and umbrella in the
carriage so did not follow you."
eyes," said /, getting excited, "but
that does not account"
"Wait q moment" said the gentle
man. 81 know perfectly what you
would say. It does not account for my
not advertising your bag, or making
some sort of sign all this time quite so
you will understand presently how it
has happened"
sat down and begged him to do the
same.
"When got out at Crewe, took as
I supposed my bag. When reached
home found that my poor mother,
whom / had left in the most utter grief
and prostration at my brothers death,
had not rallied at all told our doctor,
who was there, that my search for any
personal relic of my brother had been
fruitless, but that 1 had a few bits OF
iron and wood from the wreck.
"The doctor advised me to say moth
ing to her about it, not to tell her even
that had these sad relics. / put the
bag just as it was into o cupboard in my
own room and locked it up. That very
day had to leave England. I had q
business engagement which took me to
Australia. Ii broke the engagement
it would have involved my mother in
considerable pecuniary loss. She knew
had to go, and as she did not urge me
to stay, and as my sister and her hus-
band were with her and could take care
of her, / left the house that very day
and journeyed back north to Liverpool,
just in time to catch my steamer bound
for Melbourne.
"I only returned yesterday morning.
The first thing I heard after greeting my
mother was
"'Where is the bag you brought with
you from Moelfra 2
"In my room, l said.
"'Get it for me, said she.
"Without another word, though ]
wondered how she had heard of it,
went to my room, unlocked the cup
board, found the bag just as had left
it. and took it down stairs.
sI was Just going to open it when, to
my still greater surprise, my mother
said
"'Are you quite sure that is your
bag, Arthur?
sT looked at her in astonishment.
"sWell, mother I said, Il am as sure
as a human being can be of anything.
"'Did you open it after you cam
home, dear?'
'T thought for a moment, and then
said:
"tNo; I am certain I did not.
could not bear it.
Then, said my mother, 'be pre-.