Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1882-09-13
Ill.


ant, who referred him to me, and then in
moment l recognized my fellow-pas-
senger. Not wishing to make every
thing quite public, I led the way to the
inner room I reserved to myself, and
handed the gentleman a chair. He was
too excited to sit down, but began his
story at once.
"You remember the day [ travelled
with you at Holyhead, sir, said he.
Perfectly" [ replied. ST have too
good reason to remember it"
$50 have I. I had been on the An
glesea coast all the night before, search
ing for some relics, perhaps the body, of
my drowned brother. [ had only twenty
four hours, and was obliged to hurry
back, with only few bits of wood and
iron gathered from the wreckage which
strewed the beach; these I put into a
small black bag"
ga black bag?" said 1; chad you a
black bag ?"
"Listen," said the gentleman. CT
saw that you had one, and L remarked
that it was like mine-so much so that
at Chester, where you got out and I did
not, you may remember you took my
Lie L
felt sure you were coming back, for you
had LETT your coat and umbrella in the
carriage, SO [ did not follow you"
Eyes" said I, getting excited, "but
that does not account"
"Wait moment" said the gentle
man. "I know perfectly well 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
happened.
I sat down and begged him to do the
same.
"When I got out at Crewe, I took, as
l supposed, my bag. When L reached
home | found that my poor mother,
whom L 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 I had 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 I had these sad relics. I put the
bag just as it was into a cupboard in
my own room, and locked it up. That
very day had to leave England. I had
a business engagement which took me
to Australia. IL I broke the engage
ment it would have involved my mother
in considerable pecuniary loss. She
knew l had to go, and as she did not
urge me to stay, and as my sister and
her husband 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.
6 [ only returned yesterday morning.
The first thing [ heard after greeting
my mother, where is the bag you
brought with you from Moelfra ?"
8" In my room, / said.
"' Get it for me, said she.
g Without another word, though I
wondered how she had heard of it, I
went to my room, unlocked the cup
board, found the bag just as I had left
it, and took it down stairs.
=" [ was just going to open it, when, to
my still further surprise, my mother
said, Are you qHite sure that this is
your bag, Arthur 2
ST looked at her in establishment.
We'll, mother, I said, am as sure as
human being can be of anything
"FDid you open it after you came
home, dear?' I thought for moment
and then said, NO, [ am certain I did
not. L could not bear it.
'''Then, said my mother, be pre-
pared for surprise. I think that you
will find that you have some one else's
bag
81 did not answer, for I was trying to
unlock the bag. 1t is very odd, I said,
'my key won't open it..
"My mother rang the bell and in
walked the Inspector" Here my visi-
tor ceased speaking, and walking hastily
to the shop door, he beckoned to some
person seated in hanson cab close by.
1t was my friend, the inspector of police
at GROVE. He continued the story.
But fist be placed on the table my
"black bag" "There SIR said he,
els your bayou were quite right
this gentleman took it by mistake. That
morning when Mrs. Banks sent for me /
found the bag unopened. I forced the
lock and found your name inside the
bag. The contents are intact, as you
will see"
opened my safe, and before / would
allow them to open my bag, I took his
from the shelf, and placing it beside my
own, we all three saw that in size, make,
indeed in weight, they exactly resembled
each other.
Although felt that had really made
the discovery myself, I cheerfully paid
the inspector the cheque he deserved for
the clever and prompt manner in which
he must have conveyed my suspicion-a
decidedly awkward one-to Mrs. Banks.
The Secret of Bull Run.
Ex-President Fillmore shortly before
his death visited Europe, and, as related
by Col. Ramsey in his RecollectioDs, -
had the following experience with the
American consul at Barcelona: 81 was
much amused by the consul's turning
round abruptly to me, apropos of moth
ing In particular, and asking me if I
knew why their army ran away at Bull
RIM . OF course I said no. and looked