Semi-weekly Bourbon news., 1883-12-07
AN ODD ADVENTURE.

Tom Morcambe was in love and in
debt-two circumstances which consid-
erably disturbed his equanimity. His
pecuniary embarraSsmentS were less
serious than his love affair, for the for
mer were of temporary nature, while
the latter threatened to be permanent.
The combination made him restless and
anxious to avoid the society of his fellow
men, so he packed up his portmanteau
and started off to refresh his weary soul
by a weeks solitude 'by the sad sea
waves. Slocum-super-Mare was his
destination, but when he arrived there
he found, to his intense disgust, that the
quiet seaport town was in a state of tur-
moil, being on the eve of contested
election. Not being pleased with this
state of things, he moved on the next
day to MOrriSton, small fishing village
few miles up the coast.
Tom was in an unsociable frame of
mind, and he never even looked at his
fellOw-passengers. The compartment
in which he travelled was full, but he
reSOlutely buried his face in the news
paper, and read steadily on till he
reached his station. When the train
slackened speed at Morriston, he
dragged his portmanteau off the rack
and alighted on the platform with a
blessed sense of relief at the prospect of
few days of absolute quietude.
The aspect of Morriston was emil
nently calcuted to soothe his nerves, for
at that period of the year he had the
place all to himself. There was no
other guest at the little inn where he
took up his quarters; the native popula-
ton was represented by few children
and old men; the bathing machines
were drawn up high and dry above the
deserted beach, and the most complete
-desolation prevailed. Tom Morcambe
wandered for an hour or two along the
.seashore with perfect satisfaction, and
then returned to the inn.
He uhdid the straps of his portman-
teau and unlocked it in an absent frame of
mind, but without any misgivings. He
even began to throw the contents, pell-
nell, upon the bed, when suddenly he
awoke to the fact that there was some
thing wrong. A gaudy pair of worked
slippers first aroused his suspicious,
and, upon further inspection, he per-
ceived that the pOrtmanteau, though it
was the counterpart of his own, evident
ly belonged to some one else.
Itimmediately occurred to him that, in
bis hurried exit from the train, he had
appropriated a strange portmanteau by
mistake. At first he was disposed to
blame his own carelessness, but he was
not in mood for self-abasement. He
then commenced to launch hearty i'm
of Of ho fo1
low, and to speculate on what had be.
come of his own property.
From the point of equality of exchange
there was not much to choose between
the two portmanteauS and their respec
tive contents; but when Tom reflected
that his contained, among other things
a precious photograph and lock O.
golden hair, he became angrily con
Vinced that he had the worst of the bar
gain. He was seized with a feverisl
anxiety to recovery his property, anC
finding among the strangers luggage
sealed letter addressed to Mr. Bur
rows, of Chichester, town about thirtl
miles off, he resolved to go on there i'm
lnediately. Doubtless he would succeed
with the assistance of Mr.. Burrows, il
tracing the person who was the beare
of the letter.
He accordingly travelled to Bilcheste
by the afternoon train, which improved
his temper by taking the longest tim
on record in doing the journey. Whel
he reached his destination he found h
could not get back to Morriston tina
night, so that he had to put up at
hotel.
Without moments delay he callet
at Mr. Burrows residence, a modes
house in the suburbs of the town. Whel
the servant opened the door he handet
her the letter rather unceremoniously
and requested to see her master; but tn
girl explained that MIR. Burrows was no
within, and that she did not know whel
he would return, so he contented him
self with writing the name of his hote
on one of his cards, and leaving mes
sage that he would call in the evening
He returned to his hotel in an un
amiable mood, but having done ampl
justice to a capital dinner, he recovere,
his good humor. After all, his owl
portmanteau would turn up, sooner O
later, and meanwhile he need feel n
Scruple about making use of th
strangers property. This reflection oc
CURED to him while smokinga soothin.
cigar after decent bottle of claret, am
he consequently resolved to postpone hi
visit to Mr.. Burrows till next morning
But inst as he was thinking of goip!