Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-09-11

and handed the gentleman chair. He
was too excited to sit down, but began
his story OF once.
''You remember the day 1 travelled
with you from Holyhead, sir ?" said he.
Perfectly" 1 replied. 81 have too
! good reason to remember ii.
$50 have l. Ibad been on the Angle
sea coast all the night before, searching
for some relic, 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 / put into o
small black bag"
"a black bag ?" said I j; chad you a
black bag?"
Listen" said the gentleman. 81
saw That you had one, and 1 remarked
that 1t 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. l
felt sure you were coming back, for you
had left your coat and umbrella in the
carriage, 50 l did not follow you"
eyes, said 1, getting excited, "but
that does not account"
"Wait moment" said the gentle
man. 81 know perfectly what you
would say it does not account for nv
not advertising your bag or making some
sort of a sign ell this time-quite So
you will understand presently how it
has happened"
L sat down, and begged him to do the
same.
"When / got out at Crewe, L took as
L supposed my bag. When / reached
nome L 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. / had told our
doctor, who was here, that my search
for any personal relic of my brother had
been fruitless, but that 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 l had these sad relics. put the
bag Just as it was into cupboard in
my own room, and locked it up. That
very day | had to leave England. I had
business engagement which took me
to Australia. If / broke the engage
ment 1t 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
husband were with her and could take
care of her, L left the house that yery
day, and iourneyed back to Liverpool,
Just In time to catch my steamer bound
for Melbourne.
only returned yesterday morning.
The first thing | heard after greeting
my mother was, Where is the bag YOU
brought with yol from Moalfra?
In my room, | said.
Get it for me, she said.
without another word, though /
wondered how she had heard of It. /
went to my room, unlocked the cup
board, found the bag Just as 1 had left
it, and took ii down stairs.
| was just going to open it when, to
my still further surprise, my mother
SAID, Are you quite sure that is your
bag, Arthur
81 looked at her in astonishment.
well, mother, l said, Il am as sure MS
human being can be of anything
Did you open it after you came
home, dearT | thought for moment,
"hu thtn SdItl, NO, am certain Qua
not. | could not bear it,
"'Then, said my mother, be pre-
pared for surprise. | think YOU will
find that you have some one else's bag
81 did not answer, for 1 was trying to
unlock the bag. 1t is very odd L
said, my key won't open it.
My mother rang the bell, and in
walked the inspector. Here nv visitor
ceased speaking, and, walking hastily to
the shop-door, he beckoned to some per
son seated in a hanson cab close by.
1T was my friend. the inspector of DO
lice ut Crewe. He continued the story.
But first he placod on the table NV
black Tag. There, sir" said he.
'ls your bayou were quite right
this gentleman took it by mistake. That
morning when Mrs. Blank sent for me
found the bag unopened. / forced the
lock and found your name inside the
bag. The contents are intact, as YOU
will see. ;"
l opened my safe, and before I would
allow them to open my bag, | took his
from the shelf, and. placing it beside my
own, we AL three saw that in size, make,
indeed III weight, they exactly resemkled
each other.
Although felt that had really made
the discovery myself, / ,heerfully paid
the inspector the cheque he deserved for
the clever and prompt manner in which
he must have conveyed my suspicion, q
decidedly awkward one, to Mrs. Blank.