The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-06-26
A MYSTERIOUS VALISE.
The Story Told by an Ex-Life-
Guardsman.

"Sentry, will you kindly keep your
eye on my bag for few minutes? l
am going to have plunge in the Ser
pentine,' said well-dressed, middle
aged gentleman to me, one warm sum-
mer morning few years ago, as was
on duty at the park gate of knights
bridge Cavalry Barracks.
'All right, sir" replied. eff l am
relieved before your return, shall hand
it over to the next sentry
ooh, l shan't be more than half an
hour at the latest, as / must be in the
city by nine. l prefer leaving my va
Use with you; there arc so many vaga-
bonds always swarming about Hyde
Park, that it is quite possible that one
OF them might take fancy to it while
am bathing. 1t doesn't contain very
valuable property-onl suit of clothes
and few documents 'of no use to any
one but the owner, as the saving is.
All the same, however, have no desire
to lose it." So saying, the gentleman
turned away, and walked briskly across
the park in the direction of the Serpen
tine.
The request to look after his property
did not in the least surprise
me, as numerous robberies from the
clothing of persons bathing had for
some time before been reported to the
police. l lifted the bag-upon which
the. letters w. N. were painted. and
which was in the battered condition in
dicative of having been much tumbled
about-and placed it behind the low
wall that lay between the barracks and
the footpath.
The barracks clock struck eight
Fully half an hour had elapsed since the
owner of the bag departed. and as vet
there was no sign of him; the quarter
past was chimed from the neighbour
ing clocks, and still he did not turn M;
and, as the minutes passed, | thought
to myself that it was time he was look
ing sharp if he really wished to be in
The city by nine.
About half-past eight | perceived q
great commotion in the park. Men
were rushing from all quarters in the
direction of the Serpentine; and soon
afterwards ascertained from passer-
by that the excitement was caused by
one OF the numerous bathers having
been drowned. An uneasy suspicion
was at once excited within me that the
person who had come to such sad end
was the gentleman who had left his
valise in my charge, which suspicion
was intensified when | was relieved at
nine, with the article still unclaimed. L
reflected, however, that its owner may
have been chained to the scene of the
disaster by that morbid curiosity which
induces people to linger about the spot
where any calamity of the kind has re-
Gently occurred and then, finding that
he was pressed for time, and knowing
that his property would be perfectly
safe, had gone direct to the city.
| handed over the bag to the sentry
who relieved me without mention
ing to him anything of the circum-
stances OF the case; and when he
returned from duty at eleven, eagerly
asked him if the valise had been called
for.
mo, he replied; sit is still lying
behind the wall"
went on sentry again at one o'clock
and no one had come for it. 1t was the
height of the London season and HYDE
Park presented its customary gay APP
pearance; but the imposing array of
splendidly-appointed equipages, dash
ing equestrians and Acknowledgements
ladies and gentlemen, which at other
times was to me a most interesting
spectacle, that afternoon passed by I'M
Needed as all my thoughts were CEN
tered on speculations regarding the fate
OF tho owner of the bag. Before being
relieved at three l had it conveyed to
my room in barracks. and after coming
off guard placed it for greater security
in the troop store. That evening, before
stables, " when the orderly corporal
had read out the duties for the succeed
ing day, he said, addressing me: ''Jones,
you have to attend the orderly room to-
morrow"
"WhyP" / inquired.
'You have been reported for neglect
ing TO salute Captain Sir Carnaby jerks
as he passed you while on sentry this
afternoon was the corporal's answer.
! said nothing by way of excuse. This