Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1886-04-20
APPARENTLY OF TRlFLlNG
NAI.IE.


"sen,ry. will you kindly keep your
eye on my bag for few minutes lam
going 10 have plunge In the SerPeh-
tine" said a w,ll.dressed, middle.sged
gentleman 10 me. one warm summer
morning few years ago. s was on
duty a, the Park gate Of knishu.bridse
Cavalry Barracks.
"Ali right. sir.' | replied. III ! am
relieved before you return. shall handi
to the next sen,ry.'
"Oh, | .hAn'i be more than half an
hour =, the latest. as must be in the
city by nine"
The rque., to look after ais property
did no, in the lea,, surprise me. as nu.
merou. robberie. from the clothing OF per-
500. bathing had for soue time before
been reported to the police. lifted the
bag-upon which the letters w. y. were
painted, and which va. in battered
condition indicative Of having been much
,umbled abou,-and placed il behind the
low wall ,hA, lay between the barracks
and the foo,ps,h.
The bauAek. clock s,ruk eight. Fully
half an hour had elapsed since the owner
Of the bag departed. and A' ye, there ".
no sign Of him; the ''quarier.pl', W.
ehimed from the nsishboring clocks. and
.,ill he did no, turn up and as the min
ute. passed, | thought TO myself ,ha, u
va. time be Was looking sharp II be real.
ly wished TO be in the city by nine.
Abou, half.pas, eish, | perceived
erea, eommo,ion in the Park. Men
were rushing from all quarters in the di'
rec,ion Of the Serpen,ine Aad soon after.
ward. | Aseer,Ained from pAsser.by
,hA, the excitement, was caused by one OF
the numerous ba,hsr having been
drowned. An uneasy suspicion was q,
once excited within me that the person
who had come 10 such a sad end was the
gentleman who had left his vAlise in my
charge. which suspisiOn was intensified
when was relieved a, nine. with the
article ,,ill unclaimed. reflected, how.
ever, tha, lis owner may have been
chained to the scene Of the disaster by
,ha, morbid curiosity which induces peo-
pie to linger about the sPo, where any
calamity Of the kind has recently occurred
and then, finding ,hA, be was pressed
for time. and knowing ,hA, bis property
would be safe. had gone directly to the
city.
handed ever the bag TO the sentry
who relieved me. withou, mentioning to
him anything Of the circumstances OF the
case and when he returned from duty a,
ele zen, l eagerly asked him II the vali'e
had been called for.
"No,' be replied ri, Is s,ill lying be-
hind the wall.
vent on sentry again At one o'clock.
and no one had come for II. II Was the
height Of the London season. and Hyde
Park presented is customary gay APP
pearance; but the imposing array OF
.pendidly appointed squipsges, da.hing
,aue.,risn., and fa.hionably dressed Ia.
dies and gentlemen, which at other
times was a mos, interesting spectacle.
,ha. afternoon passed by unheeded, As all
my thoughts were een,ered on 'peeula.
,ions regarding the fate Of the owner Of
the bag. Before being relieved At three,
had Il conveyed to my room in the bar.
racks, and after coming oil guard. placed
IL for greater security In the troop store.
That evening. befor. "s,ables', when the
orderly corporal had read Gu, the duties
for ,h. succeeding day. he said, address.
ing me-
"Jones, you have to attend the ordsrl,
room tomorrow"
"why l inquired.
"You have besn reported for neglect
ing to salute Captain Sir Csrnaby Jink'
as be passed you while on sentry this AZ
ternoon," Was the corporal's answer.
said nothing by way Of excuse. Thi'
heinous charge was in all probability
true. I believe might have omitted Il
"present" to her majesty the queen her
self, IL she had passed that afternoon Il
her state carriage. 90 distracted was l b,
the sngrossins subject Of this valiss.