Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1888-09-22

smoked awhile, walked impatiently
through the cars, even lent them
hand at cleaning the track and after
other devices to kill time, thought l
would look over my business matters.
AS 1 took down my valise, it felt so
light it attracted my attention at
once, so that 1 involuntarily looked
it all over attentively. 1t certainly
appeared right; and there were my
initials, c. S. r. in the proper place.
Something intuitively told me I had
made mistake, and before opening
l tried to think how it happened.
Although l had taken it in the dark,
I recalled the stairway, the room at
end of the upper hall, the position Of
things as they appeared in what lit
tie light there was, and the valise in
the corner whence l took it. There
could be no mistake, and yet this va
lise seemed only about half as heavy
as it ought. 1t may appear strange
that ! had not noticed it before, but,
in my hurry to the station, 1 doubt
if should have noticed had it been
empty.
To solve the mystery, 1 opened it,
and the contents certainly were not
mine. Perhaps some of the fellows
in the house had played trick upon
me. / found some toilet articles,
some apples, book, and, roll which
appeared to be my papers, but which
proved to be lecture in manuscript
upon "Grecian Art" with the name
Chester Sylvanus Richardson at the
end. Who the dickens he was was a
mystery, and how l came by his va.
lise a still greater problem. After
more study over it, it flashed upon
me that / must have gone into one Of
the other houses in the block. This
eased my mind little, though l still
felt anxious about my papers. There
was nothing could do but exercise
patience, and so began reading the
lecture. Although somewhat beyond
my requirements, | found it interest
ing and instructive. Toward I
O'Clock in the afternoon we arrived a
the manufacturing town of s., whose
inhabitants were of the wide-aWake
notwithstanding class so Otter
) found in thriving New England vii
lagos. AS it was impossible to trans
act my business in full without my
papers, and l was weary with thu
, slow progress | had made, l formed
a sudden resolution to stop over nigh
in s., telegraph for my valise, ant
60 to New York some time the mex
day, when it arrived.
The snow about the town was fair
ly beaten down, considering the fierce
ness of the storm and the short tim
since it had begun to abate. Afte
getting out of the cars / did not hur
ry, but leisurely passed along tn
platform in the rear of the other pas
sengers. AS I was about stepping Of
, the platform to the sidewalk, to m.
surprise, two gentlemen, of nice ap
J pearance, seemed about to accost me
= but as they were total strangers t.
: me, /, of course, supposed mysel
mistaken and passed on. In a me
ment they were by my side, and on
of them said very politely: "Excus
me, professor, thought it was you
l but did not feel sure until l saw you
1 initials upon your valise. l am sol
ry you have had such a rough joul
:, ney; but I can assure you good audi
ence despite the storm"
/ was so dumbfounded that coul
;. not resist his efforts as he and hi
:. friend escorted me to a carriage
> placed me in it, and then entere
:, themselves. Before l had a chanc
6 to speak, the elder gentleman said
J, 81 trust, professor, you will at ono
feel at home with Us. You hav
many warm friends in town, thong
i you are stranger, personally, TO us.
= Eyes" broke in the other man, &c
. am Judge Alderman, chairman {
o the lecture committee, and my frien
here is Judge Lincoln, who would il
+, sist you should make your headqual
at his house."
! saw what their mistake was; BIT
e how to get myself out of the matte
l. caused me to fall into a reverie, du
e ing which my companions politel
:. ceased to talk to me. A few minute
e thought, and l determined to pc
l form the part so Unexpectedly thru'
d upon me, and give the lecture as be:
n 1 could. Thanking the gentlemen
" and fearing the conversation migl
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