Wichita eagle., 1890-03-09
A man who doesn't know his own clothes
isn't tit to be married man"

place, in the hope of finding out some
! thing about the man whose clothes wa
wearing. was sure that the man ha.
seen swimming out to sea was the mai
wanted. found him in low publi
house. He was surrounded by lot O
rowdy looking fellows, and was tellin,
them about the very affair of the chang
of clothes. eyes," heard him say as
entered, sit was one of the downies
tricks I ever heard of, and I've com,
across good deal in my time"
$50 you ave, Bill; ear, ear" they
chorused approvingly.
"He was got up just like i'm, yer know
just the same kind of togs, watch chain
and everythink."
wasn't worth much" observed one Of thu
listeners.
"Wot do you think" replied the Cock.
ney contemptuously. ''In course il
wasn't, no fear of that. But, Lord, you
should have heard the other a-cussin
and a-swearin'; seems as how he'd some
think valuable in his pockets. If he
comes across that downy card he'll make
it 'ot for i'm. But, Lord bless you, he's
safe again in Whitechapel, e is"
I thought had better come forward
here, and looked as fierce as I could
and sternly asked him if he knew where
the man was who had taken my clothes.
Instead of answering he burst into a
roar of laughter, in which all his friends
joined.
''Took your clothes" he gasped; "come
now, that's good 'un, that is"
believe to this day he thinks that
there was what he would call a ''plant "
With half hours interval for re.
freshments I did nothing till o'clock
in the afternoon. There was no end of
blue serge suits. Every third person
seemed to be wearing one. But some Of
the wearers were too tall. a few were toe
short, some were TOO fat, and so on. At
last saw man whose clothes ] was
sure I could wear if l tried. He wa.
walking very fast down the parade, and
with my tight boots it wasn't pleasant to
try to follow him. When l came up
with him he was sitting on a bench. !
said very mildly, Excuse me, sir, but
did you take bathe in the sea this morn.
ing?"
Yes, did," he replied; "what of it,"
81 only asked" l continued, s'be-
cause But here young lady came
up and touched him on the shoulder.
II am awfully sorry to be SO late, Ber-
tie" she said.
He got up and went away without
waiting to hear what was saying. AT
first 1 thought I ought to follow him,
for felt sure / could recognize my
own suit. But / didn't like to, either
and then it struck me that, if he had
been the man, he would have noticed
that 1 was dressed in blue, too. He
would have been quite as anxious as
was to get into his own clothes. Then
the word "Bertie." Ipulled out the tele-
gram; it was addressed to sc. Lambert"
and here an idea came to my relief. The
telegram said, "Will come by p. IN.
train" would go the station and wait
for the train. Mr.. Lambert would be
there to keep his appointment, and so
would find him. was quite proud of
this idea, and it was followed by anoth-
er. "Clara" was, of course, the young
lady whose portrait was in the locket ]
was wearing. l would look out for her,
and she, of course, would be looking out
for him, and just as they were over the
first ecstasies of meeting would step up
gently and say: ''My clothes, sir, if you
please" Ispent the quarter of an hour
had to wait at the station in looking at
"Clara's' portrait, so as to be sure !
should know her when she came. But
she didn't conne-at least I didn't see
her. waited in the station till every
body had gone away who had come
in by the p. M train. l saw no one
who resembled at all the young lady OF
the locket just as l was going away o
man spoke to me.
You wereexpecting some one by this
train, sir" he said.
"Well, yes, said; "that is, p
"Will You follow me, sir:" he said,
with mysterious air. l hesitated
moment. 1t was evident he was going
to take me to the Clara of the telegram;
ought to 60? I thought that this at anv
rate would bring me into some connec-
ton with Mr. Lambert. whoever he was,
and so lead 70 getting back my clothes
and my aunt's ear rings.
Lead on" l said. The situation SEEM
ed to be getting quite romantic. Here
was I, a steady, respectable man of 81,
going to keep an appointment with a
Young and beautiful girl. The only
thing was. what would she say when she
found that was the wrong man? She
would probably be very much fright
ened, and would then say dramatically,
Madam, your secret is safe with me-
but oh! restore ME my blue serge suit"
which would be quite like a page from
On old romance.
Ny guide led NE to house not far
from the station. The housemaid who |
interest. l quite understood !
that. We were shown into the front !
first floor parlor, and here my conductor |
left me.
"Will you wait here a little while,
sirf" he said, as he went away. l saI !
down. rather wondering what was going
to happen. Would she come in suddenly |
and throw her arms round my neck, 4
and then find out that / was the /
wrong man? l resolved l wouldn't /
let her make the mistake; then after
little reflection I thought l would not /
trouble myself acout it. 1t would not 4
matter much if she did take me for her !
lover for a moment or two. l heard the 4
rustic of q lady's dress. but no one came /