Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1890-11-20
THE MISSING VALISE.


Twas returning to Petersburg, after an
absence of some weeks. AS our train
stopped at Twiss a young man got in,
who, while not particularly shy looking,
had the air of big school boy out for
holiday. In taking his place in the COM
partment he first, with great care, put
in the netting leather valise, which
evidently contained something precious,
as he scarcely took his eyes of it during
the first hour of the journey.
Yon know how tediously nlonotonous
a railway is--one quickly tires looking
through the window Of the coach at the
straight line Of road flying past in the
midst of plains of a wearying sameness
of aspect-and to relieve the tedium of
the long, uneventful journey the passen-
gers naturally began to chat and ex-
change opinions and condolences,
prompted alike by ennui and curiosity,
and our young man would have foundit
difficult matter to escape from his
share Of interrogation. His great anx-
iety lest any accident should happen to
his valise was SO apparent to all that
one Of the passengers remarked on it TO
him in a jocular way. -
He reddened little and replied: 1T
is true, | do feel anxious, for | am
traveller for large jewelry establish
ment and am held responsible for large
sum. the value of some diamonds in that
valise, which | am charged TO deliver in
Moscow"
This answer astonished me not a little,
| confess. The first principles Of pru-
duce should have counseled him to con-
ceal the nature of these valuable arti-
cles. 1t seemed to me that he was de-
cidedly novice in his business, thus to
disclose before so many strangers the
fact of his having fortune in his pos
session. / do not know why-for his
explanation was plausible-but felt
distrust of him, and set myself to watch
his movements from that time on. There
was an affectation Of too much calm il
his manner, thought
During the chatter and pleasantly
common among fellow travellers, when
people talk without considering what
they say, the conversation turned upon
wonderful cases of theft and diamond
robberies, and, little by little, instances
were cited wherein the skill and rapidity
of the theft were marvellous.
The young jeweler was advised to
keep a sharp lookout for his diamonds.
Was not Gen. Somaronoff recently
victim to the cleverness of a robber, who
actually distracted bundle Of rubles
from the inside pocket Of his coat?
"Oh," said the young man, Il am not
uneasy; am used to this sort of thing
"a statement which did not believe.
could not help feeling he was not ac-
customed to tine charge of gems of such
great value; he had the face Of child,
with a child's soft, sweet, innocent ex-
preston, unfamiliar with care or re-
sponsibility Of any kind.
On reaching Kiln we all got out to
stretch our legs by q stroll on the plat
form, and the young jeweler, evidently
not wishing to make himself renarka-
BILE, followed our example, taking his
yalise in hand as though unwilling to
part with it for an instant. AS the passen-
pushed violently forward by some onein
the throng. At the same moment the
conductor appeared and refused to allow
us to leave the carriage. The train was
behind time, he said, and instead Of the
usual stoppage at Kiln halt of merely
a minutes limit was made. While he
spoke the locomotive whistled for the
train to proceed.
As we regained our compartment in
somewhat struggling order the young
jeweler uttered cry of fright, which,
notwithstanding all effort at control,
was one Of agony.
Il have been robbedg' he cried
1t was true. Some bold operator, who
from an adjoing compartment had over
heard our conversation and been allured
by what he thus learned, had attempted,
with success, the robbery of the jewels.
They were gone-the thing was done!
The young man still held in his grasp
the handles Of his valise, which had been
adroltly cut, and in the pressure of the
crowd he had not felt the loss of weight.
He gazed around with an indesc1ibable
expression of terror. His despair was
truly pitiable, and it was as much
through sincere sympathy forthe unfort-
unate youth as the excitement of an in
cident thus breaking the tiresome jour-
ney that the passengers surrounded him
with extreme interest and curiosity.
The theft had been accomplished with
surprising skill and rapidity, and each
one had something to say on the subject
sit is incredible.'
1--WE had only time to leave our seats
and return to them again"
''It seems like magic"
One man declared that the conductor
must be notified at once.
'-No-no,' stammered the Young jew
eler.
Why not:' queried the other; here
you are with valuable diamonds stolen
from you, and you do not wish it TO
be known No one left tho train at
Kiln, therefore it is impossible that the
thief has disappeared. Your valise is
still in one of the carriages; no doubt
hidden beneath one Of the seats.
No, no; do nothing implored the
unhappy youth But the other did not
stop to listen; he had already started to
inform the conductor, and in q moment
returned with that fnnctioLary, to whom
he offered . string of suggestions as to
the best means of recovering the lost
Jewels.
The conductor hesitated to take action
In the matter. but unnn reaching the