The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-04-04
BOTH TRUNKS WERE ALIKE.

'What very peculiar trunk" said Mr..
Marrowbone, looking through his eyeglasses
at large aud handsome one which the civil
salesman had just dragged from its retreat
in the corner to the center Of the room.
Peculiar! Yes. sir" said the young man.
lifting the lid and exhibiting the interior.
This trunk, sir, was made TO order for a
wealthy gentleman. In fact, we made him
two lust alike. He never wanted them, and
we are disposing of them at a sacrifice"
'Why didn't he want them asked MI
Marrow bone, who had streak of curiosity,
doubtless inherited from his mother, in his
composition. Curious not TO want what
you have ordered"
Yes, sir" replied the salesman, Every
curious. But in this case there was COM
piication that rendered the gentleman quite
excnsabIe. He committed suicide"
"Ah. very wrong" said MI Marr0wbOne;
very wrong Of him!'
Quite so. sill" said the salesman. "You
observe the elegant receptacle for HeektieS /;
this place for your collar-bOx; here lie the
shirts, il you please. On the whole, doubt
II you can find anything like this in the
city,"
Il doubt if [ can" said Mr.. Narrow one.
Just put my initials on it, M. M.'-Milton
Marrow b0ne-and send II at once"
VERY WELL sir; and think you Will never
regret the purchase" said the salesman.
Hardly had he bowed his customer out Of
the door when lady tTipped up the steps
and entered. She was rather good loo king;
her age might have been So and her appear
snce was that which may be described by
the expression Just turned out Of q band
box"
Il want a trunk" she began, land there,
that is exactly what like" and she pointed
20 MIR. Marrowbcne's recent purchase.
Sorry. ma'am, but we've just sold that"
said the polite salesman, c0Djuring upan eX-
preston Of regret which was quite touching
"But"-here lie allowed CLEAN of hope to
sparkle in hle eye-"but madam, we haye
another outward!y similar, differing only in
the interiOr-one, in fact. more suitable for
lady"
LET me see IT," said the customer.
Another trunk was trundled from the
shadows Ia the far corner II tie shop and
whisked open. The lady peeped into il.
'Pl take il" she said, after hearing the
price. ''Pll take It. I'm in desperate hurry
Put my initials on it and send it home at
once"
Tie polite salesman made a bow so pro-
found that it very nearly became an aero
b atic performance, and the lady vanished
She had left her card, Maria Mutton
Two M. NJ. S on these trunkS, joshua"
sa1d the salesman 10 the factOtum who APP
peared at the touch Of An electric bell" And
quick about IT."
Shortly ID csc trua ks were sunt home, and
very soon al ter they were, curiUusly enough,
standing side by side on railway platform; :
and, stll more coincidently, found them
selves piled on the other IN the baggage van
on its way TO New Haven, while TIER re-
spectiye owners, Mss Maria Mutton and
Mr.. Milton Marrowb0ne. sat side by side
curious combination Of facts; but fact"
as We are tod IN every edition of every
daily paper Is stranger than fiction"
Nj. MarTowbone mad lived 80 years with
Il i hear rel 70
woman; Miss Mutton was still a dear little
Ia mbkIn, as Tar as her tcEdere5t affections
vent. but as they sat together III the fly
ing train, the same clndeTs trying 10 get
into their eyes, the same steam " hislle
sbrieklng ID tLeIr ears, the same boy con-
tIDuaily Offering them newspapers, pepper
ment candy and cEeWlng-gum, the same
laBk and sad-eyed youth Oegrudging them
refreshing draugh,S OF walter which it was
his duty 10 carry through the car, some
thing happened. Bachelor and 81 mister
alike felt softness OF heart quite I'M
WOnted.
What nice man he looks!' said Miss
Mutton TO herself.
What charming womanW thought Mr..
Marrow bone.
When he shut the window for her she
felt that there were moments when-but no
matter. However, on their arrival at Tie
New Haven station they separated, as trav-
elers usually do; Miss Mutton at once TAX
Ibk d COlsN63 dHCC 1OE l3e - Hotel, Mr..
Marrow bone having what he spoke of as "a
little bit OF something" before he pro-
ceeded to the same hostelry. Again coinci-
dence followed them. Mr.. Marrowbone was
consigned to room on the right corridor,
Miss Mutton 20 room on the left,
Both slumbered peacefully. Both were
aroused BY fearful noise-shouts, cries,
shTieks of murder, yells OF fire.
Bewildered and terrified, Miss Mutton, in
white robe de mutt. and Que of the last re-
manning nightcaps in the worlJ, rushed out
into the hall and found herself in utter
darkness, amid crowd of ladies as much
alarmed as herself; and in the right corri-
dor Mr.. Marrowbone appeared, or would
have appeared had there been any light to
see him by. in nightrobe, with peaked
'What? Where? How?" howIed the
guests, as they clustered together.
Suddenly glare OF light flashed upon the
scene: The forces OF the hotel appeared
with lamps Of all sorts. A voice was heard
20 explain that it was only something the
matter with the electric lights Wire dis
connected: young man knock ed down: COM
ing ell right" The harder spirits remained
TO get the news, regardless Of costume; less
experienced travellers retired to their rooms
Miss Maria Mutton, who had never SUM-
bered IN hotel before, fled before the ap-
proach of the lights. ana found shelter un-
der stairway. MIR. Marrowbone. who felt
that Dightr0be and cap did not compose a
dignlned costume, turned suddenly into q
little cross hall near which he happened tn
be standing. and there awaited the retire
ment Of the other guests to their rooms.
Afterward he knew that when he emerged
from bis retreat he must have turned to the
left instead of to the right. However. after
much wandering about, and as much chilli
ness OF body as heat of temper, he came
upon the magic number So" shining upon a
silver plate upon his door, entered and closed
1t with bang.
FAN right" he said, as he struck match.
there's my trunk; there is not another like
it in the city, and there is M. NJ on the
side"
Then be blew out the match and popped
into bed.
Almost at the same moment Maria Mint.
ton, with a FACILITATING heart caught sight
OF the magic number 80" opened the door.
saw her peculiar trunk, noted the initials of
Der name upon it by the light of the lamp
opposite her door, said Thank heaven %
burst into tears and drew the drapery of
her couch about her.
What fearful adventureP was her last
thought before she sank into the arms OF
slumber. Ab, had she but known 1t, fear
IuI adventures were only just begun for her.
Mr. Marrowbones awakened early, He
had business which demanded prompt at
teptioD. He sat up in bed, took off his
nightcap and looked about him. He looked
In vain. Those garments which he desired
to assume were not visible. In their place
hung, over chair back, woman's dress
on the bureau, where he had surely left his
nat, lay bonnet and gloves; in place of his
manly boots there stood at the foot of the
BED pair OF button CATERS. No. 3h at the
utmost. ~ ~ A'
Have ! gone out of my senses ?' cried
Mr.. Marrowboue.
How did these garments come TO be In
this room? Where were his ownp Fl,
gazed about him and few to his trunk.
ITS mine. certainly" he said "Here arr
my initials. but never tied a bit Of him
ribbon to the handle"
He dashed back the lid. Within he he
held silk, lace. linen articles contriyed fo