The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-09

leather bag. one of those bags you see by
scores every dav, which may contain any,
thing from packet of sandwiches and a
collar to dynamite bomb, and IFS my
habit when in the train to put my bag on
the rack facing me. / rarsly keep it on
the seat by my side, and | don't like to put
1t mp over my head.
Ii II has TO go there because the oDoosite
rack l. full am always uneasy about 1t,
fancying | snail forget when | get out.
never have forgotten 1t vet, but one Satur-
day In November, 1893. | did something
which might have been worse. / took the
wrong bag when l left the train at Thur
ley.
1t happened in this way. On Friday
night | went out 18th lilly to a party.
which broke u so late that had only lust
Time TO change my clothes and get a sort
OF apology for breakfast before catching
my train. Consequently l slept all the
way from Lington To Drask, and at Drask
stumbled, only half awake, into the first
thlrd-class compartment l came to.
Three Of the corner seats were occupied.
and took the fourth, though there was
no room on the opposite rack for my bag.
L couldn't put it on the seat at my side.
either because ihe man in the other
corner had his legs up, and didn't care to
disturb him. ] ought, of course, to have
Kept 1t on nv knees, and on any
other morning | dare say | should have
done so. but 1t was rather heavy, and |
was very sleepy. so just slung 1t over my
head, settled myself down. ana dropped
off again almost before the train was
clear OF the station.
L didn't wake up until we stopped at
Ihurl-y, and even then l fancy l should
have slept on If the two men at the far
end CT the compartment had not wanted
10 get out.
What station is this?" asked. sitting
up ana drawing my legs from across the
door to let them pass. "Otterford, / sun.
poser"
mo. Thurley," said one, and up T
1nmped In bury, took my bag, as I
Thought. from the rack opposite me. and
got down on to the platform just as the
guard whistled the train away.
GU ran II bit fine that time. mister. {"
remarked the man who had saved me from
oeing carried past my destination. II won
DER II that other chap meant going on? He
was as last asleep as you"
oh. he's all right" said his companion.
HES booked for London. L heard him
say so when he got in. Good morning,
governor"
Good morning." / replied. and then.
having thanked them for waking me. /
made Tor the siding, where my mineral
train was waiting for me.
Y on look tired this morning, Mr.. Cor
ner, said the brakeman as soon as we
started on our somewhat slow and weari-
some journey.
Il look what feel. Jim," said I. "And
| am as sleepy as an owl. / never went to
| bed last ight."
Then lie down and have sleep now.
sir. suggested jim. "Here's some sacks
and rug to cover you. If the joting
don't wake you, you may be sure l WON'T. 4"
Inc good-natured fellow kept his word.
and az am one of those happily consti-
tuted individuals who can sleep on or
| through anything, / felt much refreshed
when we arrived at the quarrIes after VIII t
Jim called "a roughish passage" over the
uneven surface of the moorland line, which
bad been laid solely to serve the needs of
our Quarries and some neigh boring iron
mines.
After had had wash and done full
| justice to a second breakfast at the
Miners. Arms" felt ready to face r:y
mornings work of making up the mems
pay-sneets. While doing that the bag,
which fondly imagined to be mine, lay on
the table before me, nor did any doubt as
| 10 It's Identity trouble me until had fin
ished my calculations and was ready to
| embody the results of them in sundrv lit
tie heaps of gold and silver.
| Then. as felt 10 my pocket for my keys,
| my memory began to entertain vague
suspicion that that bag as somehow un-
FAMILIAR to it. ! am by no means an oh
| servant man, and as I couldn't have set
down categorically the characteristics
which distinguished my bag from others
OF Ike make and shape. felt rather than
thought that the one in front Of me did
not possess those characteristics.
However. my key fitted the lock. and as
L turned it, my suspicion vanished, but
only to be replaced moment later by an
| astounding certainty.
Instead of resting upon the familia
brown paper packages Of silver aud little
| Gan h1n of nald n
by many-colored iridescence which