New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-29
THE BODKIN LETTER.

Poste Restante Florence which arrived one
morning In that interesting city. and was placed
in the second pigeon-hoe in company with the
other BIS to await the claimant The claimants
turned out TO be two When the hour or dlstri-
button arrived. and all the people native ana
foreign who chose to have their letters left In the
postoffice instead Of having them delivered al
their houses and they are a good number IN
Italy entered the large square court ana gamer
ed round the window Of that department. TAN
xonng Englishman of fair rudy complexion.
with dark hair and dark gray eyes. pusheo LOT
ward imnatiently The official. who was serving
the public in a lesurely manner. took no notce
of him. and the people who stood round gave MIN
IN understand that every one must walt his turn
Tn the mean time another young man. who was
before him and closer 70 the window. asked ior
his mail The clerk threw ont letter on the
,narh,e sill which serves as a buwark to keep the
nublio at a little distance. The young man was
about 10 seize It. but the tall Englshman VINO
read the address over his shoulder. stretched OUT
his arm and laid large forehnser on the letter
saying.
Excuse me. this Is mine"
But. no. signor" said the italian in apparent
Surprise. at is mine Look at the name"'
And he turned the letter toward the other. but
held on 10 the end OF II.
'T see the name. sgnor," returned the English
man with a pleasant smile. at is my name"
"Fsodkinr' exclaimed the Italian-pronouncing
II Bodkeen-"it is my name"
There must be some mistake. signor. or you
are testing No italian ever born with that
name and very few Fnglishmen. In fact II be-
longs 70 only one family in the United Kingdom.
an Anglo-Irish family. I dare swear that there
Is not another man in Italy called Bodkin'
caro- Sienore MO excuse me- but the name Is
mine. I am Amedeo Bodkn
Impossible. my dear sir Impossible eXclaim-
ed the Englishman with an incredulous smile
s'This IS an elaborate pleasantly" he added re-
lansing into English. land want my letter
At this point the clerk who had been listening
10 the dispute and neglecting his duties. said:
Let me see the postmark" and took the letter
IN his hand. at has the head Of Her Majesty
Queen Victoria and is stamped London. Are
YOU from London. signor?' he asked OF the
Englishman.
mo but have correspondents there
"And also" SAID the Italian; Il have some
friends there"
That letter is mine; give it me. please" said
the Irish Bodkin. growing irate.
at is mine and insist on having it, said the
italian Bodkin with corresponding heat.
What proof can you give Of your indentity?'
asked the clerk of the Irishman. Have you any
acquaintance in the post office who will recognize
you as the Mr. Bodkin?'
'Bodkn not Bodkeen." corrected the Irishman
" am stranger but here my visiting
cards and a letter received at Milan"
This letter." said the clerk with the solemn
air of Judge on the bench sis addressed A.
1sodkin. esq. while the in dispute is signor
"A. Bodkin."
"Oh, that means nothing; some Of my friends
write Signor because | am in Italy"
And have you any acquaintance here 20 prove
your identity?"-to the Italian.
Not in the pcstonice. but have been IN
Florence three weeks and l have been here before
for letters"
81 do not remember you I cannot give this
letter either of YOU gentlemen until you bring
some TO testify who you
And he replaced the letter In its pigeon-hole
and attended to the patient Florentines who had
been kept waiting for a considerable time. When
the litigants saw the coveted episte disappearing
from view. they became very angry and stormed
at the clerk. who safe behind his official bull
warks. only smiled at their rage. and proceeded
with his business They pushed away from
the window by the crowd. and then they turned
one another. The Italian. gesticulatng with
bis small brown hands and speaking in a very ex-
citing tone. insisted that the letter belonged to
him, and he would bring evidence enough to pro-
cure it. The Irishman stood on the uniqueness
of his name; he would consent to the idea
that any one could bear IT except Of his own
stock much less a foreigner
The Bodkns OF the County Galway are the
only Bodkins in the Kingdom-in the world Of
course they have multiplied and scattered some
what In the course OF ages, for they very
ancient race There is popular song which
says.
The Bodkins sneeze
AT the grim Chinese.
which serves to show how we'll known is the long
descent Of the family"
The Italian. though still angry. could hardly
suppress a smile for he knew English well and
they had dropped into that language when they
found themselves ttte-a- tete
Your family may be as old as the deluge. and
you may have right to sneeze at Noah II that
Is the custom Of your aristocracy: | do not
dispute your pretensions. sir am not interested
IN genealogy. But what do know is that have
a perfect right to the name; have come by II
honestly. and | shall not surrender it at the
bidding Of any man"
Sir. do you mean to insnuate that have
pot lawful right TO the name Of Bodkin?' de-
uanded the other
The Italian shrugged his shoulders and spread
out his hand.
Il Know nothing whatever about you
81 10 not expect you to know about me or
my family. They do not travel; have knocked
about the world great deal and / nave never
encountered BOdkn except myself"
The Italian was again provoked to smile
slightly at the Irish bull. Then he said more
quietly:
Il want my letter.
my letter. you mean. Look here it Is time L.
put end 10 this nonsense II not ! shall
have recourse TO the English Consul"
THE English Consul cannot make me give up
my name" said ihe Italian
Your name fOHsOOth, This is a strange halu-
cination of yours Who heard OF an Italian
Bodkin since the world began"
Sir" said the Italian. flushing to the roots
Of his hair you must unsay those insulting
words or ese"-