The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1895-01-09
LUCK IN THE WRONG BAG.

LUCK IN THE WRONG BAG |
am clerk in the service of firm
OF colliery ald quarry owners at Ling
ton, and every SATURDAY morning l go
out to Westerly, u village some thirty
miles off among the moons to pay the
Quarrymen their wages
It's an awkward sUrt of journey. !
have to start by the first train in the
morning, which leaves l.ington at 6,
change at Drask, our junction with
the main line, leave the main line
again at rhuriey, some ten miles fur
ther south, and 90 the rest of the dis
tance In tue break van of O. mineral
train.
Inc money nearly q hundred
pounds, mostly of silver Il always
carry In Il little black leather bag, one
OF til,,ae bags YOU see py scores every
| day, which may contain pnything
from paei.et OF sandwiches and a
clean collar tO a dynamite bomb, and
| it's my haEit, when in the train to
put my Tag on the racE facing me.
| On Saturday in November, 1893,
after being out with Tilly to party,
which broke up SO late that had
only time to change my clothes ana
get sort Uf apology for breakfast
Jeiore catching my train, ! slept all
he way trcm Lington to Drask, and
1t Drask ! stumbled, only half awake,
tlto the arst third-c.ass compartment
[ came t',
Three Of the corner seats were Occu-
pied, and took the fourth, though
there was no room ON the opposite
Tor my bag. couldn't put it on the
scat at my side either. because the
man in the other corner had his legs
up and | didn't care to disturb him.
so l just slung it over my head, set
led myself down and dropped oft
lgain almost before the train was
,lear Of the station.
didn't wake until we stopped at
rhurley, and even then ! fancy
should have slept on If the two men
1t the far end of the COL -partment had
lot wanted to get out.
1 What station is this?" asked, sit
ing up and drawing my legs from
lcross the floor to let them pass.
'Oterford, suppose?"
mo, Thurley." said one, and up !
Jumped ir q hurry, took my bag, as
!, tho .ght, from the rack opposite to
ne, al / got down on the platform just
"You ran 1t n bit fine that time,
nister,'' remarked the man who had
saved ne from being carried past my
destination. II wonder If that other
chap meant going on? He was as fast
,sleep as you"
"Oh, he's all right" said his COM
)anion. Hes booked for London. I
heard him say so when he got III.
SOod mnrninp POVprnOr"
Good morning." ] replied, and then
having thanked them for waking me,
[ made for the siding. where my min
sral train was waiting for me.
"YoL look tired this morning, Mr..
Corner" said the brakeman as soon
Is we started on our somewhat slow
md wearisome journey"
II look what feel, Jim," said /,
, And / am as sleepy as an owl.
aever went to bed last night"
"Then lie down and have sleep
low, SIR suggested Jim. Here's
sons sacks and rug to cover you. II
The jolting don't wake you. you may
be sure WON'T"
The good-natured fellow kept his
word, and as / am one of those hap.
,ily constituted individuals who can
, sleep on or through anything, felt
! much refreshed when we arrived al
, the quarries after what Jim called 'e
roughish passage" over the uneven
, s+arface of the moorland line which
q had been laid solely to serve the needs
. of our quarrles and some neighbortne
q iron mines.
After l had wash and done full
. Justice to a second breakfast at thu
a Miners Arms. ] felt ready to face my
/ mornings work of making up the
q mems pay sheets While ! was doinl
4 that the bag, which fondly imagined
4 to be mine. lay on the table before me
E nor did any doubt as to Its identity
:, trouble me until had finished m!
!, calculations and was ready to en-
q body the results of them in sundr!
: littlo heaps of gold and silver.
> Then, as felt In my pocket for m,
+ keys, my memory began to entertaii
q vague suspicion that that bag wa
somehow unfamiliar to 1t, | am b,
no means an Observant man. and as
couldn't have set down categorical,
the characteristics which distinguish
!. ed my bag from others Of like max
y and shape. felt rather than though
= that the one In front Of me did NO
!, possess those characteristics,
~ However. my key fitted the locl
: and as l turned 1t, my suspicious van
;. ished. but only to be replaced me
!, ment later by an astounding certain
: ty.
: Instead OF resting upon the famhia
:. - brown paper packages Of silver an
70 little canvass bags of gold. my eye
,o ~ were dazzled by a many colored iridei
10 10 cence which shone forth from the ir
Il side of that bag as soon as opened I
= diamonds. by jingo" ! cried, as
started back amazed
The bag fell over on Its side, an
half dozen loose stones rolled o,
d. upon the table, where they lay sparl
D. ling gloriously In the wintry sunshin
AS soon es recovered my self po
L session, picked chem up and pl
them back into the bag, the conten
A. Of which then examined as we'll
:. could without exn, sing them, to Il