The age-herald., 1898-07-18
HER MISSING STEAMER TRUNK.
A New York Widow Who Started for Europe
 Without Even . Handkerchief.

4-. I.5. f : r From the New York Sun.
 Some of the persons who were on a North river pier to watch the sailing of steamer few weeks ago saw a rather
 unusual scene. Just as the ship was be- ginning to grind its way along the pier
 pretty woman leaned over the deck rail and exclaimed in agonizing tones to her friends on shore, calling by name one of the men of the party:
 My steamer trunk is not aboardf" Consternation was visible on the faces
 of several of the group, which was in-
 creased when the traveller called out sec ond time:
 "I haven't even a handkerchief with mel"
 This remark was acted upon at once. and dozen or more handkerchiefs rolled into balls were aimed at the speaker on the ship. She caught, while dismay and laughter struggled in her countenance, all but two; these two fell into the water Meantime a parting word from the shore was hurled after her that the matter would be instantly looked into-all of which leads up to little tale of woman's confidence and mans fallibility.
 The woman in question is New York widow, not so old as she will be some years, hence, and she had entrusted the de- tails of her departure for summer trip abroad to grown son and a near male relative. Between these her comfort, she was told to be assured to the last degree. With sweet, womanly trust, she believed them. On the day of sailing farewell luncheon was given to her, at which dozen friends were present. To honor the occasion as it was a cool day in
 May, she wore a handsome gown of six
 and velvet, with scrap of a dress bonnet that was certainly never intended as head covering for an ocean trip Now, as everybody knows, steamer trunk is simply a substitute large scale for the handbag of a land trip. In it is put everything needed for the voyage and the usual bag of toilet articles is therefore dispensed with. The discovery
 at the last moment by this outgoing trav- eler, who was taking the trip alone to join some friends on the other side, that her trunk was not in her stateroom, par took therefore of the nature of a catastro- phe. It meant that she and every requi-
 site for personal comfort were separated
 for week When the group at the end
 of the pier had become an indistinguisha-
 ble mass of humanity to her she sat down,
 overcome by the magnitude of her misfor-
 tune.
 "Eleven handkerchiefs, a velvet gown and a French bonnet for a trip to Europe" was her exclamation to sympathetic
  as she thought of the absent steamer trunk, packed it was not only with need ed belongings of every sort, but holding as well quantities of delicacies and luxuries, the gifts of thoughtful friends for weeks before her trip-as all this came over her it is small wonder that tears of genuine vexation and annoyance trembled in her eyes. A number of the passengers had taken in the situation and an attempt was promptly made to mitigate some of it's hor- lad a he thaV would go below at once. take stock of their belongings, and lend her just as much as possible. A Scotch gentleman, returning to his Highland home. at once sent a bundle of rugs to her. saying he had duplicates and was storing these only for the voyage. This was the beginning of the oblations of fered at helpless beauty's shrine. The news. of her predicament spread throughout the first cabin and all day long parcels were left at her stateroom door. By night sshe | was fully equipped with varied but use- full wardrobe. Skirts and shirt waists ga- lore, a lounging robe. sofa caps and hats for the deck, wells, all sorts of toilet ne cessities, down to cold cream and face powder, and, best-of all, curling tongs were hers by nightfall Her first letter home 4 describes this assisted voyage.
 "They called me- she wrote, "the 'pa- tient lady. because I made, apparently, the best of a bad fix. In point of fact, was not permitted to miss my own belongings at all. The thoughtfulness of my fellow travellers so well provided me with every comfort that. like the June brides, had duplicates of many useful articles. The eleven handkerchiefs served me we'll as they could be frequently renewed l have them now each one laundered and identified and put in its separate envelope to be re- turned to you all when am back in the autumn.
 The cream of the story remains to be told When the ship finally drew out of ta king distance the distracted relatives and friends of the European traveller scrambled over themselves in eagerness to redeem their carlessness. There was talk of chartrng a fast launch and trying to overtake the ship at Sandy Hook, abut the l first thing to do was to find the trunk. A search of the pier revealed that 1t was not there and the launch idea had to be given up The telephone was kept busy calling up the express company, the steamship of flee and every possible point to locate the missing luggage. Nothing followed and the friends cabled to the first point at which the vessel would touch that the trunk would follow the next steamer Neither of the two men responsible for the disaster paid any attention to his personal business that day. They spent it in cabs in wild but fruitless pursuit of trunk that refused to be located. They never found that trunk but six days later a cable dis patch from Havre informed them that when their travellers other luggage was brought up from the hold with it. care- fully ticketed for the same inaccessible place, was the lost steamer trunk! }: sCHLEY AND THE SCHOOLMAsT R