The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-12-30

The tenth anniversary Of my we'd
ding was At hand. and after an ap'
aence Of two months 1 was SONG
home 10 enjoy Il with my wife. The
day before / started l visited several
jewelry stores Ia search q . benttlng
gift ana fnally settled on : cross Or
Ten diamonds. for which ! paid 500
II was an expensive present, hus N
the nine previous anniversaries Az 'o'a
/ had not Elsen my Ursula the value
OF q hundred dollars 10 such offerings
/ resolved on this occasion 70 give her
a treat
I put the cross IN my pocket anl'
taking up ms suit ease. got into tho
smoking compartment Of parior car
where / Transferred the Gift 20 the
suit case. The train was barely start
Cd when gentleman entered, also
with suit case. which be puf down
IN a corner. and took scat lhen'
apparently thinking Il too FAR from
him. be got up and placed Il on me
scat beside him. i looked a him some
what lrrltated. wondering II be Thought
I would steal bis property.
Excuse me, hlr.T be said. noticing
my expression. u am very absent
minded Unless I keep my hand on
my belongings am liable to 80 away
without them"
We fell into conversation. and
found him a very pleasant travelling
companion. He had story for every
country IN the world. His power OK
description was marvellous He de-
scrlbcd the battle OF Las Gulsamas ~
the late Cuhnn.Amcrican war so vivid
~ that I seemed 20 have been there
myself. when / asked him In what
capacity he was IN Cuba, for he made
no mention Of himself In bis descrip-
ton, be took out a card and handed
Il 10 me. II bore the name Of an ON
Ger Of the volunteer service whose
name I remembered 70 have seen men,
toned for conspicuous bravery after
this very battle.
We each had half days journey
before us. which we spent getting bet
ter acquainted. At noon the gentle
man opened his suit case, from one
side removing a flask; then, after par
tally lifting the I'D Of the other side
and taking q peep within. be shut the
case and turned the key, taking care
that the case was locked. We drank
together from bis fiask, after which be
put II IN his pocket
Il don't like 20 opeH my suit case
too often" he said. Il have some val
liable property In II. and since a wound
in the head I received while III Cuba
| am liable 70 become confused The
truth is have no business 20 be trav-
cling with valuables / would feel
easier II you would kindly keep an
eve on me when leave the train to
see that | have my case with me-"
! answered the war SCARED veteran
that | would gladly do SO. Indeed,
there Is no one that viii excite our
sympathy so much as a man who suf-
fers for bravery in battle. What q
pity that 50 delightful man should
have had bis mental faculties impaired
In the service OF hts country.
Approaching station just outside
the limits Of tho city 20 which We were
both going. the train stopped. Sud-
denly my friend Jumped up, exclaim-
ing, "Why. this IS my stationl' and,
hurriedly grasping my band, dashed out
Of the car. He bad no sooner reached
the platform than noticed that be had
left his suit case was about 10 seize
It to take It to him when 1t occurred
to me that in my haste might get
bold Of the wrong case. had no mind
to appropriate bis valuables. so
bounded through the door in time TO
see him walking deliberately away and
gave d sharp "Hiw He turned and.
seeing me, came back.
When told him that he had left bis
treasure his face at once changed from
serenity TO terror. Dashing past me,
he rushed back into the car and Ia 9
moment reappeared with his hand bag
gage, and at that very moment the train
pulled ont. ! stood on the platform
waving to him, he taking OF his hat
and shouting his thanks. returned to
my seat, feeling that satisfaction ona
experiences at having saved fellow
being from a great loss, especially O
delightful companion whose mental
breakdown has been brought about in
the service Of his country. was so
filed with pleasant emotions that I dia
not notice we were even near the ters
minus till we rolled into the station.
When / got home and in my own
comfortable bedroom went to my
suit case, a servant having brought it
up, TO take out some linen. / was as
tonished to find that my key did NOE
fit the lock. | turned the suit case
about, examining 1t ON every side, anu
soon saw that 1t was not mine.
Great heayensl The stranger had
taken my case instead Of his own.
What an unfortunate blunder! was
minus my wedding present for tho
morrow, he his yaluahles.
My wife came in, and told her
what had Unopened.
"You had better open the CASE she
said, "and see If there Is anything ID
1t to enable You to find the owners
With screwdriver and hammer L
forced the case OPEN II contained
nightshirt and some worn undercIoth.
Ing on one side, while In the other
there was nothing but old newspapers.
| remember no disappointment ID my
life equal to being deprived Or the pres
snt I had bought for my wife, | con