Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1912-02-01
An Exchange
Wha! Came of a Mans Unwlt.
tlngly ApprOprlatlng
AnOiher'S Goat
By WALTER B. STURGIS

| never put on a winter oNerCodt III
IN the days begin to lengthen and the
cold begins to strengthen. one morn
Ing about the LIST Of January, when
the thermometer had dropped to zero,
took out my heaviest outdoor gar
nent and took il to the window to see
II the moths had been using it, 1t did
not look familiar to me. | get all my
clothes at Darby's. so | looked at once
at the tailnr's mark under the collar
and saw the name Of a London maker
| was astOnished. The coat was not
mine and never had been mine. The
most natural and probable explanation
was that the last time | had worn a
heavy coat the season before | had
gone into restaurant or hotel and
hung 1t up. On going out | had taken
another mans coat, leaving him mine.
Trusting my hand into the pocket,
took out an unsealed envelope with
photographers printed name and ad-
dress on it. Within was the likeness
Of a girl, about which was folded bit
of paper on which was written:
My Dear-I send the picture Some say
Il is very good Of me; others don't like ii.
I'm curious to hear what you have 70 say
about &c. Your loving MOLLY.
Monday evening.
There was no address on the enyel-
ope and ! inferred that either it had
not been sent through the mail or, If it
had, ii had been incIosed in another
envelope The only clew ] had to the
owner was the name of tailor in Lon
don being in America and there not
being much likelihood that the maker
could tell for whom the coat had been
blllt, ! did not think it worth while to
try TO recover my property or return
what had taken.
When ] first looked at Molly's pho
tograph | was not especially attracted
by it. But am free to con 'ess that
the faces which have most impressed
me have at first made little or no i'm
preston on me. Possibly in this case
| was later Influenced by something
noticed written on the back of the pho
tograph in pencil and which escaped
my observation when | first discovered
it, The words were. "a peachw
However, had changed from in
difference to interest In the face photo
graphed before seeing this encomium,
which | inferred had been written by
the recipient 1t was rather a con
firmation of my later impression than
creator OF It. Being Il bachelor and
fancy free. together with bit of ro-
nance in my nature. | confess | was
on the lookout for a mate. Indeed,
II Is a question with me if both men
and women, unmarried, are not,
though unconSciously, always in their
hearts expecting the appearance Of
life companion.
At any rate, put Molly's photograph
on my dresser and became very fond
of her. 1t grew upon me that she
was one to trust-one who. in case OF
need. would step to the front. tower
Of strength one evening when came
10 my room Molly had disappeared
from my dresser | was surprised at
the disappointment | suffered at not
seeing her J moved the dresser to
see if the photograph had not fallen
and fuuud Il on the floor The Incl
dent though triding. suggested to me
that If the photograph had become so
necesSarr 10 my comfort what would
the original he.
a
bridge party If remember correctly
and on leaving stood waiting in the
hall hat in hand and overcoat on.
fer my sister, who was putting on her
wraps above On ch;Nging the direc-
ton OF my ewes whom should they hit
upon lut Molly. She rs standing in
n doorway looking at ne curlously.
but the moment | fixed " gaze upon.
her she turned away an passed out
Of sight
did not leave the hou till | had
Learned her address.
Why lad she looked at me. whom
she had doubtless not sr'n before.
with more than the interes, SHE would
take IN stranger3 was puzzled for
a reNSou | was interested IN mental
telepnthy, believing that there is some
thing in it. aud wondered If the inter
est .hat hud developed in me for her
could have communicated itself to her
through some mental process not yet
laid bare TO as.
had no trouble In making Molly's
acquaintance mud lost no time IN doing
So, My sister Ruth managed It for
me first LAYING a plan for her own
acquaintance with Molly. then con
irving meeting between Molly ami
myself Molly said She would te pleas
ed to meet Ruth's brother and would
liEc TO have her own brother meet
Ruth or course | cautioned Ruth to-
say nothing about the photograph
which She had seen often on my dress
err J proposed % announce my ac-
Quicement d I'd On my OWN good time
There was no reason for me to sup
pose when I was presented TO Molly
that she had any knowledge of me
whatever except having seen me for q
moment In the hall after the bridge
party Indeed. She gave no evidence
of remembering having seen me then
was cert luly much more pleased