The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1912-01-23
An Exchange
What Game of a Mans Unwit.
tlngly ApprOprlatlng
AnOther'S Coat
By WALTER 8. STURGIS

ing about the LIST Of January, wheI
the thermometer had dropped to zero
/ took out my heaviest outdoor gar
ment and took it to the window to Sc,
IL the moths had been using It 1t die
not look familiar to me. get all my
clothes at Darby's. so l looked at onct
ut the tailor's mark under the collal
and saw the name of London maker
! was astonished. The coat was mo-
mine and lever had been mine. The
most natural and probable explanation
was that the last time had worn q
heavy coat the season before I had
gone into a restaurant or hotel ant
hung 1t up On going out l had taker
mother mans coat, leaving him mine
Thrusting my hand into the pocket
! took out an unsealed envelope with
a photographers printed name and ad
dress on it. Within was the likeness
of girl. about which was folded BIZ
Of paper on which was written:
My Dear-I send the picture. Some say
II Is very good of me; others don't like 1t
I'm curious to hear what you have to say
about II. Your loving MOLLY.
Monday evening.
There was no address on the envel
ope, and i inferred that either it had
not been sent through the mail or, If II
had, it had been inclosed in another
envelope. The only clew / had to the
owner was the name of tailor in Lon
don. being in america and there moi
being much likelihood that the maker
could tell for whom the coat had been
built. 1 did not think 1t 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 confess 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 j
noticed written on the back of the pho
tograph in pencil and which escaped
my observation when first discovered
it. The words were. "a peachl"
However, l 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-
,flrmation of my later impression than
creator Of it Being a bachelor and
fancy free, together with a bit Of ro-
nance in my nature. | confess l was
on the lookout for a mate. Indeed,
it Is a question with me If both men
and women. unmarried, are not,
though unconsciously. always in their
hearts expecting the appearance of a
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, a tower
Of strength. One evening when came
to my room Molly had disappeared
from my dresser. l was surprised at
the disappointment l suffered at not
seeing her. | moved the dresser to
see II the photograph had not fallen
and found 1t ON the floor. The Incl
dent. though trifiing. suggested to me
that If the photograph had become so
necessary to my comfort. what would
the original be.
One evening l went to a functions
bridge party, If remember correctly
and on leaving stood waiting In the
hall, hat in hand and overcoat on.
for my sister. who was putting on her
wraps above. On changing the direc-
ton Of my eyes whom should they hit
upon but Molly She was standing In
a doorway looking at me curiously,
but the moment | fixed my gaze upon
her she turned away and passed out
Of sight.
did not leave the house TIL had
learned her address.
Why had she looked at me, whom
she had doubtless not seen before,
with more than the interest she would
take In stranger? I was puzzled for
a reason was interested in mental
telepathy, believing that there Is some
thing in it. and wondered IL the inter
est that had developed in me for her
could have communicated itself to her
some mental process not yet
laid bare to us.
had no trouble in making Molly's
and lost no time In doing
SO. My sister Ruth managed it for
me. FIRST laying plan for her own
acquaintance with Molly, then con-
irving a meeting between Molly and
myself Molly said she would be pleas
ed to meet Ruth's brother and would
like to have her own brother meet
Ruth OF course | cautioned Ruth to
say nothing about the photograph
which she had seen often on my dress
er. proposed to announce my &C
quirement OF 1t in my own good time.
There was no reason for me to sup
pose when was presented to Molly
that she had any knowledge of me
except having seen me for a
In the hall after the bridge
party. Indeed, she gave no evidence
Of remembering having seen me then
i was certainly much more pleased
with her than with her photograph
and struck with the advantage or dis
living person has over his
or her likeness. Character may be
stamped on photographed face. but
other attributes are lacking. Molly
for instance. had an extremely pleas
ant voice, an honest smile. and when
her face lighted she was a very differ
ent person from when her face was al
rest. While she was sedate rather thar
frivolous, at times she was merry.
From the moment l saw Molly In the
flesh resolved TO win her If possible
and wished to withhold any mention
Of having fallen into possession Of bel
picture and keeping 1t on my dresser
falling gradually In love with merely
her image. till my proposal. when in
tended to make the most Of 1t. Molly
accepted my attention. But most girls
I believe. like to keep a sutton In doubt
which they can do without the slight
est trouble. ALI they have to do Is t
frown occasionally or excuse them
selves when he calls on the plea of in
disposition and the bottom Of his uni
verse drops out Immediately. Molly
played these little games on me so Of
ten that l was discouraged I though
that If could only reach a poin'
where could ring In my long adora
ton of her photograph her heart woult
warm toward me at once.
Meanwhile another little romancs
that cannot develop here was goinl
on between my sister Ruth and Molly
brother. Molly had noticed 1t anC
spoke to me about it, but was so in
terested in my own affair that had n,
thought for any others. ] didn't hap
pen to meet Molly's brother, but wal
not slow In making M my mind thai