Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1912-01-26
An Exchange
What Came of q Mans UnWtt.
tlRgly ApprOprIatIRg
AnOther'S Goat
By WALTER 0. STURGIS

Os-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s
| never put on a winter overcoat un-
I'll the days begin to lengthen and tho
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
II the moths had been using It. It did
no: look familiar to me. get all my
clothes at Darby's. SO l looked at once
ut the tailOrs mark under the collar
and saw the name Of London maker.
] was astonished The coat was not
mine aud never had been mine. The
most natural and probable explanation
WIS that the last time l 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
Thrusting my hand into the pocket
took out Nh unsealed envelope with
a photographers printed name and ad-
dress on 1t. Within was the likeness
OF girl, about which was folded bit
OF paper on which was written:
Ny Dear-I send the picture. Some say
II is very good of me; others don't like It,
I'm curious to hear what you have to say
about IT, Your loving MOLLY.
Monday evening.
There was no address on the envel-
Ope, and inferred that either 1t had
not been sent through the mail or, II 1t
had, 1t 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 not
being much likelihood that the maker
could tell for whom the coat had been
built. did not think 1t worth while to
try to recover my property or return
what | had taken.
When l first looked at Molly's pho
tograph ! was not especially attracted
by 1t. But | am free to confess that
the faces which have most impressed
me have Mt 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
II. The words were. "a peachp
However. had changed from In
difference TO interest in the face photo
Rraphed before seeing this encomium,
which inferred had been written by
the recipient. II was rather con-
.0rmatiOn of my later impression than
u creator of It. Being a bachelor and
fancy free. together with bit of ro-
nance In my nature. | confess I was
on the lookout for mate. Indeed,
II IL question with me II both men
and women. unmarried. are not,
though unconsciousl?, 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 II grew upon me that she
was one to trust one who. In case OF
need, would step to the front, n tower
OF strength, One evening when came
to my room Molly had disappeared
from my dresser | was surprised ut
the disappointment suffered at not
seeing her moved the dresser to
see n the photograph had not fallen
and found II on the floor. The incl |
dent. though trifiing. suggested to me |
that II the photograph had become so |
necessary to my comfort, what would |
the original bs.
One evening ! went to a Junction. |
bridge party. II I 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 |
upou but Molly. She was standing in
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 q strangerp | was puzzled for
O reason. was interested In mental
telepathy. believing that there Is some.
thing in II. and wondered II the inter.
est that had developed In me for her
could have communicated itself to her
through some mental process not yet
laid bare to u.s.
] had no trouble In making Molly's
acquaintance 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 n 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 or course I cautioned Ruth to
say nothing about the photograph
which she had seen often on my dress
err | proposed to announce my ac-
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
whatever except having seen me for a
moment In the ball after the bridge
party Indeed. she gave no evidence
OF remembering having seen me then.
J was certainly much more pleased
with her than with her photograph |
and struck with the advantage or dis
advantage living person has over bis
or her likeness. Character may be