The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1913-02-22

a around, manys the ruinoiies
'oo- o,,Id he shy sundry half dollars;
vnU ..sas hadn't met Calypso, Pencil
.,,,,ne would have been accom- |
.,,sbed in a reasonably small compass
:, lime. thus, If. on the morning OF
~.rcb tenth. blizzard hadn't romped
. from the Atlantic. there wouldn't
1--we been any wrong coat. The day
s.,ore had been treacherously warm
md springlike, and | had gone about
- osa,rs without any coat 1t is al
20 the seemingly intinitesimal
,s,nes that count heaviest in the final
reckoning. A.,
.,,n,s that night, when l noted the
~, that I was wearing a coat that
IA not belong to me. With a growl
turned around and went back. sim
NV wasted my time; my coat was no
-h.re 10 be found. / stormed about,
ending the walters jumping all over
-. restaurant, but to no avail. Final
~ ealmed down and admitted that 1t
vas all my own fault. | should nave
.-.m,ued the coat when l shouldered
s,,ou Sc. left word at the cashiers
A.sk and sought the street again.
poubtless you have lost coat or
hat in your time. If you who read
s.cnen TO be a man. 1t is curious,
~ no matter how much you are bet
,.rsd in the exchange, you raise a
Aovl-you make the echoes ache with
!. ,our lamentations. There Is nothing
a earth you want save your own coat
and hat. To be sure, II. in the pockets
n the wrong coat, there happen to be
ssversl thousand dollars, your howl Is
modif,ed and innocuous, and you go at
ouce to look for the other fellow
,erhaps. But, as in this instance
shsre we're only thirty-five cents. a
cancelled railroad ticket, and a scatter
~ Of cloves and tabloids for the
trosth, my cries were heard afar
Uanr ali absent-minded buffers, my
IN included, whose wits go wool
nthering at bad times! The coat was
~ ike mine, a light gray winter PAD
1ock. lined with heavy satin. The only
llRerence lay in the sleeves: these
- small-change pockets, whereas
lie had none. 1t was even exchange
- no robbery, but l was none the
- angry. The truth is, 1t was jus'
cf>sr the flrst of the month and there
voee four or five unpaid bills In tn
helde pocket of my coat. Zone wa
nsbin for the coat!) So l climbed tn
rsiy to the elevated station in m
liable frame of mind. Well, well
= rally did not matter IL the gentle
IN Who had appropriated my Goa
B lar1ed that owed my tailor. To ow
ones tailor as long as the law pei
~ 4 quite customary-noto only cut
y >1nary. but also proper and commend
:ohla The other bills we're for cigar
elpves and hats; that is to say. OF n
eost importance.
pumped into vacant seat an
GleWorsd at the street below. 1t ha
Glcpped showing and the wind ha
& - down. For once In my life toe
- interest in the advertising signs.
N1nted my coat, and for all / knew II
IN who had 1t might stumble und'
= automobile and ruin the carmen
~. even II he didn't ruin 1t, 1t wou
I'LL tolsrably strong Of gasoline.
Oa1ured up all manner Of catastrophe
soGnrding the ultimate end OF my Coz
n other fellow might be burned I
= Il: he might fall down greasy ell
vnfoe shaft In It; he might even
4GBed to jail In 1t, which was not
~ unlikely, the cloves and tabloi
eDoaking not very well for his habit
Was there ever such luck?
Having no newspaper with which
- away the time, fell once mo
= rummaging the wrong coat. AS
eearchsd the pockets my sense OF gu
uas h nowise agitated. Doubtle
~ owner was at that moment goil
through the pockets Of my coat. Thu
honors were even. But l found not
hs By which to identify my ma
0ae's Identity cannot be establish
~ means Of thirty-five cents. a wort
49, ticket, and a few cloves.
conan Doyle might accomplish su
Q feat. but I couldn't. He'll
what was this? From the handk
0ief pocket drew forth an envelop
M ~ l glanced at it, my HOP
oumped. The address side was mi
~; only the sealing-fiaps remain,
J vas about to toss 1t contemptuou.
ITO the aisle, when | discovered Il
! was covered with pencil scribblin
Merciful heavens! | held I
01ng under my very nose and re-
WITH Mortified eyes:
Girl must die between twelve a
~ o'clock.
"Chloroform,-
-Bow-window at side Unmatched
entsr there.
safe In library. Secure "
Lave BY front door.
Servants night out.-Girl alone
Aystery! sat up straight /,
sathed quickly. I saw It all v
Ilalnly. Fate had thrust this c
90 me; Fate had given me a Z
Cens might be the means Of saw
- girls life. / was an amateur
cuve. after a fashion, and m
IN once. in the old newspaper d,
"a succeeded where the police
4ilsd.
~ far corner of the envelope
house address. Without doub
- the very house in which this Z
was to be committed. l glar
ny watch. It was eleven o'cl
nefs was plenty OF time. .