Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1913-02-26

| fail TO recOilectb ndon
looked around, manys the rumorist
who would be shy sundry half dollars;
IL Ulysses hadn't met Calypso. Pencil
oDe's knitting would have been accom-
plished in a reasonably small compass
OF time. thus, If. on the morning OF
March tenth. blizzard hadn't romped
in from the Atlantic. there wouldn't
have been any wrong coat. The day
before had been treacherously warm
and springiike. and had gone about
my AFFAIRS without any coat. 1t is al
ways the seemingly intinitesimal
things that count heaviest IN the final
reckoning.
hadn't gone two blocks from Mou-
gums that night. when noted the
fact that I %as wearing a coat that
did not belong to me. with gro~i
I turned around and went back. ! sim
ply wasted my time, my coat was no
where 20 be found ] stormed about,
sending the walters jumping all over
the restaurant. but TO no avail. Final
ly Gained down and admitted that II
was all my own fault ! should have
examined the coat when I shouldered
into t. So | left word al the cashiers
desk and sought the street again.
Doubtless you have lost coat or
hat. in your time. II you who read
happen to be man. It Is curious,
but. no matter how much you are bet
tered In the exchange, YOU raise
howl--you make the echoes ache with
your lamentations. There is nothing
on earth you want save your own coat
and hat. To be sure, II. in the pockets
OF the wrong coat. there happen to be
several thousand dollars, your howl is
modified and innocuous. and you go at
once TO look for the other fellow
perhaps. But, as In this instance
there were only thirty-tiye cents. a
Cancelled railroad ticket. and scatter
ing OF cloves and tAbloids for the
breath, my cries were heard affair.
Hang all absent-minded buffers, my
self Included. whose wits go wool
gathering at bad times, The coat was
Just like mine, a light gray winter pad
dock. lined with heavy satin. The only
difference lay In the sleeves; these
had small-change pockets. whereas
mine had none. II was even exchange
and no robbery. but | was none the
lesS angry The truth is. It was Just
after the first OF the month and there
were four or five unpaid bills In the
inside pocket OF my coat. zone was
the bill for the cont.) So climbed the
stairs TO the elevated station In no
amiable frame OF mind. Well. we'll
II really did not matter II the gentle
man who had appropriated my coat
learned that | owed my tailor 20 . Ia
ones tailor ns long as the law per
mlts is quite customary mot only Gus
tomary. but also proper and commend
able The other bills we're for cigars
gloves and hats. that is to say. of nc
great Importance.
/ pumped into a vacant seat and
glowered at the street below. 1t had
stopped showing ana the wind had
gone down. For once In my life | tool
mo interest in the advertising s!ssus
wanted my coat. and for all knew tn;
man who had Il might stumble undel
an automobile and ruin the garment;
and, even If ee diint ruin IT, II woulc
smell tolerahly strong Of gasoline.
conjured up all manner o. catastrophes
regarding the ultimate end OF my coat
The other fellow might be burned NJ
In IL; he might fall down greasy ele
Estor shaft in Il, he might even b,
Rugged to Jail In It. which was not a
NIL unlikely, the cloves and tabloidi
speaking not very well for his habits
Mas there ever such lucky
Having no newspaper with which Il
pass away the time, fell once NOR,
40 rummaging the wrong coat, As
searched the pockets my sense OF gull
was In nowise agitated Doubtless
the owner was at that moment goinl
through the pockets OF my coat. Thus
honors were even. But | found moth
lug by which to identify my man
Ones identity cannot be established
by means of thirty-tive cents worth
less ticket. and few cloves A
ConGn Doyle might accomplish sucl
q feat. but couldn't Hello
What was thiss From the handker
chief pocket | drew forth an envelope
but. as glanced at II. my hope
siumped. The address side was miss
ing: only the sealing-taps remained
was about TO toss II contemptuoual
into the aisle. when discovered tina
It was covered with pencil scrihbiihgl
Mereiful heavens, ] held tn
thing under my very nose aud reaC
with Mortified eyes:
Girl must die between twelve an
pne O'Clock.
'Chloroform.
''Bow-window at side unattached. =
snter there.
Safe 10 library. Secure vii
teeve by front door.
Servants night ut--t;irl alone =
Mystery! | sat up straight an
breRthed quickly l saw Il all yer
plainly Fate had thrust this cos
upon me. Fate had given me q. mi
sion; I might be the means of savin
khe girls life | was an amateur d
eective. after fashion, and moi
than once, In the old newspaper DAY
had succeeded where the police ms
failed.
In far corner OF the envelope W;
q house address Without doubt
was the very house in which this mu
DER was TO be committed / glanc,
at my watch 1t was eleven o'cloc
There was plenty OF time. G
had the crime already been PERI
Grated7 | shuddered. II was left +