The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1915-01-06
A Package Of
Letters
By RYLAND BELL

One cold, clustering day III NOVcul'
Der l took my winter overcoat out of
the bag where it had been placed the
autumn before to put it in commission
for the winter. rammcd my right
hand down into the pockets-why l
know notLand felt kid. Taking 1t out,
found a pair Of No. 6 lady's gloves.
There was Il slight odor Of perfume
about them that the odor of moth balls
had not entirely destroyed. But per-
haps this was Imagination.
Thinking that might have some
one else's coat. looked at the makers
name. 1t was that Of my tailor. There
was no such mistake. Perhaps there
might be sometl ing else in the coat.
put my hand into the other pocket and
pulled out & bunch of letters. They
were not in envelopes, so l got no ad-
dress.
put on my thinking cap to try to
call up some reason for these articles
being in my overcoat pocket. Where
had l. been when spring was coming
on? had gone on a trip to the Pana-
ma canal. had taken the oyercoat
with me. using it for the first few days.
During the homeward voyage had
noticed a young lady travelling with
her mother and a young man who was
attentive to her. The girl l admired;
to the man took a dislike. On the
evening before our arrival at New
York was seated near this couple.
The wind was chilly, and wore my
overcoat, WISHING It'd smoke, ! went
below for cigar. leaving my coat on
a steamer chair. Meeting friend,
consented to so with him to the smok-
ing room. remained there till all had
turned in, then, remembering my over
coat, went on deck for it and found 1t
in the chair where ! had left it.
MY solution was this: The girl near
whom had been sitting, feeling chilly,
had put on my coat or thrown it over
her. The fellow was "A lover and had
been dismissed. The girls letters had
been returned, and she had slipped
them temporarily in the coat pocket.
Having the gloves in her hand. she
slipped them in the other pocket.
There were doubtless defects in this
hypothesis. but it was the best l could
form. 1t was supported by the fact
that I had seen the lazy so ashore
and the man, was not with her.
had envied him on the ship and
wished that was in his place, for
there was something in the girls APP
pearancc that appealed to me. felt
that it would be very easy for me to
fall in love with her. Now that l
had propertysof hers In my possession,
If could find her. its return would
serve for an introduction. But was
between two stools. could only hope
to find clcw to her whereabouts
by reading the letters, which had no
right to do II did not read them |
must remain ignorant as to who she
was. read a few of them: but. gain
ing nothing. I RETAINED from proceed
ing further.
A year passed. during which l
thought great deal about the girl Of
the gloves. as I called her, but did not
meet her. Then one winter while ut
st. Augustine. Fla.,, strOlling past a
group on the beach. in one Of them l
recognized her. She did not notice
me, and I walked on. but remained
on the beach till her party left it and
1 saw them go to a hotel The same
evening l betook myself to the same
hostelry. watched for an opportu-
nifty to catch her alone and was re-
warded one morning by seeing her sit
ting on the hotel porch. Approaching
her uncovered, addressed her:
II beg your pardon. but did you not
visit the Panama canal about a year
ago"
II did," she replied. looking Mt me
as she would at any intruder who was
trying to force an acquaintance.
'"'And did you not one evening tempo
rarlly appropriate an overcoat, lying on
a steamer chair beside you to protect
you from the night air?'
II did"
"Then presume these gloves be.
long to you"
handed her her gloves. She took
them and examined them. then said,
II have no remembrance Of these
gloves"
'"That is not remarkable. since 1t Is
a year and half since you put them
IN my overcoat pocket Perhaps this
package"-holding up the letters
'may stimulate your memory"
what is it?' she asked coldly. ]
Withdrew into my shell.
II think ! must have made a mis-
take in the person." said. putting the
package into my pocket. and was about
to walk away when she called to me:
excuse me, but mislaid package
of letters about that time"
"LOve letters?"
"Haye you read them?"
"Only two or three in order to dis.
cover a clew to the ownership that !
might return them" .r
Her manner changed. She remem-
bered appropriating my coat. but it
had never occurred to her that she
might have slipped the letters into the
pocket temporarily.
The ice was broken. learned from
her in time that she had been OH the
eve Of IN engagement to the recipient
OF the letters when she learned some
thing to his discredit and wrote him
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