"Same name," he said. "The house has just been let furnished to some
people of the same name as yourself."
Now I have always rather prided myself on the rarity of my name. I don't
go so far as to claim that it came over with the Conqueror, but it is an
old name and an uncommon one, and hitherto I had been the only owner of
it in the district. To have it duplicated was annoying.
Worse however was to come.
I do not expect to be believed, but it is a solemn fact that within a
fortnight two more bearers of my name moved into the village. One was a
cowman, and the other a maiden lady, so that at the present moment there
are four of us all opening or rejecting each other's letters. The thing
is absurd. One might as well be named Smith right away.
I don't mind the cowman, but the maiden lady is a large order. I have,
as I say, lived in this place for some time--at least six years--and she
moved into The Laurels only ten days ago, but when she came round this
morning with an opened telegram that was not meant for her, she had the
maiden--ladylikehood to remark how awkward it was when other people had
the same name as herself. "There should," she said, "never be more than
one holder of a name in a small place."
I had no retort beyond the obvious one that I got there first; but I
hope that the cowman henceforth gets all her correspondence and delays
it. He is welcome to mine so long as he deals faithfully with hers.
* * * * *
"Balakn Centre has shifted." _Toronto Mail_.
So we observe.