Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 November 1892 — Unintentional Souvenirs. [ARTICLE]

Unintentional Souvenirs.

The present custom' of souvenirs for dinners, visits, and,, in fact, for nearly all occasions, sometimes leads to deplorable mistakes. A writer in Frank Leslie’s Weekly recalls the occurrence in the hospitable career of a hostess who had reason to regret that the souvenir craze had ever been heard of. Mrs. J was the happy possessor of a dozen salt-cellars of repousse silver, which were almost the apple of her eye. She was to give a luncheon in honor of a friend from a distant city, and covers were laid for fourteen. In -the arrangement of the table the precious salt-cellars were placed for the guests, another kind being supplied for the hostess and her daughter.

The cards designating the places were laid upon these empty little dishes, and through some error remained there, so that the absence of salt was not discovered. When the company assembled at the table one lady took up her card, saw the empty salt-cellar, and remarking at some length on its beauty, said it was “a lovely souvenir,” and slipped it into her pocket. Her. example was promptly followed by the rest of the company with the exception of one unfortunate women, who either had no pocket or was unable to find it. The hostess was petrified with grief and despair as she saw her cherished possessions calmly appropriated, but she was unable to offer the necessary explanation in the face of the torrent of acknowledgment and compliment. After she received the adieus of the last guest, and had heard the departing rustle of the last gown whose pocket held one of hes beloved saltcellars, she sat down like the Little Maid Arcadee, and wept. i It was soon discovered that the woman without a pocket had forgotten her prize; and Mrs. J seized upon it with the concentrated affection which a parent bestows on the last of many children. Her joy was of brief duration. The following morning brought a polite note from the pocketless woman, saying she had forgotten her “beautiful souvenir." Would Mrs. J kindly send it? Mrs. J sent it, but in the bosom ; of her family expressed the wish that the punishment of Lot’s wife had overtaken the woman for looking back on the charms of that unintentional souvenir.