Following is a transcription of a letter from G. Marion Norwood Callam to James G. Dempsey, provided by the latter and included here with permission.

Mr. Jim Dempsey, 3154 Bishop Street, Cincinnati, Ohio. 45220, USA.

Dear Mr. Dempsey,
I expect you have received my letter of 21 October in which I said I had not received the two books that you had sent me in September from London.

I have today received them in a most remarkable way. I must tell you the fascinating story.

Earlier this year I met a Mr. & Mrs. Mallett who have come to a new bungalow in Collington Lane about 1/4 mile from me--they were in trouble because of the wife's ill-health, and I talked to them in an effort to lift their thoughts and give them hope. I later walked to the village with them and told them of my interest in genealogy, and that the name "Mallett" was on my Barons' Chart as one of the signatories to Magna Carta. I invited them to call here and I showed them the chart, and the Norwood descendants therefrom.

If I hadn't have done this, I would never have received your books. After I had gone to bed on Friday last, 28th Oct., Mr. Mallett telephoned me to ask if I had missed two books from my house. I said "No". He then told me that he was gardening that evening, and inside a hedge that separated his house from a "twitten" that forms a short-cut leading to my house, he had found two books, and he would have thrown them away, had not the name "Norwood" arrested his attention. He was concerned as he felt these had been stolen from my house. I then asked him if there was an author's name, and he said "James Dempsey".

These two volumes must have been lying there right inside a hedge of brambles, bracken and trees for over a month. I called yesterday morning and collected them. They were not in any wrapper, the exposed covers were slightly warped and pieces of leaves and bracken were inside, but no damage to any type, and they are perfectly in tact. We have had perfect "Indian Summer" weather during this period.
Do you not think this is a remarkable story?

Yesterday I briefly looked through the two works, which I will now go through with my own charts, so that I can write you later on with any comments. What I am pleased about is that you have given each person a number. I have also done this in my charts and "The Norwoods III" and when I go through you works, I will put my number by the side of your own to make reference easier. I hope I may keep these, as I shall be quite a while going through them.
I can only add my appreciation for all you have done, and my thanks for your sending these to me.
Oh, I didn't make clear how I think these books got into Mr. Mallett's hedge. The postman must have called on me with them and finding I was out, he left them in my porch on a little stool I have there. He has done this many, many times. I would guess that a "youth" must have called, and thinking the parcel interesting, took it up the "twitten" (or narrow path) to open it, and finding it of no interest he discardedd it into the thickest hedge, but leaving no trace of any wrapping or envelope. I have already contacted my regular postman who has no recollection of leaving the parcel, but as he was on holiday he thinks about that time, he is consulting his mates.
With all best wishes,

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