Call it a little dose of holiday spirit.
A rare copy of a classic book, nearly a century old, was left anonymously in a Montreal woman’s mailbox this week.
Anne Lagace Dowson said she found a cloth-bound first edition of “Three Guineas” by Virginia Woolf in her mailbox.
There was no name or address to give a clue about who the generous gift giver was, just a note to explain why the gifter decided to leave the book for Dowson.
“I was pleased one evening while strolling down Jeance-Mance to see a poster of Virginia Woolf in someone’s home. (Yes, I admit to looking innocently into people’s homes – aesthetic curiosity),” read the note.
The book can fetch up as much as $100 but according to the letter the anonymous donor hoped it could be passed on to someone who would truly appreciate the literary work.
Dowson has been a fan of Woolf’s feminist works for a long time and it would just so happen that she didn’t own a copy of “Three Guineas” in her collection.
“This was a really lovely thing from this person who is the founder of the society of unexpected gifts,” Dowson said.
She said she would like to thank the mysterious altruistic gift giver but she has no idea who it might be.
“I looked at the writing and I don't recognize the writing style,” she said.
So, for, now the holiday random act of kindness shall remain a complete mystery.
With a report from CTV’s Vanessa Lee
