Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-08-29
MISCELLANY Y.
The Man who would not Trust the Baggage
Man.

The Man who would not Trust the Baggage
Man,
In the cars between Washington and Balti-
more there is a special notice of caution against
pck-pockets and against trusting money, jewel
ry or yalubles upon boys or old men, who will
take advantage of the strangers ignorance, &c.
NV next neighbOr was evidently green as trav-
eler, and as evidently uneasy about the notice.
As soon as he had read the words Of advice, he
commenced buttoning up his breeches pocket and
putting away his guard chain, and looking, be-
sides, quite uncomfortable.
casually observed that the caution was wise
one-that the ingenuity of the thieves was incon-
ceivabe-that | had been robbed once in 81. Lou
is, mySteriouSly, and by recital of some of the
well-known practices Of the light-hngered gentry,
soon found that his uneasness had greatly IL
creased. and in fact amounted almost to terror
About this time the collector of baggage-checks
came round, and approaching my anxious friend,
said. in the usual careless way,
Your check, sir"
Our reighbor took one look at the man, then
looked at me, but as my countenance was impas-
sive. he threw his eyes up 10 the placard OF eau
ton and slowly rebuttoned up his pocket.
.Your check, sir" again said the baggage
man, presuming that his first request had not been
heard.
mo, sir" returned our friend with energy ;
''you can't get this here check. Don'ty pose
| can read, sir? Just look there, sir" and he
pointed to the notice overhead.
The official looked in the direction pointed, bat
having no idea of our friends meaning, OF course
saw nothing unusual. A.
II want your check, sir" he said again.
"Well. If You do. you won't get it, that's all.
This here check don't 90 till get that trunk
You don't sspose. do you, that all them things OF
mine Tm gw'ine 10 have taken that slick, do
you? well now might"
IL don't understand you, sir. Your check will
| be handed over to your order in Washington, and
! your baggage perfectly safe there"
''Oh. Pve no doubt you think so, when once
I you've got il. but you hav'nt got 1t yet, and
what's more, can tell you, you aint going to
neither. I've hearn tell Of these tricks before; |
aint quite as green as that; so if yon wan: this
check you'll just have to bring that trunk and lay
it Just here, (pointng TO his teet.) and then you
| can get it, and not before. This here gentleman
was chiSeed out of his purse in sllcker way
than this, (here found il tcouvenient to gaze with
intense eagerneSS out Of the window and he
never did get back his purse, and-you amt going
to catch this child asleep, no how; so you've just
got it no trunk, no check"
By this time the conductor came up, and the
scene had interested the nearest travellers. Our
friends countenance exhibited the fullest graft
fed confidence from the detection Of this daboIi-
cal plot. and really he had achieved victory un-
paralleled in the annals of Railroad history.
The conductor endeavOred to reason with him,
but his suspicious were too fully excited, and the
conductor soon became an accomplice in his view.
lie persisted to the last, and clung to his check
with an appearance of intense love- At last the
conductor leirhin, with fervid imprecation on
his folly.
YOU'RE fool yourself, sir; you may call me
that when you get this check, for as long as
keep this. | know my baggage is safe. No, sir,
you may travel, but you can't get into this child S
trunk, no way you can fix it. Stranger, they
didn't get me that time like they got you IN 81.
Louis No. sir, they didn't put them printed
things up there for nothing, and when them tel
lows Just get that trunk of mine, they may have
everything in it, that's all have to say"
congratulated him on his victory, and as the
cars were near Washington, saw little more OF
hun further than he was standing near the bag
gage car, clu,chiug his blind check in his fist, ut
tery reckless OF the cries of the hackmen and ho-
tel porters in his ears.