Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-01-10
9tgisfellaueuns &eading.
A QUEER NEW YORK CHARACTER.

A QUEER NEW YORK CHARACTER.
eff you can get that queer-looking duck
to talk, he may give you wrinkle" SAID a
policeman to reporter, pointing out a man
whom the reporter had often seen lettering
around the newspaper offices as the last of
the reporters, editors and compOsitors bent
their steps homeward. His age was proba-
bly, about forty-tive, although the weather.
beaten look of his face made him seem older
than he really was. His slight figure bent
forward at the shoulders, and his eyes were
closely bent upon the pavement as ne walk
ed slowly along. -.
81 don't want no competitors in my biz, "
he said, "though 'taint everyone who'd
have the perseverance or the gifts to follow
it. Pm finder, that's what | am, and Pm
a monopolist."
"What isa finder?" asked the reporter.
"I'm finder of things that are lost; that
is, 1 hunts for 'em, good deal ottener than
1 finds 'em. You amt no idea how many
val'ble things is lost every day in this city
Jewels, watches, purses, rolls of money,
dogs and children. Not half the folks who
loses things do advertise, but some does.
They rushes to the newspaper offices, and !!
waits here to get the earliest copies andread
the advertisements"
"Is it possible you find things that have
been lost 50 many hours before ?"
Sometimes, but not often. If makes a
good hit once in two weeks Pm satisfied.
Just as often don't make one in a month.
You see, the ad says very gently, lost
tween somewhere and somewhere We'll
l goes and PAGES that district, and my eyes
has got so sharp that they can tell the CLINT
of di'mond or any stone from bit OF bro
ken glass on the darkest night. Why, you
and lots of people walks over lost things
every day and never sees 'em. You walks
with your eyes in the air 4 fixed on the
folks and the windows, or the pavement 100
feet ahead of you. Mine is always close by
nv own feet, and | walks mighty slow.
The cutters is the great place for lost things;
they get dropped there by women who are
allus in furry crossing roads, or they get
knocked in by feet or dresses. Only the
other day l was crossing the street and saw
a muddy bit of cardboard lying in the gut
ter. Ten thousand people would have pass
ed it by, but saw what looked like pin
sticking in it. I grabbed it, turned it over,
and there, sure enough, Wasa gold breastpln
set with pearls-stunners too.
''Of course | has to be careful how picks
things up. If some bummers saw me
there'd be a fight. Its nat'ral that finds
lots more things by chance than them Pm
looking for. Crowds is my game nearly
everytime. When I finds anything by
chance looks to see if it's been advertised
for. I'd any time rather get a reward than
sell the thing. No, 7 never spouts them
it's too risky. Mr.. Threeballs allus has to
know too much from man like me, and IT
he don't he won't lend hardly nothing
Let me give you tip. Ifyou finds any
thing never take it back to any one who
advertises suitable reward Them is
allus the mean folks as are ashamed to say
how little they're going to give. | tell you
I've bought my knowledge. once found a
di'mond pin as was advertised for. 1t was
worth, even to me, a cool hundred, and
what dye thing they gave me? a Y, no
more. OF course, l couldn't do nothing.
l had to take it, but l can tell you gave
'em piece of my mind, and they lived on
Fifth avenue, too. No, amt going to tell
YOU where l sell things; that's my secret
and the fellers what buys 'em."
"If you are up all night when 90 you
Sleep"
"in the afternoons and early evenings.
1 don't mind telling you how l put in the
day. 1 wait here for the papers. If there's
anything in my way l works the beat till
it's daylight. Then I wanders round and
Sometimes there's something in the sweep
ings, but not often. The dry goods stores
would be fine places to work, but you see
l amt dressed quite as q dude, and the
floor walkers and sales people keep sharp
lookout. The stores has all got lost-and
found counters, and it's only we'll dressed
women has chance to drop handkerchief
over anything on the floor and snake it up.
''The theatres would be good places if
they were free, but it don't pay to buy a
seat on spec, and one must be in the best
part. l occasionally get a window privi-
lege cheap, and may be a stray opera glass
or a bit of jewelry comes my. way. But L
tell you there's an art in picking up things
without being noticed.
"Dogs is pretty good game. Lots of 'em
is lost, and most dogs has more sense than
their owners. If they amt been scooped
in by some professional, they are apt to
find their way home at nights and sit on
the stOOps or in area ways. Many'S the
one I've cOtched and kept till next morn
ing, and then brought it back as innocent
as you please. Dogs pays well, special if
women owns 'em. There was one adver-
tised for last week, little bit of a tarrier,
500 reward. Wouldn't l have liked to
find that Jun! Even when the stealers get
hold of 'em, dogs is likely to slip out and
run home: If folks who loses dogs would
watch their stoOps at night it might pay.
81 never found but one kid, and he was
a little chap lost in crowd. was helping
him to look for his mother, when she saw
us, and set on me with policeman. Never
had such a time in my life. She went on
like crazy woman about abduction and
Charley Roses, and twas all could do to
get away. l don't want no more kids.
That's the only time ever had any trouble
with the police, and amt hankerin' after
any more. l amt ambitious to be dubbed.
l never stole nothing right out and guess
my way of making living is about as hon
est as most folks"
"How much is the business worth :''
"Well, it's hard to strike an average.
Sometimes i make regular haul, p'r'aps
two or three together, and then l don't hit
it again for weeks guess l can reckon on
$40 a week, and that is more than / could
take in at anything else. But it's hard
work. ."-Ne,0 York SIN.
BIsMARCK's FIVE EGGS FOR THREE
How to divide five egss between three peo
pie is problem which might fairly puzzle
a philosopher, but the practical genius of
Prince Bismarck has solved that, as it has
many other difficulties which have proved
too much for profound thinkers. The only