The Osceola times., 1884-12-27
SHORT MEMORIES.

Bsms Of the Strange Things that People
Leave on the Ferries.
There is a little apartment at the ex-
tremity ofthe Oakland mole, says the
San Francisco Chronicle. whose queerly
assorted contents are an apotheosis to
the treacherous memories of passengers
on the ferry boats and trains. The man
who dives in the depths of his pocket to
clutch his commutation ticket and allows
his cane to slip unheeded to the floor;
the matron who gathers up her baby
and leaves her portemonaie on the seat,
the young lady who forgets her parasol
in an absorbing firtation with the tall
army officer on the opposite side Of the
ferry boat are each disposed to consider
themselves exceptional victims of cir.
and will be surprised to
learn that the average number of lost
articles returned TO the Office is about
four thousand year, an average of more
than three hundreds month. A regular
system is pursued in regard to these
stray properties, every article brought in
being carefully labelled with the date
and number ofthe train or name of the
boat, and careful descriptive entry
made in book kept for that purpose.
II Is amusing TO scan the curious list
Take q specimen day of last month, and
1t reads: Overalls and shit; Winchester
rife; cane; umbrella; umbrella; shawl;
towels, etc.; clothing dirty in newspaper)
lunch basket, brown leather bag; tobacco
box; package of chocolate; overcoat; cane;
boots; linen duster; two books "Ameri-
can Orator." and "Compendium;" red
leather bag; engravers' and designers'
book; treatise or insane asyluns; gentle
mans chimney-pot hat; new suit of
clothing; zinc thimble; electrotype plate;
mock diamond pin; lady's sealskin
purse.
AHEAvY LOSS.
A careful survey Of this record reveals
the fact that men take the lead in lapses
Of memory, with handsome footing Of
errant overcoats, vagrant canes and dis
inherited umbrellas, while the gentler
sex evince an elegant disregard of porte
monnaies shopping bags and parasols.
But the loser is not conservative indi-
vidual. He revels in eccentrieities and
surprises. One of the guild, ON his way
home from Arizona, recently contributed
q whole colony Of horned toads in
pasteboard box, which figured as the
sensation of the season. One recreant
Oaklander lately left large -four sack
under his seat, and as the string was cut
in the process of investigation, two cats
leaped upon the Office floor, and with
arched backs and pluned tails protested
against the invasion of their travelling
apartment. The most important loss
ever recorded occurred a couple of years
ago, when an absent minded traveller left
$4,000 in United States bonds and
certificates, wrapped in an old
newspaper, lying upon car seat.
The package was promptly handed in to
the Office and in a short time the owner
appe red on the sceEe. He made little
ado about the matter, but quietly made
inquiry, identified the papers and recov-
cred them intact. He gave the honest
conductor $500, and the choice Havanas
which he distributed about lasted the
boys month. The writer has termed
this the most notable loss-a truce to the
indignant parents whose two small chill
dren we're picked up last month and bill
leted and recorded with other valuables.
HARIrUAL LOSERS.
There are some habitual losers. Ger.
tain gentlemen regularly mount the
steps TO the Office and collect the articles
which they have lost, with the same
dignity and precision they tread the
church aisles on Sunday and atone for
the weeks delinquencies. One notable
resident of Oakland-an Englishman-
tramps into the Office every fortnight
and demands the canes and books which
he has lost In the interim. He is the
Nemesis of the office, and struggle as
they may to palliate their shortcomings.
il is of no avail in the face of the fact
that of all the books and canes he has
left on tie local trains they have only
succeeded in unearthing one light bam-
boo stick. The probable explanation of
this gentlemans hspless experience is
that his failings are recognized by some
miscreant who follows him on the watch
to profit by his negligence. Possibly
some friend is on the old eentleman's
track, intending some dav to surprise
him with full restitution Of his forgot
ten treasures. There are men, however,
who make a practice Of remaining on
board until the last passenger has left the
car and then walk from end to end on
the lookout for valuaLles.
The officials of the department are
responsible for the statement that the
men are the most pacific customers, be.
ing satisfied If assured that the article
they seek is not on the books, but the
women will not, as rule, accept mega
tive answer, and are bound to have
something, insisting with display of
temper in the inverse proportion to the
value of the lost article. These curious
Rleanings remain for one week in the
Office ON the mole. and during that pc
rod about 80 per cent. are returned to
their rightful owners. Atthe expiration
Of this period they are forwarded 10 the
San Francisco Office, and there held sub.
ject to further inquiries.