Evening star., 1885-06-06
CURIOUS SHOP.
An Odd Man and His Strange Collection
of Old DebriS-ReIief for Persons Who
Have Lost Their Night Keys.

Six f1int-lock horse-pistols. a tin weathercock
with its tail gone. small section of lightning
rod, bunch of big iron keys, a dented tin horn,
the linch-pin of wagon, three links of a chain,
a broken chair leg, half of fishing-rod, num-
berless broken bolts, rusty screws, nails and
little scraps of brass lead iron, tin and all sorts
of odds and ends and parts of things, was the
stock on display in the big glass show window
of dingy little store that stopped
The STAR man as he passed through one
of the back streets the other day. After taking
a casual inventory of the stock, and becoming
Satlsfled that there was nothing in the window
that anybody would buy, or even Billy goat
would eat. he stepped inside to learn something
OF their use from the dealer. The store was
reproduction of the window, a grander
scale: IL was quite large room, one-half of
which was given up to the heavier class OF
rusty gaspipe, split all the way down, a small
section of an iron fence an anvil, and a thou
sand and one things of like character On the
ranged as they might be in Il jewelers. shop
though not so well kept. In these was the col
screws, small fragments of brass, old cartridge
shells, clock works, pieces of keys, bits of wood
that that looked %dsa as Ssod ii they might at some
thing. Everything was in fragmentary
condition, and some OF the bits were so small
that they did die not suggest what they might be
pieces OF. The only things that seemed TO be all
there were some keys and few 1ishinghooks.
The stock seemed to consist of Il collection of
-
wood, or crockery, that was ever made and
broken. They were all arranged in the case as
II they were attractive wares to tempt pur-
chasers.
"Who buys your wares?" asked the scribe Of
the proprietor, who came reluctantly forward,
wipng his hands on his apron and scowling as
If he did not like to be disturbed. He was a
thin, cadaverous-looking person, with a frag-
mentary air about him. as if, like his goods he
was only part OF the original design. "WhO
do you find to buy your curious wares, and
what use are they put o?' asked the scribe,
terested in the head of a brass tack that had no
tack on it.
Nobody, was the short reply.
'Oh, you don't sell; you buy?'' suggested THE
Mo- And the dealer eyed his questioner
"You seem to have an immense stock in vour
show cases. insinuated the scribe, looking ad-
mlrinEly mi rim; ;;s at the big glass case what do you
"Don't do nothing with it, he replied, mov-
ing closer to the case and keeping a keen eve
on his treasures.
But how did you ever get such remarkable
colection?" pressed THE STAR man.
Didn't get 'em."
"They Just happened; kind O. came there
How did they happen-?'' started the scribe
But the dealer broke him off with:
~ don't know.
"Have you any business in connection with
this? again asked THE STAR, with u conciiil-
man.
81 mend locks, too, and replace keys"
N!ght keys? suggested the scribe, grasping
an idea. opAs
"YeS"
"People lock themselves out of their houses
to let them in?" W. W.
"Yes, lots of 'em. They are always doing it.~
DO they drag you out of bed at midnight or
IN the small hours in the morning to break into
their houses for them: Don't tie police ever
mistake you for u burglar and-?'
Hold On, cried the dealer; "they don't do
that. don't allow it. l won't work at Iipht
When folks gets locked out ut night I make
them walk the streets till morning il they de-
pend on me TO let them in."
"Ihen people come TO You to open old strong
boxes full of valuable papers Haven't YOU
opened lots of curious old chests for folks who
had lost their key?" insisted the scribe.
Il nave opened lots OF satchels and trunks"
was the matterof-iact reply. 81 don't know
nothing bout no valuable papers,
collection imp" " SP 'Ai''
"Yes, that's my business" And the doalar
watched the scribe as he went out, to see thai he
didn't take anything. Ao