West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-09-18
A losr eARRsl


Its Mammoth dimensions aud Mute
tudiuouN Cortcnts-rhe Losers Pre-
dicsmcnt.
have lost barrel To the best of
my Judgment ii must have boon about
thirty feet high aud fifteen ;cct in
diameter | say Judgment" because
/ have no distinct recollection of ever
having owned such bchcmoth of bar
rels. I simply infer its maStoionic di-
mcnsionS from the following facts
have lately moved from my former
place OF residence to another part of
the c ty. In this connection will say
right here that it is not INV purpose to
dig up any of tho archaeological
"moving-day' chestnuts that hourished
In the JuraSsic period of American
humor Having laid this ghost of APP
pre- eusion i'm the readers mind, and
secured h's uutcrriicd attention, will
simply say that the process of moving
my things was conducted very quietly
and without incident by certain lii
herman artists, whose addresses | will
furnish to the "Daubury Newsman'
upon his personal application.
Everything, apparently, turned up at
the new house in good order and condi-
ton save one barrel. which the tcamstcr
could neither produce nor satisfactorily
account for Supposing il 10 be a
tr.hng matter of oN-stove pipes and
other hardware, however, he lncautious-
ly agreed to make the loss good as
soon as we could ascertain the value of
the missing articles.
A superficial investigation showed
ha .Iss III l..,... "A. 81
of decorated dinner set, the kitchen
clock and pair of cavalry boots hc.
longing To myself TO be missing. These
were distinctly remembered TO have
been packed in the lost barrel, and a
memoranda was made accordingly.
To this list was added later "A rolling
pin, an oil-stovc and the family Bible.
Later still Vol ~. ofsKnighCs Shake
spcare, In tree calf, and the IN molnsso,-
Jug. Then set of fire irons, and one
OF pair Of Sevre's vases, carefully
protected against brcakage. ACCORDING
TO the distinct recollection of the women
of the household, by being wrapped in
| my drcss-coat
The next day q small chest of draw
crs, filled with retired undertaking
and iother domestic articles ON
the half-pay list, was found 10 have
been omitted from the returns and
this, together with a chiid's vclocipcdc.
was also referred TO the missing barrel
as part and parcel OF its probable con
tents. Later I'm the day il was discOv-
| cred that the clothc8-horse and an iron
bedstcad had not turned up, and these.
too, wcrc supposed 10 have been en-
barrclcd with the rest
Late in the afternoon word was re-
ceivcd from "A family who had occu-
pied the fiat next TO- ours, and who had
moved out on the same day TO the rf-
feet that grand piano belonging 10
them was missing, ami had probably
been carted OH with our things by mis-
take. A thorough search having
shown no such article TO be among our
chaltels, the conviction was forced upon
us that tho piano must have got into
that barrel by some blundcr, and We
sent back word accordingly. stating
that the teamster would make il ali
right
The next day the toamster presented
his bill, and asked what allowance he
should make for the lost barrel | pro-
duccd my memorandum aud figured ON
IT, found that the tcamstrr owed me.
after deduCting the amount Of his bll.
Just eight hundred and sixty one dol
lars and forty-thr,c cents. Iannouncrd
this result TO him, and he asked 10 see
the figures. lie then retired. remark
ing that he would see me in some place
or other-I didn't catch the name .-
first
lie did not keep this appointment.
however, for on looking him up next
day found that he had sold out his
business and left town 10 escape liabil-
ity
You see the predicament in which
am placed in consequence Of al this.
Not only do lose all Of my own things
that were packed in that barrel and
the list is "rJwing every day-but / am
held responsible. in the Transfers ab-
scncc. for the value Of that grand piano
a. well
So If any pcr-ou has found barrel
answering 10 the above description. and
viii kindly return 10 10 me in care of
This Office he will relieve me Of great
anxiety and be suitably rewarded by
so doing. -PUck.