Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-03-14
A PRM NAL
STUDY o a3oUs~ AEAW WITH
,<;1uPATIoN.
Ao Has essas lived Comfort ably
ON Rewards Earned by Fading
Lost Articles I'm tho Metropolis. /

Ao Has sssay lived Comfort ably
ON Rewards Earned by Fading
Lost Articles In the Metropolis.
Ono of New York's peculiar men
haunts tho cafes and barrooms in tho.
vicinity of Madison Square, but sc. def
conccals his identity that itssSinsS
profound secret who no ia. esis ss!2s&e he
comes. Ho Is called sll..\
Flo Is tall andss sfepd dSss Ijsjw
complexion sast As &
closely on eho ta, 'sGSff
drcssc,l and fiastf5 Il 5iouble-
breasted sack d5ass ss tho color OF
ovcry garment Saing his "four-in.
hand" scarf. REiiis walking mystery Is
ono Of the fow survivors OF n class of
men once humorous, but now nearly OK
tinct, who wero known to habitues OF
fashionable clubs and resorts, as we'll as
to tho police, as "Findors"-mcn who
devoted all their time, energy and skill
in scol1ing treasure trovo for which
liberal reward Is offered. Oac after an
other tho group has bccn dccimatod by
death, removal, or lapse into crime,
until tho subject of this sketch stands
alorc, oil his companions scattered or in
tho grave.
When tho mon about town linger in tho
famous barrooms to enjoy parting
"night-cap" before retiring the eccentric
finder is thoro, seated in chair and ap-
paront.y wide awake. He sits convcn.
icntly close and listens to tho converse =
tion from neighboring groups of people,
but never obtrudcs, never speaks. uarm-
less and inoifonsivc, he Is regarded with
friendly gaze, and tho very mystery
TINT shrouds his movements crcntcs II de-
sire TO cultivate him. HssdQas aessssInls
Intoxicating liquors, and whom knY ttSd to
join in tho festivities Of sho hoiiip III 9ari-
ably orders n cup of bIaeks sphrcc
cubes of sugar form its FMeetsEinF sowcr,
and quietly and surrSRt & ip;,aly slissingu.
lar man places thoS {Sias$nipF qpss--J-
his pockets. 1'his S!t1uiiStaficog ill., 4
earned for him anBfiq tllsc sugar
ilcnd." ,c9isf1ain B9ilGaf
In the street ho astlIIs5 erssb bu. his
eyes wander from uwels to- iEtosp.or house
line, always on tho pavomnnt, and never
straight ahead. EARLY in tho morning,
when tho streets aro quiet, tho profes-
sionnl "ilnder" may be socn in Printing
House Square watching for tho appear
anco Of tho first public issue of tho ncws-
papers. Io scans the "Lost and Found"
and "Roward" advertisements, and thon
starts on his daily quest. II a certain
route Is specified where money or jewels
arc lost, the silent man Is speedily there,
and his years of experience aid him great
ly in seeking out the hidden reccsses
where such an object might lie concealed
from the casual gaze of tho average pc
dcstrian, and the successful operation of
single day realizes enough to make his
living secure for n week or more.
On one occasion Burdcll WIS seen in
Trinity Church graveyard at o'clock in
the morning and his movements attracted
the attention Of the policeman on that
hind n telegraph pole and Watched fhs
mysterious visitor in the abode of the
dead. He saw him dodgipg behind
tombstoncs, turning over the grass and
even removing fallen leaves, until in the
glare of the electric light there flashed
from the long fingers of the ohadowcd
man scintillation which showed that :.
glittoring diamond was the fruit of this
search ut gloomy hour of tho morning
in such ghoulsh spot In few hours
tho Indy who lost the ring was in tho
possession Of her valuable souvenir, and
Nick Burdell, "Profcssional Finder"
was $50 in pocket and happy in the re-
Election that he WINS an honest man.
Daily he promenadcs Broadway and
Fifth avenue as unconcerned rs though
he was a landed proprietor journcying
with the throng of wealthy citizens en-
route to luxurious home. His eyes are
gazing downward, his step is set to slow
measurement, and no surrounding event,
however thrilling, attracts his attention.
He is bent upon ono supreme object, tho
discovery of treasure il money or jcwelry
which mny be concealed in hidden
mass, or that some pedestrian in the vast
pushing and swinging tide of humanity
may carelcssly have d-opped. For over
ten years this strange man has led the
life of rccluse He has never been
known to withhold lost article his
trained eye has discovered. The police
speak of him with the utmost respect.
AS far ms it is known he is believed to be
perfectly honest. He merely works for
Il reward.
There are other grades of "fnders,"
but their game is of n very small order.
Before the street-clcancrs have swept the
refuse of the streets into piles Of rubbish,
Or In the gray of the morning ere the
chilfoniers have started out with baskets
and long hooks, the small-fry finder may
be seen inspecting the store doors or
the cutters in search of articles
L.. IL 4. I-1
their haste to reach home or in their
naudlin stages. And yetan Italian finder
pays over $500 per week to this city for
The privilege of sorting ever the street
'wecpings. Their reward is small and
the mere question of seeking a rightful
owner never enters into the thoughts of
,hcse street wanderers.
Still another class Of this industrious