Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-12-11
OUT OF AgPIoNEEIR's rRUNK.


twas slightly cynical, but fairly
gO1d-cumCrcd crowd that had gathered
before ware hou;e on Long wharf in
San Francisco one afternoon in the sum
mer of 81. Although the occasion was
an auction the bidders chances more than
Usually hazardous, and the season and
locality famous for reckless speculation,
there was scarcely any excitement among
the by-standers and lazy, half-humoru9
curiosity seemed to have taken the place
Of any zeal for gain. 1t was an auction
of unclaimed trunks and boXes-the per-
sonal luggage of early emigrantS-which
had been LETT on storage In bulk or ware
house at San Francisco while the owner
was .eeking his fortune in the mines.
The difficulty and expense Of transport,
often obIiging the gold seeker to make
part of MS journey on foot, restricted him
to the smallest impedimenta, and that of
a kind not often found III the luggage of
ordinary civilization. As a consequence,
during the emigration of '49 he was apt
On landing. to avail himself of the invita-
ton usually displayed on some of the
doors Of the rude hostelries on the shore:
Rest tor the weary and storage for
Trunks" In majority of cases he never
returned to claim his stored property.
A understanding, well-worn portman-
teau was just put up at a small opening
bid, when Harry Flint joined the crowd.
The young man had arrived a week before
at San Francisco friend!ess and penniless,
and had been forced to part with his own
effects to procure necessary food and lodg-
ing while looking Tor employment. In the
Irony of fate of that morning, the pro-
prietors of dry goods store, struck with
his good looks and manners, had offered
him d situation if be could make himself
more pre6entable to their fair customers.
Harry Flint was gazing half abstractedIy,
half hopeiessiy, at the portmanteau. witn
out noticing the auctioneer' persuasive
challenge. In his abstraction, he was not
aware that the auctioneer's assistant was
also looking at him curiouSly and that
possibly his detected and half-clad APP
pearance had excited the attention of one
of the cynical bystanders who was ex
changing few words with the assistant.
fie was, however, recalled to himself a
moment later, when the portmanteau was
knocked down at SIS, and considerably
surprised when the assistant placed it at
bis feet with a grim smile Chat
your property, Fowler, and | reckon you
look as if you wanted it back bad
'But-there's some mistake" stam-
mered Flint Il didn't bid
"No, but Tom Flynn did for you. You
see, spotted you from the first, and told
Chaps whL came back from the mines dead
broke. And he up and bought your things
for you-like a square man. That IS
El-p,' g ctvla IF ba c,ar,, blar -
But. PERSISTED Flint, this never was
my property. My name isn't Fowler and
never left anything here"
The assistant looked at him with grim;
half creduous, half-scornful smile. Have
it your own way" ne said, ''but ough
ter tell We, ole man, that | m the warehouse
clerk, and l remember you. I'm here for
that purpose But as that thar valise is
bought and paid for by somebody else and
given to you, its nothing more to me-
Take it or leave it. y
The righteousness of quarreling over
the mere form of good fortune here struck
Flint, and, as his abrupt benefaCtor had as
abruptly disappeared, he hurried off with
his prize. Reaching his cheap lodging
house he examined its contents. As he
had surmised, it contained full suit OF
clothing of the better sort and suitable to
his urban needs. There were a few
articles of jeweiry, which he put religious
~ aside. There were some letters which
seemed to be of purely business character
There were a few daguereotypes of pretty
faces, one of which was singularly fascin
ating TO him. But there was another, of
young man, which startled hun with its
marvellous resemblance to himself! IN a
fash of intelligence he understood it ali
nov. 1t was the likeness of the former
owner of the trunk, for whom the assist
ant had actually mistaken him. He
glanced hurriedIy at the envelopes of the
letters They were addressed to Shelby
Fowler. the name by which the assistant
had just called him. The mystery was
plain now. And for the present he could
fairly accept his good luck and trust to
later fortune to justify himself
| TRANSFORMS ed in his new garb, he left his
| lodgings 10 present himself once more TO
his possible employer. His way led past
one Of the large gambling saloons 1t was
! yet too early to find the dry goods trader
| diSengaged; perhaps he consciousness of
more decent, civilized ca~b embold~ned
him to mingle more freely with strapgerS.
and he entered the saloon. He was scarcely
abreast Of one of the faro tables when a
man suddenly leaped up with an oath aud
! discharged revolver tut in his face. The
! shot missed. Before his unknown aSsail-
ant could fire again the astonished Flint
had closed with him and instinc.ively
clutched the weapon A brief but violent
struggle ensued. Flirt fe.t his strength
failing HIM. when suddenly a look t
! establishment came into the furious eyes OF
his adversary and the mans grasp nlechan-
ically relaxed. The ha'f-freed pistol
thrown upward by this movement, was &C
cidentally discharged point blank into his
temple and he fell dead. No one in the
| crowd had stirred or interfered.
You We done for French Pete this time
Mr.. Fowler" said voice ar MS elbow
He turned gaspingIy, and recognized his
strange benefactor. Flynn. 81 call you
all to witness, gentlemen, continued the
gambler, turning dictatorislly to tht
crowd. that this man was first attacked
and was unarmed" He lifted Flint:
| ED,y, ON, op,,,fv hands and than MIN az