Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-06-11
THE PIONEERS TRUNK
Bret Harte's Contribution to the
 'Possible Cases" Series.
How an Unfortunate Young Miner Came Into the Possession of a Portmanteau Which Brought Him Wealth
 and a Bride.
IcoPYRIGHT, IS91.l


 It was a slightly cynical but fairly good d-humored crowd that had gathered before warehouse on Long Wharf, in San Francisco, one afternoon in the summer of '51. 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 ex- citement among the bystanders, and lazy, half humorous curiosity seemed to have taken the place of any zeal for gain.
 It was an auction of unclaimed trunks and boxes - the personal luggage of early emigrants-which had been left on storage in bulk or warehouse at San Francisco while the owner was seeking his fortune in the mines. The difficulty and expense of transport, often oblig- ing the gold seeker to make part of his journey on foot restricted him to the smallest impedtmenta, and that of kind not often found in the luggage of ordi- nary civilization. As a consequence, during the emigration of 40, he was apt on landing to avail himself of the invi- tation usually displayed on some of the doors of the rude hostelries on the shore: "Rest for the Weary and Storage for Trunks" In majority of cases he never returned to claim his stored prop erty. Enforced absence protracted equally by good or evil fortune accumu- lated the high storage charges until they usually far exceeded the actual value of the goods; sickness, further emigration or death also reduced the number of possible claimants, and that more wonderful human frailty-abso- lutc forgetfulness of deposited posses sions-contrived together to leave the bulk of the property on the custodian's hands. Under an understood agreement this was always sold at public auction after given time. Although the con- tents of some of the trunks were eX- posed, it was found more in keeping with the public sentiment to sell the trunk unlocked and unopened. The ele- ment of curiosity was kept up from time to time by the incautious disclosures of the lucky or unlucl1y purchaser, and general bidding thus encouraged-eX- cept when the speculator with the true gambling instinct gave no indication in his face of what was drawn in this lot tery. Generally, however, some sug- gestion in the exterior of the trunk, a label or initials, some conjectural knowledge of it's former owner or the idea that he might be secretly present in the hope of getting his property back for less than the accumulated dues, kept up the bidding and interest.
 A modest looking, well worn port manteau had been just put up at @ small opening bid, when Harry Flint joined the crowd. The young man had arrived week before at San Francisco, friendless and penniless, and had been forced to part with his own effects to procure necessary food and lodging while looking for employment. In the irony of fate that morning the proprie- tors of a dry goods store, struck with i his good looks and manners, had offered him situation if he could make him self more presentable to their fair clients. Harry Flint was gazing half abstractedly, half hopelessly, at the portmantcau without noticing the auc- tioneer's persuasive challenge. In his abstraction he was not aware that the auctioneer's assistant was also looking at him curiously, and that possibly his dejected and half clad appearance had excited the attention of one of the cyni- cal bystanders, who was exchanging a few words with the assistant. He was, however, recalled to himself a moment later when the portmanteau was knocked down at fifteen dollars and considerably startled when the as sistant placed it at his feet with grim smile. ''That's your property, Fowler, and reckon you look as if you wanted it back bad.''
 "But-there's some mistalze," stam- mered Flint ''I didn't bid"
 "No, but Tom Flynn did for you. You see spotted you from the first and told Flynn rccloned you were one of those chaps who came back from the mines dead-broile and hadn't enough to buy