Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-08-23
OUT OF A PIONEERS trunk.
BY BRET. HARTE.

San Francisco one AFTERNOON IN tue 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 Specu-
lation, there was scarcely any excite
ment among the bystanderS, and lazy,
balf-humOrOus curiosity seemed to have
taken the place Of any zeal for gain.
II was an auction Of unclaimed trunks
and bOxes-the personal baggage Of
early emigrants-whlch had been left
on storage in hulk or warehouse at San
Francisco while the owner was seeking
his fortune IN the mines.
The difficulty and expense OF trans
port, often Obiging the gOld-seeker TO
make part of his journey on foot, re-
stricted him to the smallest impedi-
ment, and that of kind not often
found in the luggage OF ordinary civili-
zatiOn. As consequence, during the
emigration OF 40 he was apt on landing
TO avail himself Of the Invitation usually
displayed on some Of the doors Of the
hoStelries on the shore: "ReSt for the
Weary and Storage for Trunks" In
majority of cases he never returned to
claim his property. Enforced absence,
protracted equally by good or evil for
tune, accumulated the high storage
charges until they usually far
exceed the actual value of the
goods; sickness, further emigration.
or death also reduced the number
OF possible claimants, and that more
wonderful human frailty-absOlute for
getfUlness of deposited possessions
combined together 70 leave the bulk OF
the property in the cuStOdlan's hands.
Under an understood agreement they
were always sold at public auction after
a given time. Although the contents OF
some OF the trunks were exposed, II was
found more In keeping with the public
sentiment TO sell the trunks unlocked
and unopened. The elements Of curios-
ity was kept up from time 70 time by the
incautious disclosures OF the lucky or
unlucky purchaser, and general bidding
thus encOuraged-except when the spec
ulatOr, with the true gambling instinct,
gave no indication in his face OF what
was drawn ia this lottery. Generally,
however, some suggestion in the exter-
Tor of the trunk, a label or initials; some
conjectural knowledge of its former
owner or the idea that he might secret
ly present in the hope Of getting his
property back for less than the accumu-
lated dues, kept up the bidding and In
terest.
A mOdest-lOOking, well-wOrn port
manteau had just been put up at small
opening bid when Harry Flint Joined
the crowd. The young man had arrived
a week before at San Francisco friend
less and penniless, and had been forced
TO part with his own effects to procure
necessary food and lodging while look
ing for employment. In the irony Of
fate that morning the prOprietOrS OF
dry goods store, struck with his good
looks and manners, had offered him a
situation II he could make himself more
presentable to their fair clients. Harry
Flint was gazing half abstractedly, half
hOpelessly at the pOrtmanteau without
noticing the auctiOneer's persuasive
challenge.
In his abstraction he was not aware
that the auctlOneer's assistant was also
looking at him curiOusly, and that pos
sibly his detected and half-clad appear
ance had excited the attention OF one or
the cynical bystanderS who was ex-
changing few words with the assistant.
He was, however, recalled 10 himself
moment later when the pOrtmanteau
was knocked down at SIS, and consider
ably startled when the assistant placed
10 at mis- feet with a grim smile. That's
your property, Fowler, and | reckon
you look as IL you wanted it back bad. "
"But-there's some mistake" STAN
mered Flint. II didn't bid"
mo, but Tom Flynn did for you.
You see, spotted you from the first,
and told Flynn I reckoned you were
one Of those chaps who came back from
the mines dead broke. And he up and
bought your things for you-like a
square man. That's FlYnn's style, if he
is a gambler"
''But," persisted Flint, "this never
was my property. Ny name isn't FOw-
Ter and never left anything here"
The assistant looked at him with a
grim. half-credulOus, half-ScOrnful smile.
"Have il your own way" he said, "but
oughter tell ye, old man, that I'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 it's
nothing more to me. Take or leave it"
TheridiculOusneSS Of QUarrelling over
the mere form Of his good fortune here
struck Flint, and, as HIS abrupt bene-
factor had as abruptly disappeared, he
hurried oil with his prize. Reaching
bis cheap lodging house he examined its
contents. As he had Surmised, 10 con-
tanned a full suit OF clothing Of the bet
tar sort and suitable to his urban needs.
There we're a few articles OF jewelry,
which he put religiOusly aside. There
were some letters which seemed 20 be
OF a purely business character. There
were a few daguerrOtypes OF pretty
faces, one Of which was Singularly
fascinating to him. But there was an
other. of q Young man, which startled
him with its marvellous reSem-
blance to himself. In naSh OF
Intelligence he understood IL all now. IL
was the likeness of the former owner OF
the trunk, for whom the assistant haa
actually mistaken him! lie glanced
hurriedly at the envelopes Of the let
tiers. They were addressed to Shelby
Fowler. the name by which the assist
ant had inst called him. The mystery
was plain now. Aud for the present he
could fairly accept his good luck and
trust to later fortune to justify himself.
Transformed in his new garb he LETT
his lodgings TO present himself once
more to his possible employer. His way
led past one Of the large gambling
saloons. It was yet too early TO hnd
the drv goods trader disengaged; per-
haps the consciousness Of more decent,
civilized garb emboldened him to mingle
efrnnrnrC ana