The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-09-04
OUT OF A PIONEERS TRUNK.


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 specula-
ton, there was scarcely any excitement
among the by-standers, and lazy, half
humorous curiosity seemed to have taken
the place of any zeal for gain. 1t was an
auotiou of unclaimed trunks and boxes
the personal luggage of early emigrants--
which had been left on storage in hulk
or warehouse at San Francisco while the
owner was seeking his fortune in the
gold mines.
The difficulty and expense of transport,
often obliging the gold seeker to make
part of his journey on foot, restricted
him to the smallest impedimentd, and
that of a kind not often found in the
luggage of ordinary civilization. As a
consequence, during the emigration OF '49,
he was apt, on landing, to avail him.
self of the invitation usually displayed
on some of the doors of the rude hostel
ries on the shore: REST for the Weary
and Storage for Trunks" In major
ity of cases he never returned to claim MS
stored property. Enforced absence, pro-
tracted equally by good or evil fortune,
accumulated 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-absolute
forgetfulness of deposited possessions
combined together to leave the bulk OF
the property in the custodian's hands.
nprranynant thnU
were always sold at public auction after
a given time. Although the contents OF
some of the trunks were exposed, 1t was
found more in keeping with the pubic
sentiment to sell the trunks unlocked
and unopened. The element OF curiosity
was kept up from time to time by the in
cautious disclosures of the lucky or un-
lucky purchaser, and general bidding
thus ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS when the specu-
lator. with true gambling instinct, gave
no indication in his face of what was
drawn in his lottery. Generally, how
ever. some suggestions in the exterior of
the trunk, label or initials; some con-
iectural knowledge of its former owner,
or the idea that he might secretly present
in the hope of getting his property back
for less than the accumulated dues, kept
up the bidding and interest.
A understanding, well-wOrn portman-
teau 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, friend
less and penniless. and had been forced
to part with his own effects to produce
Necessary food and lodging while looking
for endowment In the irony of fate
that morning, the prOprietors OF dry
goods store, struck with his good looks
and manners had offered him situa-
ton. if he could make himself more pre-
sentable to their fair clients. Harry
Flint was gazing half abstractedly, half
hopelessly, at the poTtmanteau, without
noticing the auctioneer's persuasive chal-
lenge. In his abstraction, he was not
aware that the auctioneer's assistant was
looking at him curiously, and that pos
sibly his detected and half-clad appear
ance had excited the attention OF one OF
the cynical bystanders who was exchang'
inc few words with the assistant He
was, however, recalled to himself a mo-
ment later, when the portmanteau was
knocked down at fifteen dollars, and con-
siderably startled when the assistant
placed it at his feet with grim smile.
"That's your property, Fowler, and
reckon you look as if you wanted 1t back
bad"
"But-there's some mistake" STAN
mered Flint 81 didn't bid"
mo, but Tom Flynn did for you. You
see, | spotted you from the first and told
Flynn | reckOned you were one OF those
chaps who came back from the mines
dead broke. And he up and bought your
things for yOu-iike a square man:
That's Flynn style, if he is gambler"
But" persisted Flint, this never
was my property. My name isn't Fow-
Ter and never left anything here"
The assistant looked at him with a
grim, half-credulous, half-scOrnful smile.
"Haye it your own way" he said, but
! oughter tell We, ole man, that Pm 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,"
The righteousness of quarreling over
the mere form of his good fortune here
struck Flint, and, as his abrupt benefac-
tor had as abruptly disappeared, he hur-
ried off with his prize. Reaching his
cheap lodging house he examined its
contents. AS he had surmized, it con-
tanned full suit of clothing of the bet
ter sort and suitable to his urban needs.
There were a few articles of jewelry,
which he put religiously aside. There
were some letters which seemed to be OF
a purely business character. There were
a few daguerretoypes of pretty faces, one
of which was singularly fascinating to
him. But there was another, of young
man, which startled him with its marvel
Gus resemblance to himself In flash
of intelligence he understood it all now.
1t was the likeness of the former owner
of the trunk, for whom the assistant had
actually mistaken him He glanced
hurriedly 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.
Tranformed in his new garb, he left
his lodgings to 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 to conscious
ness of more decent, civilized garb en-
boldened him to mingle more freely with
strangers, and he entered the saloon.
He was scarcely abreast of one of the
faro tables when man suddenly leaped
up with an oath and discharged a revolt
yer full in his face. The shot missed.
Before his unknown assailant cold fire
again the astonished Flint had closed
with him and instinctively clutched the
weapon. A brief but violent struggle
ensued. Flint felt his strength failing
him, when suddenly look Of astonish-
ment came into the furious eyes of his
adversary and the mans grasp mechani-
cally relaxed. The half-freed pistol,
-. ....-.-u..d h.r tl,ic r,nnunrnnnt rr.aa