Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-12-17
OUT OF A5pIoNEEIR's TRUNK.

the corn.
BY the late Dom Piatt.
OUT OF AEPIONEEIR'S TRUNK.
twas a slightly cynical, but fairly
good crowd that had gathered
before ware house 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 hy-standers, and lazy, half-humorus
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
bad been lett on storage in bulk or ware
house at San Francisco while the owner
was seeking his fortune in the mines.
The difficulty and expense OF transport,
often obligiDg the goid'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 40 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 for the weary and storage for
trunks In a majority Of cases he never
returned to claim bis stored property.
A understanding, well-worn portman
teau was just pat up at a small opening
bid, when Harry Flint joined the crowd.
The young man had arrived week before
at San Francisco, friendless and penniIess,
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 a situation If be could make himself
more presentable to their fair customers.
Harry Flint was gazing half abstIactedIy,
half hopelessly, at the portmanteau, with
out noticing the auctioneer persuasive
challenge. In his abstraction, he was not
aware that the auctioneer' assistant was
also looking at him curiously and that
possibly his detected and hall clad APP,
pearance had excited the attention of one
of the cynical bystanders who was ex
changing few words with the assistant
He was, however, recalled to himself .
moment later, when th9 portmanteau was
knocked down at SIS, and considerably
surprised when the assistant placed it at
his feet with a grim smile, 'Ihat's
your property, Fowler, and reckon you
lock as ifyou wanted 1t back bad"
But-there's some mistake" STAN
mered Flint. 8! didn't bid "
mo, hut Tom Flynn did for you. You
see, spotted You from the first, and told
Flynn rcckoned y0u were che Of those
chaps whC came back from the mines dead
broke And he up and bought your things
for you-hke square man. That S
Flynn's style, if heis a gambler.
But, presis!ed Flint, this never was
my property NV name isn't Fowler and
lnever left anything here"
The assistant looked at him with grim;
half credulous, half-scoruful smile. Have
it your own way" ne said but ouoh-
ter tell ye, ole III N. that m The warehouse
clerk, and remember you. I'm here for
that purpose. But as that thar valse is
bought and paid for by somebody else and
given 10 you, lis nothing more to me.
Take it or leave il.
The Righteousness of quarreling over
the mere form of good fortune here struck
Flint, and, as his abrupt benefaltor 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 few
articles of iewelry, which he put religious
ly aside. There were some letters which
seemed to be Of a 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 him with its
marvellous resemblance to himself! in a
fash OF intelligence he understood it all
now 1t was the likeness of the former
owner of the trunk, for whom the assist.
ant 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.
Transformed IN his new GARD, he left his
lodgings 10 present himself once more to
his possible employer. His way led past
ore Of the large gambling saloons Ii was
yet too early to find the dry goods trader
disengaged; perhaps ne consciousness of
more decent, civilized earb emboIdt ned
him to mingle more freely wit strangers,
and he entered the saloon. He was scarcely
abreast of one Of The faro tables when a
man suddenly ieaped up with an oath and
discharged aIevoiver tuu IN has face. Ire
shot missed Before his unknown asSaj!-
ant could fire again the astonished Flint
had closed with him and instinc,ively
clutched the weapon. A brief but violent
struggle ensued. Flirt fa,t his strength
failing him, when suddenly a look If
astonishment came into the furious eyes OF
his adversary and the man grasp mechan-
ically relaxed. The half-freed pistol
thrown up9 AID by this movement, was ac-
cidentaiy discharged point blank into bis
temple and he fell dead No one in the
crowd had stirred or inte1ferad.
"You We done for French Pete this time.
Mr.. Fowler, said a voice at mis- elbow
He turned gaspingly, and recognized NJ
strange benefactor, Flynn. Il cal yon
all to witness, gentlemen, continued tie
gambler, turning dictatorially to ti!,,
crowd, ''that this man was first attacked,
and was unarmed." He lifted Flint's
limp ana empty hands, and thec pointed
to the dead man. who was still graspine
the weapon, ''Come!' He caught the