Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1894-10-17

yLETWflI//NWNSS Dan Francisco
1WO WV W. one afternoon il
the summer of 81. Although tho oc
casion was an auction, the bidders
chances more than usually hazardous
and the season and locality famous fol
reckless speculation, there was scarce.
ly any excitement among the bystan.
ders, and lazy, half-humorous curl.
osity seemed to have taken the place
Of any zeal for gain.
1t was an auction of unclaimed trunks
and boxes-the personal luggage oil
early emigrants which had been left
On storage in bulk or warehouse IL
San Francisco, while the owner was
seeking his fortune in the 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 impediments, and
that of kind not often found in the
luggage of ordinary civilization. As
consequence, during the emigration
of 49, he was apt on landing to avail
himself of the invitation usually dis
played on some of the doors of the
rude hostelries on the shore, Crest
for the Weary and Storage for
Trunks" In majority of cases he
never returned to reclaim his stored
property. Enforced absence, pro-
tracted equally by good or evil for
tune, accumulated the high storage
charges until they usually far exceeded
the actual value ofthe goods; sickness,
further emigration or death also re-
duced the number of possible claim
ants, and that more wonderful human
frailty-absolute forgetfulness of de-
posted possessions-c combined togeth-
er to leave the bulk of the property
in the custodian's hands. Under an
understood agreement they were al.
ways sold at public auction after a
given time. Although the contents of
some of the trunks were exposed, it
was found more in keeping with pub
lie sentiment to sell trunks locked and
unopened. The element of curiosity
was kept up from time to time by the
incautious disclosures of the lucky or
unlucky purchaser, and general bid
ding thus encouraged-excep when
the Spectator, with the true gam
bling instinct, gave no indication in his
face of what was drawn in this lottery.
Generally, however, some suggestion
on the exterior of the trunk, a label
or initials; some conjectural knowl-
edge OF its former owner, or the idea
that he might he 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, we'll worn port
manteau had been just put up at small
opening bid, when Harry Flint Joined
the crowd. The young man had ar.
rived 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 employm ent. In
the irony of fate that morning the
proprietors of a dry goods store, struck
with his good looks and manners, had
offered him situation if he could
make himself more presentable to their
clients. Harry Flint was gazing half
abstractedly, half hopelessly, at the
portmanteau without noticing the auc-
tloneer' $ 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 appearance had
attracted the attention of one of the
cynical bystanders, who was exchange
ing few words with the assistant. He
was, however, recalled to himself a
moment later when the portmanteau
was knocked down for SIS, and con-
siderably startled when the assistant
placed it at his feet with a smile.
"Ihat's your property, Fowler, and
reckon you look as if you wanted it
back bad"
"But-there's some mistake" STAN.
mered Flint. 81 didn't bid"
"No, 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 gambler.
But" persisted Flint, "this never
wasmy 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, "Have it your own way" he
SAID, "but oughter tell We, old man,
that I'm the warehouse clerk, and /
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,"
The righteousness of quarreling
over the mere form ofhis good for tune
here struck Flint, and as his abrupt
benefactor had as abruptly disap-
peared, 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 suita-
BILE to his urban needs. There were
few articles of iewelry, which he put
religiously aside. There were some
letters, which seemed to be of pure
ly business character. There were
few daguerrotypes of pretty faces,
one Of which was singularly fascinat-
ing to him. But there was another
OF young man which startled him
with its marvellous 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 &C.
tually 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