Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1894-08-18
FINDERS VOCATION.
A MAN WHO MAKES HIS LIVING PICK
ING UP THINGS.

ING UP THINGS.
Ne Calls IL Profession. and His Explsna-
tion Makes II Look Like one-where He
werks nj Different Heurs--How re Be-
came a Professional Finder.
"Did you notice that fellow pick UP that
bali dollars" asked the writer Of a special
efficer on the upper Rialto OF broadway,
where most actors do copgrcgate
well, yes, /" said the officer, land that's
his business
Three persona had been engaged In ami
mated conversation on tho crosswaik at
Twenty seventh street on the west side OF
Broadway, when this man, who carried
himself erect. and who would ordinarily
be taken for an actor out OF an engage
ment, stroiled along, and suddenly, ms he
reached the trio, he stopped, deity pushed
the foot Of one Of them little TO one side,
picked mp a silver coin, rubbed IL lovingly
on the sleeve OF his overcoat and slipped
IL into his pocket.
EYES" continued the officer, ssthis In
the finders beat for the shopping hours
down as far as Union square. There are
three of them know OF, one quite an eld-
erly man, but this chap II n dandy, for
be never gives his business away by his
looks. See, he walks as straight ms a ma
jor. and while his eyes are cast down they
are covering the ground over a hundred feet
ahead Of him. He has wonderfully sharp
eyesight--an eagle eye, we might say
and he never lets anything get by him."
The officers remarks had interested the
writer In the personality Of this man N
well as In his queer line OF business. lat
or In the evening he was found comparing
notes with a blind beggar In q Sixth ave
nue. cigar store.
"My profession, (" said he. with decid-
ed infection upon the latter word, "is, as
far as I am concerned, entirely original
with me, but find there are many In the
same line. was always finder. l re-
member when ] was a kid In dresses /
| found one day In front of a neighboring
drug store in Albany q IS goldpiece. ]
did not know its value, but took IL home,
and my father put 1t in the bank for me.
| my next find OF Importance was 3
foot, ivory, gold mounted rule, which be-
longed to big contractor on the new cap
itol building. This my father returned
TO it's owner, as his name was engraved
upon it, and got another " as reward.
"Then found big diamond brooch
belonging to woman OF sporting procliv-
titles, and she swelied my bank account
with t25 more. My luck kept on until my
head was swelled with success. and want
ed a large field to operate In.
"Then friend Of mine said to me, Jim.
you are so good mt picking up things, SUP
pose you try picking out the winners In
the horse races That, thought, was a
lead pipe cinch, and drew my wad from
the savings bank, and we jumped ON the
boat for New York. My first experience
at picking winners was failure, and In a
week was fiat broke.
~ sent back to Albany for money, F"
he went on. "but the old gentleman was
not disposed TO supplying me heavily
when he found that I was cleaned out
here However, he sent me SEQ and tick
et home. The latter I sold, for didn Z
intend to show up at home broke. l then
took up finding as profession, and
have never struck the old man, or, In fact.
any body else for a cent since. My bust
ness, know, IL q precarious one, but
somehow never get In n hole but i pull
out with a big find.
"Do ever get into trouble for not re-
turning property to Its riRhtful ownersl
Well. / should say not. ! have made thret
times as much money returning property
as have made selling finds. Why, it's
finding was established nearly 1875 years
ago, before the kings bench in England,
under these circumstances, which know
by heart;
IA man found pocketbook containing
a sum Of money ON the floor of n butchers
stall He handed 1t to the butcher TO re
turn Il to Its owner. After three years
waiting the owner had not turned up, and
the finder therefore demanded the money
from the butcher. The latter refused, on
the ground that It was found upon his
premises.
"Then the finder sued the butcher, and
it was held In court that the finder was
entitled TO anything he found, no matter
where or when, against all the world ex
cept the owner. The law In this country II
the same, excepting that owners of hotels
theaters, railroads and steamboats, car
make regulations In regard TO property
found on their premises which will bine
their employees, but not the public a
large.
'swhat IL my beats Well, that's tell
ing. However. l don't mind saying q
word about tina hours and the character oi
the beat Sometimes, II things are slow
get up early and work the latest fiighi
OF stairs on the Sixth avenue elevated
This Ii good for pennies, nickeis ant
dimes, but not for anything else
"When the stairs are crowded passen
gers, II they drop n cent after buying Q
paper or looking for fares. don't stop e
pick Il mp.
After this Iwork In front Of big stores
Most every carriage door opener In from
OF them knows me and hates me, for I In.
terfere with their incomes as much NJ
with those OF the portera who sweep tbs