Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-09-13
HER UNIQUE TRADE.
\ WOMAN WHO EARNS A LIVING AS
A PROFESSIONAL FINDER
Her Field Of Work Is the Shopping Dis
trict OF Large city-Her Method Is to
Go Along the Main Street Looking For
Valuables-Her Best Find.

trict of Large City-Her Method Ia to
Go Along the Main Street Looking For
Valuables-Her Best Find.
There is woman in Philadelphia whose
business it is to walk the principal streets
during shopping hours, keeping her eyes
on the pavement for lost articles.
Years ago she used to ply the trade of
| professional finder" in New York and did
uncommonly well, until competition be-
came too keen. ThenShe moved to Bcs-
ton, where 1t is said no one ever drops any
thing save an occasional "h." the result
OF pernicious anglomania. From the Hub
| she came to Philadelphia. and here she ex-
poets to remain until business becomes
dull
This is her method. About II O'Clock,
| by Which time women from neiphborin1
towns have reached the city on the hunt
for bargains, Chestnut street is usually a
crowded thoroughfare. Nine. de Blanque' 3
beat is between Eighth and Broad, in
| variably on the south side. Her gait
| while slow, Is not sufficiently tagging to
attract attention and her eyes are, meta
| phorically, searchlights. If the Young
lady In front drops her Trlby locket, of
| no intrinsic value, to be sure though dear
| 1rom association, madame deftly picks it
up and-walks on. Later, a woman look
| ing like local express, so laden with
| bundles of every size and shape, hurries
| along, intent only upon catching q subur-
ban train. She drops her pocketbook
| Empty, most likely, and yet it may con-
| tain check, receipt and half dozen
| minor things of importance only to tho
owner. That, too, finds its way into ma
| DANES capacious pocket.
Sometimes it's a bit of jewelry, now and
| then q gem of value. Once it happened to
| be a new set Of teeth in black silk bag;
| another time bundle of letters, pulsat-
| ing billets they We're, and the owner paid
well for their return. The whole transac-
ton was conducted through the personal
column of morning paper. A newly
married couple lost not only their money,
which the bride carried, but their Camden
certificate as well, that had been crowded
into small compartment of the unfortu-
nate pocketbook.
After finding the things the lost and
found columns of the principal dailics arc
carefully read, and madame corresponds
with the advertiser, or, in the event Of a
find like the bundle of love letters, madame
| advertises to the effect that such bundle
has been found, and owner may regain
same by paying expenses. AS to charges
naturally they depend altogether upon the
value of the find.
For instance" said Nine. De Blanque
mot many months ago found a gentle
mans wallet containing two government
bonds, some newly bought railroad stock
and several 600 bills. 1t belonged to a
man living up town. He always carried
largo amount of money about-in fact
was cranky on the subject Of bonds
"WelJ, answered his ad. He made an
appointment, and after describing the con-
tents of the wallet, etc, I handed him his
property. He thanked me profusely and
gavo me 81 to defray my expenses, he said
That" continued my friend, was the
meanest customer l ever had.
my best work financially occurred in
New York. Both parties are dead now, SO
l may have no hesitancy in giving the
story for the first time, although of course
l shall mention no names
"In front of Brcntano's I noticed q
young woman, handsomely cgowncd, look
about expectantly, call a hansom and just
as she was about to step in drop a package
Mine is a trade of opportunities. Tho
lady's loss was my transittry gain. A
professional finder never opens anything
on the street When reached home that
afternoon, I inspected the package and
Judge of my disappointment 70 find it con-
tanned u dozen cabinet portraits of two Or
binary people, Il man and woman.
Tho next day morning paper adver-
tised for bundle lost ncaf Brcntano 3;
large reward if delivered at onco to X,
Studio building Now wha, could there
be in an ordinary photo of q prosaic mar
ried couple, no doubt, to create such anxi-
ETY. as l could read between the lines of
tho ADJ
THAT same evening another adj appear
ed in all the papers, which read Ono hun
dred dollars, and no questions, will be paid
for bundle lady dropped nea- Brontano $;
call room 46, Park Avenue botcl' l wait
cd. Two different people after that bun
die. Sure enough, moro personals ap-
pcarcd next morning, and which to answer
was a question. In q case of two evils it is
better to have no election, so chose both
My answers were guarded, AID l gave the
posto1ficc address only.
".Tust as anticipated, received two re-
plies both brief. Ono said: Bring bundle
to my room at hotel. Ii 1T is what /
expect, l will pay you $3.50 cash. If not,
will pay for your trouble, etc Room SO. ;
Tho other read: Bring bundle to room 1G,
Studio building. If it is what l have lost,
will pay you anything reasonable.
"To make long story short 1 called
first at the Studio building. Tho occu-
pant of room Is was the lady had seen
drop the package. She grasped my hand
vehemently.
"'You have the pictures with you?' she
asked feverishly.
eyes.
"'And your price,
"'The other party offered me $3.50
"'Then I'll double it. And she count
ed out six $50 bills.
"Thc lady in the photograph had been
indiscreet. Her husband had filed petit
ton for absolute divorce" continued
Nine. de Blanque, land the photographs
! would have been used against her She
paid well to have even the plate from the
photographer and naturally was much con-
ccrned when both it and the pictures wcre
lost. The case never came to trial. for the
husband died suddenly and his wife fol-
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