Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-12-20
BOUGHT AT AUCTION.

"Come Courtney, lend me your ears for
half an hour, for l am in u pickle" ex
claimed Fred Sawyer to his friend. Come
up to my quarters l have something to
show you, and-no joking-I need your
advice"
eff you take it, it will be for the first
time" laughed good natured Courtney.
"Lead on and don't lose any time i'll re-
lieving this suspense. I'm not fond of
riddles, you know"
"Why, yesterday dropped into the sales
room at a London station. You know,
they sell off the uncalled for luggage at
intervals, and "a sale was just going on.
A number of the boys were there, and we
each commenced to bid for a trunk. l
selected rather Il small one, and-here we
arel Come right in and view the burden
of my woes"
He led the way into pleasant apart
ment and pointed to a small leather trunk
which stood in the middle of the room.
"Open it, if you want to-" he said.
give had enough of the COMPOUNDED thing.
It's full of woman's stuff, and what do
you suppose l can do with it? haven't
an aunt or cousin in the wide world"
"Keep it till you're married. Fred.
These seem to be good Clothes" said
Courtney, peCping into the box and lifting
dainty garments with a half reverent
touch, in spite of his laughing face.
"Humph! The idea Of such advice from
you! Why, old boy, 1 shall not marry for
ten years-flve anyway-and I'm not 60
ing to risk keeping these things here and
being taken for lady burglar. Mrs.
GafTrey would find them in spite Of every
thing-smoll murder in the air and hunt
around for tine skull bones. No. I'll dump
the trunk in the rivor, that's what l will
do"
"Pshaw! You're too sensible for that
These things cost money, lots of it, i'm
agine and you paid something for them
in the bargain. You might sell them to
the secondhand-no, I've better scheme
than that. Why not go through the trunk
systematically, find out the owners name
and addrcss-there are surely letters or
something-and write to her, Offering her
the whole thing for II reasonable sumY
edo an act of charity, and yet turn an
honest penny. Any one would know you
are Scotch. But l must 60 back to the
store, and Here! You have all the time
there is; suppose you go through it for
me. All ask is that you will keep Mrs.
Mccartney out. Fare-diou" And off he
went.
Courtney laughingly locked the door,
but the smiles soon left his face as he pro-
ceeded with his task. He wondered if the
little battered trunk had been lost in some
of the dreadful catastrophcs he had read
of. He imagined the owner killed and her
body as well us luggage unidentified in the
horrible excitement.
They We're girlish things-dainty wells
and ribbons, ginghams, silks and snowy
linen. He fingered over Il small, worn
slipper and felt Il thrill akin to that awak-
ened in CindGrcla's prince.
"No Glow yet" he murmured "Per-
haps there are letters in this box"
It's catch was bent but he wrenChed it
open and out 1ew-his own photograph!
Hesat down plump in II box of laces and
stared. On the other side were his initials
and date he had been trying for three
years to forget, "Tune 2, 1890"
"Nell Burr's trunkn' he exclaimed.
"Oh, my little girl, what has happened to
your Maybe some one No, here are your
initials on this belt buckle, and your
gloves were No. g. and this slipper would
just fit your dear little foot"
The young man grew excited and rap
turous over each article. Presently he lift
\ ed n package of letters from one corner
"My own-and they express the greatest
happiness life ever brought me. They are
like the leaves that fiutter down in the
November rain. 1 wonder why she kept
them. How many there areI"
christening the cord, he turned the let
tiers over and found many Of the envelopes
scrubbed upon by familiar hand. There
were items jOtted down to be remembered
in answering and scraps of poetry which
had not long since reached his eye and
been ever since cherished in his memory.
Upon the last one--for they were all mum
bered-was written in ink this girlish con-
fession, "Al Courtney, l love you, but
will never marry any one so inconstant."
Resting his head on the empty tray in
silence, he exclaimed:
81 was q fool-a consummate fool-and
now perhaps she is dead"
A noise aroused him, and in q beWilder-
ed way he surveyed the garments strewed
on every side and gazed mournfully at the
beautiful hat, through which he had run
one foot, and the box of laces he had un.
consciously used for cushion. Fred
would be coming in few minutes. He
began repacking the things with ruthless
haste, and slowing the letters in his own
pockets was lying lazily on the couch read.
ng the paper when his chum entered.
"Well," he cried, "what mystery did
Tou unearthr'
"No mystery at all, - was the deliberate
nswer, "but the stuff, as you call it, Ii
Vorth something and would be q regular
old mine to girl. I've notion to buy
from you and present it to my sisters
hat will you takef"
"Oh, comet You're just doing that tC
clip me out know your benevolent ole
cart. No, I'll follow your first advice
nd hunt up the owner. 1t would be quite
pmantic, and besides you limited that
light make shilling or two by it. You
und her name and address there, didn't
buY'
eyes" Al reluctantly answered. 81
und her name and an address, but it is
rdly likely you could find her after SC
any years. You know they keep luggage
onR time before it is sold"