The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-08
BLISS AT AUCTION.

From the London Tit-Bits
'"Come Courtney" exclaimed Fred Saw
yer, to his friend. come up to my quar-
tiers. have something to show you, and
no joking--I need your advice"
IF you take it, it will be for the first
time" laughed good-natured Courtney.
Lead on and don't loose any time in re-
! lieving this suspense"
why, yesterday dropped into the sale
room at London station. You know they
sell off the uncalied-for luggage at inter
walls, and a sale was going on. A number
of the boys were there, and we each COM
menced to bid for a trunk. I selected a
rather small one, and-here we are! Come
| right in, and view the burden of my woes"
He led the way into pleasant apartment
! and pointed to a small leather trunk which
stood in the middle of the room.
"Open it, if you want to-" he said. "rve
had enough of the COMPOUNDED thing. It's
full of woman's stuff. and what do you
suppose I can do with it? 1 haven't an
aunt or a cousin in the wide world"
Keep it till you're married. Fred" said
Courtney, peeping into the box, and lifting
dainty garments with a half .reverent
touch in spite of his laughing face.
why, old boy, 1 shall not marry for
ten years-and Pm not going to risk keep
ing these things here and being taken for
| a lady burglar. Mrs. Mccartney would find
them in spite of everything. No, I'll dump
the trunk in the river"
"Pshaw You're too sensible for that.
| These things cost money-lots of it, 1
| imagine-and you paid something for it
| in the bargain. You might sell them to
| than that. Why not go through the
| trunk systematically, find out the own
| er's name and address-there are surely
| letters or something-and write to her,
Offering her the whole thing for reason
! do an act of charity. and yet turn an
| honest penny. But | must go back to the
! store, and-Here! you have all the time
there is; suppose you go through it for
| me? All l ask is that you will keep Mrs.
| McGaffrey out Fare-dieuH
Courtney laughingly locked the door;
but the smiles soon left his face as he
| proceeded with his task.
They We're girlish things-dainty wells
| and ribbons, ginghams, silks and snowy
linen. He fingered over a small, worn
| slipper, and felt a thrill akin to that
| awakened in Cinderellas prince.
NO clew yet" he murmured. Perhaps
| there are letters in this box"
Its catch was bent, but he wrenched it
| open, and out few--his own photograph
He sat down plump in a box of laces,
| and stared. On the other side were his
| initials. and date he had been trying for
three years to forget, June 2 1890"
The young man grew excited and rap
|
| lifted a package of letters from one cor
ner
MY own-and they express the great
| est happiness life ever brought to- me-
| christening the cord, he turned the let
tiers over and found many of the letters
scrubbed upon by a familiar hand.
| Upon the last one-for they were all
! numbered-was written this girlish con-
fession: 'Al. Courtney love you, but
will never marry one so inconsistent"
Resting his head on the empty tray in
| silence, he exclaimed:
81 was a fool-a consummate fool!-
| and now, perhaps, she is dead!'
Fred would be coming il few minutes.
He began repacking the things with ruth
less haste, and, slowing the letters in his
own pockets was lying lazy on the
couch reading the paper when his chum
entered.
Weir! he cried, what mystery did you
mo mystery at ALL but the STUFF would
be regular gold mine to girl. I've no
ton to buy il from you and present it TO
my sisters. What will you take?'
"Oh. come! You're just doing that to help
me out. know your benevolent old heart.
No, I'll hunt up the owner. You found her
name and address there, didn't your"
Yes" AL reluctantly replied, but it is
hardly likely you could find her after so
many years You know, they keep luggage
a long time before it is sold"
I'm not sure about that" said Fred.
I've thought about il all the morning, and
the idea grows upon me! What did you
say the name was?"
Nell Burr's trunkr' he exclaimed ooh.
my girl, what has happened to you? May
I be some one-no, here are your initials on
your belt buckle, and your gloves were
No. 6, and this slipper would just nit your
dear little foot"
Fred went through the trunk. making
l boyish remarks concerning each article
4 AL inwardly WINGED at these remarks, and
could scarcely restrain himself from
knocking him over on the spot.
What makes you so crusty? queried
Fred. suddenly, as one of his choicest
jokes was met with a'gruh III m. There $
no fun in YOU and why you want this
/ stuff beats me. Your sisters would turn
up their noses at secondhand clothing, if
it is pretty. But II isn't worth russing
I breathe freely; even then II was no easy
/ matter to keep il out of his sisters sight.
He had pushed the trunk under a ma
hogany table in the corner, the old-fash-
Toned cover of which reached almost to
When he told them he was going away
for a little business trip" they beset him
Z with questions and petitions to be taken
with him, finally declaring that they would
clean house while he was gone, and sort
So behold him in the dead of night, car
ryng the white elephant up the narrow
attic stairs. He covered 1t with old cloth
Z ing. pushed a big box in front of II and
I then crept down stairs, feeling as guilty
I as II he had been concealing some crime
| At noon next day he was on, and IS the
! train whirled onward he became Ios-
l sessed with fears. She might not be at
I Hastings; she might not care for him
after these three years; she might even
| be married or dead. Arriving al his des-
! tination az last. he only stopped 10 leave
his bag a. an hotel, ana walked rapidly
I ing the bell. he inquired Tor Miss Burr
| IN "A matter-of-fact way, as " ne had seen
I her the day before lie watched the girls
/ face as he spoke, and saw no trace OF sur
I prise. She simply said
/ Miss Burr may not be able 10 see yOn,
| but come in and ] viii ask"
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