Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-06-17
4 0rummer's Story OF Luck.

up the state the other evening and
gradually drifted to experiences in
Volving luck. When the jewelry mans
turn came his eyes twinkled as he
brushed the ashes from his cigar with
a finger circled by a diamond ring. and
rather laziiy got into position for his
inning.
"On the subject Of luck" he began.
i suppose ] have right to say some
thing, inasmuch as the stroke Of my
life was made inside Of three days and
without the use Of a dollar of capital
In 1888 the firm | was working for In a
little inland town went to the
wall. and without weeks
notice | was left without a leg
to stand on. When my bills We're
settled / had barely enough left to get
out Of town, but decided to 90 to New
York where | wasn't known. and begin
life over again.
During the ride along the Hudson
/ became interested In the talk Of two
men just behind me, who discussed
business matters and referred incident
ally to an important manufacturing
site 10 De sold in a certain real estate
office In New York at noon the next
day. II was said that some Western
men wanted the Site. which was re-
garded the best i'm the East for their
purpose, and that a New York firm
had planned to shut them out by buy
ing the property al any cost. The
Westcrners were thought to be equally
determined to get the property.
Beyond this conversation the only
tf irrt in har
dreary reflections was q somewhat
stout, middle-aged woman who sat just
ahead of me. and to whom two or three
times / rendered trihing services. AS
we entered New York there was the
usual furry Of preparations to leave
the train, and the stout woman was
among the first of the passengers to
he lined up in the aisle. As | was in
no haste. | did not rise to put on my
OYerCOat until the train stopped. |
noticed that the woman had dropped
small handbag, but before | could get
il ana put on my overc0at She was
outside the car. | hurried out to see
her disappear into a carriage and hear
her call out. oh. my handbag and
diamonds Before the alarm had gone
further ! placed the bag in her hands
and explained that she had dropped ii
in The ear. She almost overwhelmed
me with thanks. in which her husband,
who was present. joined.
We owe YOU more than You know,
sir he said, ignoring my attempt to
withdraw. and | must in some way re-
pay your Kindness. our carriage is in
the way here and there is no time to
talk. Is there anything TO prevent
your taking dinner with us? If not
step into the carriage.
Before | could collect my wits TO
make suitable protest We We're being
bowled away and the woman was re-
iterating her relief and gratitude. A
few minutes later We We're received at
the door OF a residence on one of the
avenues and my host was saying, This
is my son. sir-but | shall have to ask
Your name Whereupon | gave him a
card.
The name Of an old friend of mine
he declared az he read it; L know him
in NJ county
Possibly my father | said; he lives
at Stratford in that county
The very same. ! am sure he went
on: we were at school together And |
Jared thereafte as an old acquaintance.
1T came out during dinner that the
diamonds had been worn by the woman
At wedding she had been attending and
to rejoice particularly however, over
their escape from the publicity usually
attending the loss of such jewels. At the
close of the meal the hour was late and
spoke Of going, but was led TO admit
that my time was my own ana 1t was
soon settled. somewhat 10 my dismay.
that for day or two at least l must be
a guest Of tine family. Next morning |
with host his Mace az hllSi-
ness and found that he was Il dealer in
jewelry. As noon approached | thought
Of the real estate sale and spoke Of the
matter to my host
What! you interested in that sale?'
he said in a tone of surprise. Let's 60
over. it's just across the street.
We crossed and caused some comment, |
thought, rs we entered the place. The
bidding seemed rather slow, but gradual
~ ran up "a $4,000 At that point the
aucuoneer glanced over in my direction. |
and, scarcely aware what l was doing, |
nodded.
"A hundred and forty he shouted, |
ana a few minutes later the property was
knocked down at that figure. Before |
could recover from my amazement or re-
ply to the auCtioneer's request for the
purchasers name the door opened and a |
man rushed in and asked whether the
sale was over ana who was the buyer |
When l was pointed out he approach |
looked me over rather loftily and said:
Represent the St Louis men, l sup
mo. sir ! said. with a meekness that
he appeared to mistake for Indifference.
g The devil you don't he retorted, eye
ing suspiciously the jeweler who stood
beside me. What do you want Of the
property, then? Going to sell, eh?'
Possibly, was all | could say.
Come aside here he resumed, in 4
milder tone. as he motioned to the auc-
tioneer to wait. 4 want to talk to you.
see you understand the situation and
want to make something. | got caught in
a blockade downtown or you wouldn't
have had the chance-you may bet on
that.
Il left the place with $4,000 check in
my vest pocket without having my name
appear once in the transaction, and for
the rest of the day my mind was almost
an absolute blank. | vaguely recall tina
my jeweler friend told me he had been
authorized to buy the property, If it |
went right, and meant to bid, but that ]
had forestalled him. Ii was supposed
that | bid for him and when he saw tn. |
situation he made me hold out for the |
ten thousand.
THE next day he offered to take me in |
to his business, and fearful lest my
money might vanish by some unearthlv |
means | became his junior partner with |
out even looking up his financial rating. |
The venture proved a lucky one Not |
long afterward | became his son-in-law. |
And, by the way, the name of my father |
in-law's old friend in NJ county wasn't |
mine at all, as he thought by a slip of his |
memory, though the two were somewhat /