The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-10-16

maj i1e5i 4 was q slightly cynical. |
VI Wy but fairly good-humoicd /
crowd that gathered about /
1911 warehouse on Long I
tgl l9Nl Wharf I'm San Francisco /
one afternoon In the sum- |
mer of 81. Although the occasion was T,
an auction the bidders chances more
than usually hazardous, and the season
and locality famous for reckless spccu- /
lation, there was scarcely any excite
ment among the bystanders, and lazy,
half-humorous curiosity seemed TO have
taken the place of any zeal for gain
1t was an auction of unclaimed
trunks and boXes-the personal luggage
OF early emgrants-which had been
left I'm storage I'm hulk or warehouse at
San Francisco, while the owner was
seeking his fortune In the mines.
The difficulty and expense of trans
port often obligng the gold seeker to
make part Of his journey on foot, re-
stricted him to the smallest impedi-
menta, and that of a kind not often
found in the luggage of ordinary civil
ization. AS a consequence during the
emigration OF 40 he was apt on land
ing 90 avail himself of the invitation
usually displayed on some Of the doors
of the rude hosteres on the Shore
Rest for the Weary and Storage for
Trunks" In a majority of cases he
never returned 10 claim his stored prop
erty. Enforced absence, protructed
equally by good or evil fortune ac-
cumulated the high storage charges
until they usually far exceeded the
actual value of the goods; sickness,
further emigration, or death also re-
duced the number Of possible claim
ants and that more wonderful human
frailty-absolute forgetfulness Of de-
posted pOsseSsiOns-cOm together
to leave the bulk of the property in the
custodians hands. Under an under
stood agreement they were always sold
ut public auction after a given time.
Although the contents of some Of the
trunks were exposed, it was found
more in keeping with the public senti-
ment to sell the trunks unlocked and
unopened The element Of curiosity
was kept up from time to time by the
incautious disclosures of the lucky or
unlucky purchaser and general bidding
thus encouraged-eXcept when the
Spectator, with the true gambling in
'stinct gaveno idea in his face of what
was drawn in this lottery. Generally,
however, some suggestion in the eX-
terror of the trunk, Il label or initials;
some cOnjectural knowledge Of its
former owner, or the idea that he might
be secretly present in the hope Of get
ting his property back for less than the
accumulated dues, kept. up the bidding
and interest.
A understanding, welI-worn port
manteau had just been put up at Il
small opening bid when Harry Flint
joined the crowd The young man
had arrived a week before at San
Francisco, friendless and penniless, and
had been forced to part with his own
effects to secure necessary food and
lodging, while looking for employment.
In the irony Of fate that morning the
proprietors Of a dry goods store, struck
with his good looks and manners, had
offered him a situation, if he could
make himself more presentablc to their
fair clients. Harry Flint was gazing
half absuactedly half hopelessly, at
the portmanteau without noticing the
auctloneer's persuasive challenge.
In his abstraction he was not aware
that the auctioneer's assistant was also
looking at him curiously and that pos
sibly his detected and half-clad appear.
ance had excited the attention of one
of tie cynical bystanders, who was eX
changding a few words with the as
sistant He was, however, recalled tC
himself a moment later when the port
manteau was knocked down at SIS
and considerably startled when the as
sistant placed it at his feet with {
grim smile.
That's your property, Fowler, ant
reckon you look as il you wanted i
back bad"
'But-there's some mistake" STAN
mered Flint. Il didn't bid"
mo, but Tom Flynn did for you
You see, l spotted you from the first
and told Flynn l reckoned you wer
one of those chaps who came bacI
from the mines dead broke And he u
and bought your things for you-like
square man. That's Flynn's style,
he is gambler"
But, persisted Flint, "this never wa
my property My name isn't Fowle
and I never loft ANYTHING here