The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1903-08-28
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an auction, the bidders chances more
than usually hazardous, and the season
and locality famous for reckless specu
1atioD, 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.
IL was an auction of unclaimed
trunks and boxes-the personal luggage
of early emigrants-which had been
left in storage in hulk or warehouse al
San Francisco, while the owner was
seeking his fortune in the mines.
The difficulty and expense of trans
port, often obliging the gold seeker 10
make part of his journey on foot, re-
strlcted him TO the smallest impedi-
menta, and that of a kind not often
found in the luggage of ordinary civil
izatlon. AS consequences during the
emigration Of 40 he was, apt on land
ing TO avail himself OF the invitation
usually displayed on some OF the doors
of the rude hostelries on the shore:
"Rest for the Weary and Storage for
Trunks" In majority OF cases he
never returned to claim his stored prop
erty. Enforced absence, protracted
equally by good or eva 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 forgetfulDess Of de-
posted ssessioDs-combined together
TO leave the bulk of the. property in the
custodan's hands. Under an under
stood agreement they were always sold
Mt public auction after given time
Although the contents OF some OF the
trunks were exposed, II was found
more i'm 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
incautous disclosures Of the lucky or
unlucky purchaser, and general bidding
thus encouraged-ex except when the
speculator, with the true gambling In
stinct, gave no idea in his face of what
was drawn in this lottery, Generally,
however, some suggestion in the ex-
terror of the trunk, a lslsl al initials
some conjectural" kaGWhdge OF its
former owner, or the t&a That he might
be secretly present IN iIis.M ope- of get
ting his property backfor less than the
accumulated dues, kept up the bidding
and interest.
A understanding, wcll-worn port
manteau had just been put up Ut q
small opening bid, when Harry Flint
joined the crowd. The young man
had arrived week before at San
Francisco. friendless and penniless, aud
had been forced TO part with his own
effects 10 secure necessary food and
lodging, while looking for employment.
In the irony of fate that morning the
proprictors of n drygoods store, struck
with his good looks and manners, hqd
offered him n situation, if he, could
make himself moro prcsentablc to their
fair clients. Harry Flint was gazing
half abstractedly, half hopelessly, at
the portmaDteau without noticing the
auctioncer'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 the cynical bystanders, who was eX-
changding a few words with the as
sistant He was. however, recalled 10
himself moment later. when the port
manteau was knocked down NJ Si5,
and considerably startled when the as
sistant placed it at his feet with Il
grim smile.
That's your property, Fowler, and
j reckon you lock as il you wanted il
back bad"
"But-theres some mistake" STAN.
mercd Flint. Il didn't bid"
mo, but Tom Flynn did for you.
You see, ] spotted you from the first,
and told Flynn ! rcckoned YOU were
one of those chaps who came back
from the mines dead broke. And he up
and bought your things for you--likc a
square man. That's Flynn's style, if
he is n gambler
But, persisted Flint. this never was
my property. My name isn't Fowler
and never left anything here"
The assistant looked nj him with a
grim. half -credulous, half-scornful
smile.
Have II your own way" he said
"but j oughter tell We. old man. that
I'm the warehouse clerk, and remem
Der you. I'm here for that purpose
But as that thar yalise il bought and
paid for by somebody else and given
TO you, it's nothing Elore 10 me. Take
or leave IT,"
The Righteousness of Quarrellinc
over the mere form of his good fortune
here struck Flint and. as his abrupt
benefactor had as abruptly dlsap
pearcd he hurried of with his prize
Reaching his cheap lodging house h,
examined its contents. As he sur
missed, IL contained a full suit of cloth
ing of the better sort and suitable {,
his urban needs. There were a few ar
ticles OF jewelry. which he put rciig
iously aside. There were some letters
which seemed TO be of n purely bust
ness character. There were few da
guerreotypes of pretty faces. one o
which was singularly fascinating {,
him. But there was another. OF
young man, which startled him witt
its marvellous resemblance TO himself
In fash of intelligence he understoo,
it all now. II was the likeness of th
former owner of the trunk. for whom
sho ocefstonf Ind actuoliv n,fstoE AZ