Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1903-10-01
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crowd that gathered about
l. a warehouse on Long
HAL |t1lI3 Wharf in San Francisco
ssa'- one afternoon in the sum-
mer of 81. Although the occasion was
m auction, the bidders chances more
Than usually hazardous, and the sea son.
and locality famous for reckless specu-
lation, there was scarcely any excite
mpnt among the bystanders, and lazy,
half-humorous curiosity seemed to have
taken the place Of any zeal for gain.
It was an auction of unclaimed
trunks and boXes-the personal luggage
of early emigrants-which had been
left in storage in hulk or warehouse at
San Francisco, while the owner was
seeking his fortune in the mines.
The difficulty and expense of trans
port often obliging the gold seeker to
make part OF his journey on foot, re-
stricted him to the smallest impedi-
menta, and that of kind not often
found in the luggage of ordinary civil
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 hestelries on the shore:
"Rest for the Weary and Stora for
Trunks" In q majority Of cases he
never returned to claim his stored prop
erty. Enforced absence. protracted
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 ossessions-combined together
to leave the bulk Of the property in the
custodian's hands. Under an under
stood agreement they were always sold
at public auction after given time.
Although the contents of some of the
trunks We're 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
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 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.
modest-looking, well-worn port
nanteau had just been put up at a
small opening bid, when Harry Flint
joined the crowd. The young man
had arrived a week before at San
Francisco, friendless and penniless, and
mad been forced to part with his own
e1ects to secure necessary food and
lodging, while looking for employment
IN the irony Of fate that morning the
pEoprietors Of a dry goods store, struck
with his good looks and manners, had
oHered him a situation, if he could
make himself more presentable to their
1alr clients. Harry Flint was gazing
nalf abstractedly, half hopelessly, al
Tue portmanteau without noticing the
auctloneer's persuasive challenge.
In his abstraction he was not aware
mat the auctioneer's assistant was also
looking at him curiously, and that pos
sioly his detected and half clad appear,
ance mad excited the attention of one
VI the cynical bystanders, who was ex
ehangding few words with the as
Mstant. He was, however, recalled tc
himself moment later, when the port
nlanteau was knocked down at SIS
ana considera bly, startled when the as
Nstant placed it at his feet with G
grim smile.
mats your property, Fowler, ant
, reckon you look as if you wanted j
back bad"
"But-there's some mistake" STAN
"ered Flint. II didn't bid.''
=, NO, but Tom Flynn did for you
aou see, spotted you from the first
"no 'old Flynn I reckoned you were
one OF those chaps who came bacl
.tom the mines dead broke. And he VI
anu s bought your things for you-like /
ssqoare man. That's Flynn's style, i
he is a gambler"
Out, persisted Flint, "this never wa
y property. My name isn't Fowle
"nu l never left anything here"
w.. .ne assistant looked at him with
sum, la1forodulo,e ho1f coorrf,,
smile. :,
&c, Have it your own way" he said
rs put oughter tell ye, old man, tha
ban Tue warehouse clerk, andsI remem
d. you. I'm here for that purpose
n",, ut as that thar yalise is bought an
t'u IL lor by somebody else and give
~ Sou' It's nothing more to me. TAX
VI leave it,"
ovan ne righteousness of quarrellin
sl bes ene mere form Of his good forum
hens. re struck Flint, and, as his atrur
nene enelactor had as abruptly disaI
poa' p@feo' he hurried off with his priz.
eSag eseaening his cheap lodging house h
misn. sl.'ned its contents. Ks he SUI
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