The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1904-03-17

81 L was eight years ago on the see
] ond of last April that John Caring
ford disappeared. | say disappeared
advisedly, for to this day | will ven
ture the statement that no one else
save myself knows what became of
that eccentric man.
Every one who knew Boston a dozen
year ago, knew something also Of John
Carringford; If not personally, then at
| least they must have heard some OF
the strange stories which We're told of
him-how he lived alone in that big
handsome house on Beacon street
with no one about save few servants
who, it afterwards turned out knew
really nothing of the man or his ways
He was said to have no relatives,
which was probably true. for no one
ever laid claim to the large estate
| which he left.
| To say the least Carrlngford was
odd. There was not one man in Bos
! ton, though he was better known there
than anywhere else. who could claim
to know him. it was common talk
that Darlington possessed one of the
| finest collections of antiques in exist
ence. Who originated the story have
no means. of. knowing, for up to the
| time the house was taken possession.
| of by the authorities, l never heard
of anyone gaining admission. 1t PROV
ed 10 be true. however, for probably
no finer collection of antiques ever saw
the light of day outside the British
Museum than was found inside the
four walls of Carrington's house.
| l have made these explanations in
order that the reader who never heard
Of John Carringford may know as
much of him as any one living. my
self excepted
There are two reasons, which even
to this day l do not care to divulge,
why l have SO long kept silent regard
ing this man-why l have allowed
year after year to 90 by and have not
opened my lips to his strange dis
appearance. when with a word | could
have cleared up the mystery. But
to do that | should have been com
PEELED TO disclose the purposes of my
journey upon that occasion, and thus
give secrets to the world which were
not mine TO give.
The second Of April 1SSS, found me
In the then miserable little settlement
of Milford, some forty miles west of
Calgary Oh the Canadian Pacific rail
way. That afternoon | was to take
the west bound train through to the
coast and eventually to civilization.
1t was with feeling of distinct relief
that | at last beheld the putting en-
gines, laboring with the weight of a
short train. Of cars, come into view
up the grade. When | boarded the
coach the colored porter informed me
that it was light trip and with the
exception of myself there was but one
through passenger.
Business of a private nature kept me
employed throughout the afternoon, so
l saw nothing of my fellow traveller.
, After dinner | picked up an old news
paper and adjourned to the smoking
compartment For probably half an
hour sat reading and smoking, when
the compartment door opened and
closed again. turned about, think.
i. ing it was the porter, but instead,
much to my surprise, recognized the
tall, gaunt form of John Carringford.
. He was apparently oblivious of my
presence, and walking past me to a
chair near the window he sat down
and gazed out into the fast approach
! ing darkness. cannot say that | was
surprised at his conduct, for it mere
ly bore out what l had always heard
of the man.
In answer to a commonplace some
thing be turned toward me for the first
time, and | had the. opportunity of
looking straight into the most singular
and at the same time the most fas-
cinat ting face | have ever seen. There
was look of keen intelligence in those
big gray eyes and depth of thought
In the broad white forehead which
stamped him at once as a man of url-
usual character.
One question let to another and ii
was not many minutes before we were
: fairly launched In conversation. We
: talked politics, travel, tinance-and
Z then somehow or other we drifted
E upon the subject of numismatics. Iii
moment the conversation was en-
tirely in his, hands, and l saw. in
-! stantly that 1t was one in which he
a was postmaster .
Such were the circumstances of our
meeting and the story. Why Caring
ford told it at all cannot say, nor
will l attempt to anaiyze; but will
e merely repeat it as he told 1t TO me.
Yes" he. said, Il have been the
most fortunate Of the many collec-
tors of antiques and at the same time
the most unfortunate Misfortune
$ came as the natural sequence of my
Q success
I, AS l was about to interrupt he COM
manded silence with wave of his
| long thin hand, and continued.
"A strange contradiction you think
It? Well. have the patience to follow
me to the end and perhaps you will
think as | do.
Twenty years ago l had already
; secured one of the most complete col
lections of coins in existence | had
straveled the paths of the numismatic
student one stage and one step after
another Hntil | imagined there was
nothing more for me to learn.
1T was then that | thought of the