The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1912-05-16
Mr.. Johnson $
Three Trunks
By M. QUAD
Copyright. 1912. by Associated LIT
erary Press.

occurred until the week he was forty
years old.
A farmer living six miles from the
village wanted barn built, and one
evening the carpenter hired horse
and buggy to drive out there. This was
the last seen of him for twenty three
years. An hour after starting the horse
came back alone and with the lines
dragging. Of course the inference was
that Mr.. Johnson had been thrown out
on the road, and searchers started out
By the light of their lanterns they
found where the rig had been turned
around. but there was no man there
with broken bones.
There was a search that lasted for
months. but not the slightest clew could
be found. Mr. Johnson had vanished
from sight as If he had been pulled up
into the air A good many wise men
gave thought to the mystery. but it was
stone wall for all of them. The car
penter had no enemies. was at peace
with his wife. and that he should have
been fatally assaulted by robbers and
his body buried was not to be thought
of. After five years his widow married
again and after ten she died.
Lemuel Johnson had left three broth
ers and two sisters behind him. In
time all married and all had homes in
and around the village. After those
twenty-three years Moses came riding
into the town on the stage one day.
He was now an old man, gray haired.
bowbacked and none too spry. He
had three heavy trunks with him.
There were but few to remember him.
and for three or four days he was
looked upon with suspicion.
AS to why and how he disappeared
Lemuel explained that as he was driv-
ing along the highway sudden faint
ness overcame him and he must have
pitched out on his head. When he
recovered consciousness he had forgot
ten his name and all else in the past.
He had a dim remembrance of walk
ing across fields and travelling by cars
and of being called by another name.
One morning after twenty-five years
had passed. he woke up clear headed.
He was LemueI Johnson again. He
learned from others that he had been
living under the name of Joe White
and had been a miner and prOSpector
and mine owner for many years He
was a rich and respected man.
AS soon as Lemue came to himself
he felt longing for wife and home.
He didn't start off with a rush. He
waited to settle up his business and
then came along by easy stages.
The restored missing man didn't
weep over the death of his wife. He
just arranged to settle down and take
comfort for the rest of his days. He
thought he would board at the tavern.
but the three brothers and two sisters.
all of whom were alive and kicking.
cried out:
"Lemuel, we can't permit it. You
must come and live with us. You poor
man, but the best is none too good for
you after what you have gone through"
"But l shan't pay board" announced
the returned wanderer.
"Of course not"
1t was plain to all that Mr.. johnson
was crank before he started in. but
an old man with three trunks full Of
cash and only few years to live must
be allowed special privileges. There
were three children in the first fam
lily, and they were kept half scared to
death. Even the dog did not dare
bark. Lemuel demanded canned oys-
tiers, fried chicken. boiled eggs. GUS
tard pie. raisin cake. currant jell. rasp-
berry jam, porterhouse steak, lobster
and whatever might be called for at
first class hotel
AS be lived with one family so he
lived with all. He had an iron rule.
If he wanted the whole family to get
up at midnight and sing hymn with
him and play the tune on the parlor
organ. out of bed they had to come.
When the wanderer first came back
it didn't look as if he would live the
year out. In fact. doctor examined
him and reported:
HE is on his last legs. and you
might as well order his coffin. l never
have seen a human system so shat
tered"
That shattered system began to pick
right up next day, however. Lemuel
Strengthened his back. got the bow out
of his legs and in a few weeks was
jumping dfences to show that nothing
allied him. Instead of stepping off at
sfxty-four. he was as chirp as cricket
at seventy.
Not one cent Of his own money did
the old man use. He made his rela-
tives hand over. He smoked good
cigars, ate a heap Of candy and wore
good clothes. thousand times the
family he was stopping with wanted
to boot him out: but. alas. there were
four other families ready to take
him In
Lemuel was killed by accident. an
old tree falling on him on windy day.
When he had been buried the brothers