Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-12-20
FUNNY FINDS IN OLD CLOTHES
Kings, Love Letters, Money and False
Teeth Discovered in Pockets Of
Discarded Garments.

He was thin plant looking figure,
and half twisted himself into "a crouch.
ting posture as he sorted over big
taSketful OF second hand clothes. In
all STAGES Of shabbiness. On the floor
OF his little shop.
do ever have any finds in the
pockets OF the things huy2" he IT,
peated scornfully. in reply 10 lead
ing question DO you find Diamonds
growing like daisies in a green field,
You might as Wen ask? Ne. / don't!"
His tone was as emphatic as his
smile was artistic; so apparently there
was little to be gained by linEerius
Then he suddenly releutei.
I'm tell you. though once did come
across real find in a pocket, or /
should say. the inside lining Of an
eighteenth century dandy 5 costume. Il
was a ring, and a valuable one too.
What did you do with i,2 Well
I'm an old actor. which accounts for
my buying lot of cast off theatrical
costumes. | could tell that the coat
had belonged TO an actor SO Just
went round 10 the theaters one by one
and somehow or other got 4 few dis
erect inquiries addressed 10 the man.
agement. In the long iun the ring
was traced TO its owner
There had been a fine TODD about
its loss. 1t seems the actor used 10
take il off. as il was too modern 10 be
in keeping with his costume. and
suppose one night he slipped It into
his pocket in hurry There was n
small barely noticeable hole in 1t, and
the ring worked its way through be.
tween the lining and the outer silk,
but the funr est thing of all was
that the owner of the ring was an old
pal of mine. We'd played in the same
companies when we were both new TO
the stage. only he had gone up. you
see, whilst l-oh. well, YOU know, We
can't all be successes, lie did me fine
over the ring, not that | wanted any.
thing, and has been a great pal 10 me
ever since; instead Of helping me once
or twice round a nasty corner,
THAT the only find? Not exactly
Several times I've found love letters
in coat pockets. Some people seem
rather careless about things of that
sort. Once came across a set of false
teeth in an old dressing gown, and
another time | discovered a little
sharp instrument, which had evident
~ belonged to a surgeon, in a morn
ing coat.
Notebooks very often remain hid
den away in the pockets Of left off
coats, as well as guide books and
maps. | get quite a small library Of
these after the holiday season, when
dozens of rough wear suits come my
way
"Money7 Not very often. 4 half
sovereign once. quite number Of
shillings and sixpences and few
soanty half crowns.
"But on one occasion I came upon a
twisted gold, with beads Of matriN at
Intervals in a lady's pocket They say
women never lose things but put them
in a safe place and forget where.
Still another time a finely. chased
silver powder box, about the size of .
penny dropped out Of heap Of
dresses l had just bought. What seems
so strange Is that people never even
try to trace these things. | suppose
they never dream that they have been
so careless as to send their valuables
along with their old clothes to the
second hand dealer.
"a curious thing which came 70
light In a great basket Of clothes
bought on spec was little. rough
carved god about two inches high
mascot. probably or it may be il
was a hoodoo, and the owner wantet
to get rid Of It. St.Il, it hasn't brought
me bad luck There it is up there!
"a Masonic medal in q case was
another of my finds, This l was able
TO return TO it, owner, a5 his name
and lodge were mentioned in the in
scription, You would have though. h
would have looked after that, would
MT you?
"There that batch Is sorted Moth
Ing in that lot you see" ANSWERS.