THE MUSTY SATCHELL, THE INSIDIOUS CLOTHES TRUNK. AND THE INVIDIOUS OVERCOAT.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 10315, 29 May 1896, Page 3

THE MUSTY SATCHELL, THE INSIDIOUS CLOTHES TRUNK. AND THE INVIDIOUS OVERCOAT.

ALSO THK MEN WHO WEKE " HAD."

A grand nmonnt of Intereob evidently attacked to (he recent Bole of nncloimp'i railway goods by auction In Napier. X went to the salo with en eye to tbe main chance, nnd plancing roand the variant lota "spotted" In particular a conning little earchell, to which was attached a brown pnper parcel. He came (o the conclusion that the chance of a lifetime had arrived, bo he bat down nnd waited. Meantime Z came along and allowed his gaza also to fall acrntinizlngly on the loatber satchel' nnd the browD paper and theatring ; and X was disconcerted to think that Z too had discerned its possibilities. Than he began to think It over. The aatchell was only a maty looking thing anyhow, and supposing after alt that id contained instead of treasure the merest! ttiflßß, say, for instance, babies' socklefcs. and sneb. He would go over and shake it— but no, Z's gßzo was also concentrated on tbe faded hand-bag and Z might misconstrue bis action. So ho fell to thinking again, and conjnred up ft vision of untold wealth which might be hidden in those leathern folds, till ho feaied that bis face might bstray tho emotions of his mind. Presently tho auctioneer came alpng and made a start, and wbeu be reaahed the natcho!l and glnoerly exposed it to view someone In the crowd citled ont "Sixpence." X oould not restrain a start, but he waß too wary to open his mouth just then. •' A hob," "Eighteenpenee," " Two shillings," " Ualf-ft'crov/n," Bnd a pnufe, "Now, gentlemen, this is lldionlons" persuaded Mr Going Gone, "it might contain a amal! (ortuoa you know." X started again, bat restrained himself on perceiving a peculiar look on Z'b face as it veered throngh the crowd. Then the bidding jsrked along in ntilted "bobs" and stunted " tanners " until the halfsovereign was reached, when X could stand 11) no longer. " Eleven," he gasped. "I'll make it a tweivp," chimed in Z, " aod six," ejaculated X, " and six," insUlted Z, "and clx," "and bSx. 1 ; "and six" briskly till fourteen shllllDgs wasreaciieii. Tbonanofherpauee. Theauetloneer plortdfid 00 till Ji said " and six " ugain, and X, Who io nciin&y man withal, felt hlfl heart beginning to' fail him. " Going at tonrtesn a»(J six, bio you all done at fourteen and alif, third and last time are you all done .' " and the hammer waved aloft. " Fifteen," yelled Kin an agony, and down went tho instrument Hko a flash. Then our friend walked ", , -■■■ feel'ng us if he had just had slowly nwuj, J? *,„„ M, baok. Now a snowball crammed^ "' - -* „-. i_ hfi wanted very badly to sec wuul w «« »' that parcel, but we wasn't going up to claim it with Z looking on, bo he chartered a frlPDdly " cabby •■' auu gßva him the cash to po and bricK away his little lot-whlch Jebu did. So he took j tbat preciona musty leather satcbell, anil ' stole I'-wuy to Mb own rnoui and locked the door (he told a friend all tbla In confidence, and that friend told us I) and proceeded to unvcU ttio mystery in Rccret." first he undid the brown paper. Oat dropped a faded, eorry, anil decomposed shirt, which had a generally loaming appearance, and on aroma of boiled street Arab. This certainly was not ercouraglnp;, but there was no telling what the near Juture might bring forth. So he commenced to pry the lock of the tunsty eatchell. But It wouldn't come undone until he had spent many, many, minutes, and expended many, many, cussworde. At leDgth he conld Btand it no longer. WHU one terrific wrench he broke open the deienselesa clßpp and out dropped ons empty sardine fib, three large nails, two eoiied handkerchiefs, three lumps of mouldy bread, and nothing else. Oh yes! and three lollies! And then K. could hear like a still small voice echoing through hie brain-box the dulcet and. persuading tones of that ancbloneer "Are yon all done at fourteen and six. Fifteen? thank yoy siro" and rcasaa totterea bo profonndly ' 6n its throne that ho wai obliged to rush away and haye a tltink. And then he told a friend, and fhe iriend told us \ Now lie may be seen fraternising at the otreob corners with the man who bought the inßidlous clothes trunk end found that it contslned ibe dusb of long decomposed ' '1™ " t " 1 the gentleman Who gave tSSft-five Bhrui^HOt.^favldioas ovetcoat and then fled with tbat wearing apparel and sefc aUgbt) to }fc M* In a g«at> open'spaca. Take It from us, there sno oreater Ramble than to buy anola?med ponds from a railway statlon-except, the bian-tob'at a church bazaar,