A "PIG IN A POKE."

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16148, 28 February 1918, Page 8

A "PIG IN A POKE."

« SALE OF UNCLAIMED LUGGAGE. There is an old saw which gives some warning about "buying a pig in a poke." But the author of it, while no doubt supported by the strength of cold reason, evidently took little count of the desire to get "something for nothing" that is such an intensely human trait of humanity the world over. And it was no doubt that desire, alliod with the element of gamble, so dear to tho I heart of the average New Zealander, that yesterday attracted a very iarge crowd of ocople to the sale of lost and unclaimed luggage, which is held eveiy year at the ins banco of the Railway ]Jeyaftment. It was a motley crowd, good tempered to a degree, ttiat clustered round the barricade iu which were placed the articles foi: sale. _ And a heterogenous collection of articles it was, comprising all forts of surprising things. Umbrellas and coats nnd books, one naturally expects to see at a sale of this sort; but who would oxpect to find such tilings as a baby's cot, a drum of ammonia, six enamel sinks, a violin, a luminous watch, and other miscellanea labelled s& "lost luggage" f Tho sale started at one o'clock with tho disposal of some tin trunks. Usually at.these sales bidding for this class of thing is fairly spirited, and good prices obtain; but yesterday the trunks did not bring forth any but moderate bids, it may have been on account of the gruesome tale which a gentleman • ol' n elanclioly feature was whispering to members of the crowd about him with harrowing detail. "When the New York Central Railway had their last sale," ran tho narration, "somebody paid eight dollars for a tin trunk, and when it was opened there was a dead baby inside." Shudders from the listeners followed, and the purchasers of trunks who opened them 011 the spot wcro watched with grim and, frightful anticipation. However, nothing hensational came to light, althotigh one man who bought a heavy tin box for a little over two pounds, was surprised and delighted to find his purchase contained books to tho value of over £20. On the other hard, an important looking dispatch case of heavy black leather, for which there was eager bidding, brought forth nothing bat tho remains of a sandwich luncheon and a mouldy table napkin, while a woman who paid fifteen shillings for a folded-up coat found,- on inspection, that it iviis torn to ribbons! Other articles sold comprised endless "swags." hat boxes, wristlet watchcs, a baby's basket, a big Teddy Bear, cornsacKs, a waslistnnd, brief bags, and suit cases, a beautiful rug (which, bv the way, Avent for fourteen shillings), a stretcher, a sewing machine, and innumerable other odds and ends. For the sum of six shillings a returned soldier obtained a fine fishing rod in first-class order, with a silver-handled umbrella thrown in—an undoubted bargain. Not so. however, was a bottle of very pallid whisky, which actually fetched more than its retail price. A number of bicycles sold very cheaply, tho highest mark reached being £2 12s, while bundles of umbrellns, some of them of beautiful finish nnd expensive mounting, wont literally for a "soncr," such bundles —each bundle containing four or r ivo umbrellas, rarely fetching ten shillings. .