Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-03-29

for four hundred and fifty dollars on his en-
ployer's correspondents in st. Paul, a draft
which he had manufactured and signed himself.
For years he was not heard OF again by his wife
and friends in st. Peter.
So devoted had he been TO his wife that she
rejected all theories of imposture and deception.
Among the most intimate acquaintance La
Croix had made was Judge F., of the SUI
preme court of the state, afterward the demo
cratic candidate for governor, who came so
near TO securing an election. He drank the
judges wine, compared it TO the best he had
tasted in Europe, complimented the judges hos
pitality, and won the favor of the very able
Judge completely. The judge was first leu
tenant of our company. To him came the for
saken wife, and at her instance he wrote to all
the distinguished men in New Orleans and New
York whose names La Croix had given as
friends. They had never heard of him, and
brother Etienne was also myth! The cashier
of the Chemical bank certified that no man of
the name of La CroiX had owned penny of
stock in that institution in City years. And so
disappeared from our horizon, like pleasant
dream, the most perfect gentleman we had ever
seen, if outward manners could make gentle
mani
Years afterward we learned that about the
time Capt LaCroiX disappeared from our vision
there turned up in the camp of the much-bat-
fed army in Kentucky, a gentleman-full of
gentlemanliness-by the name of - forget
it, let us say ii. l.. Waltham. He had been
gave straight account of himself, saying moth
ing about Chemical bank, New Orleans, or
Etenne La CroiX, his brother Watham Joined
a Connecticut regiment and was rapidly pro-
NOTED. Not that he did anything particularly
fine in a military way. But he was such gen.
tleman that it was a pity TO leave him in the
ranks. By dint of insinuating manners he came
out of the war brigader by brevet. General
Waltham was now in a fair way to do good
business. He accepted the general agency of one
Of 4lo IInrf ard / hiplr if
have been the North American. Of course he
selected lady of high standing, and married
He got a leave of absence from the company,
which prided itself on the polished manners and
winning address of its agent; he got leave of alb
sence, and went on a wedding tour-a fatal mis-
take.
He stopped at hotel in Cleveland and there
happened to be there merchant from St. Peter
Mr.. James Horner-whO had drilled in the
same company with this 'Ieisurely Saunterer"
under command of Capt. w. H. La CroiX, eX-
empt member of the New York seventh regi-
ment! AS Mr.. HOrner was small of stature, we
always Familiarity called him "Jm Horner"
though he had the habit, attributed to his name
sake Jack, of putting in his thumb and pulling
out plum. He thought he recognized Gen Wal
tham There were not two men in the United
States who could bow so perfectly, and who
doff their hats so magnificently in greeting
lady. He got out writ for the arrest of Gen.
Waltham, alias Capt. La CroiX. The general
was all dlldICIueuI, never SilW MI. E1UTu6Tt
never heard of Capt. La CroiX, nor of Etienne,
nor of the stock in the Chemical bank! But
Homer held on to his plum, and the general
agent Of the great insurance company easily Sc
cured bail. Wealthy Cleveland merchants could
not bear to see so perfect a gentleman captured
in the midst of wedding tour on account of a
mistake in identity Poor little Mr.. Horner was
looked upon with no little contempt; but he
stuck to his text. There could not be two such
oentlemenl
General Waltham took his wife and started
home. At Albany he sent her home to Hart
ford, while he should go to Brooklyn and get the
evidence which was to clear him from every
suspicion The general agent disappeared, to
be seen in Hartford no more forever. He has
gone with Captain La CroiX, with Etienne, with
the stock in The Chemical bank, and all the rest,
How many careers he has run since, how many
wives he has wed, | know not. | did think of
using him in my next novel, but then the critics
would say that he was a gross eXaggeTation.
And the critics know.
In both these adventures he spent more than
he made. Why man of his gifts should lead
such a life passes comprehension. And where
did he learn French2 Was he gentleman al
ways, or was he once a gentleman's VALET? 1t is
remaI kable, too, that in both these cases he
avoided any crime. Mrs La Croix was divorced
before he married Mrs. Watham, and the draft
was hardly forged for it is a question of fact
whether he was not allowed to sign his employ
er's name.
| shall long remember with admiration my
old commander, Captain La Croixl | wonder
if he will not read my article with great amuSe-
ment as he sits by the fireSde in domestic bliss
with some new wife.