Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-05-14
THE ST0RY-TELLER


"Can sit with you ?"
Certainly, sir. Z"
+" Nice wea ther."
"Splendid, indeed"
"Crors growing fneIy?n
Yes, couldn't do tetter1
was sitting in a passenger coach, on
Wisconsin railroad, one day, years ago,
when a good looking, pleasant spoken
man came along, stopped at my seat, anG
the above Conversation took place, the
latter part Of it after | had given him
part Of my seat.
Now, | am regarded as a social man
ike a joke, a good bit ) and think a
sour, uorose man, who uses his tongue
only wheL forced to, is bound to die Of
some terrible disease, and to go to some
place of red hot punishment
On entering a railroad car / always
look about for a talkative man, and then
get as close 10 him as possible, and drain
him dry, if the journey is long enough.
And | want to state one thing more
Lett an orphan before Icould realize the
event which made me one, [ got kicked
here and cufed there, and grew up be-
tween folks" as they say [ ought to have
had, at the time of which | write, a pretty
thorough knowledge OF human nature,
and have been enabled to read in mans
face if he intended me evil. I did not
pride myself on being over keen or extra
sharp, but the knocking round anon g
strangers ought to give one a good expert
ence.
Well the stranger and | fell into an
easy train of conversation as we rode on
together, and II ten minutes [ began to
enjoy his company. lie was we'll
made man, finely dressed, had fine watch
and a simon-Tur ure diamond ring. | never
saw a man who could talk so easily and
pleasantly 1t seemed he had but to open
his mouth and the words fell right ont.
l had travelled in the South, so had he.
| had heard the loudroar Of the Pacific
he knew all ab utitE | had been-up inaa
balloon, down In mine; been bIowed up,
smashed up, and repaired again my new
friend had experienced all these things,
AMI was waiting for something new to turn
up of more startling natHre. We agreed
on politics, neither had any religion, and
| had never met such a railroad comp;.n-
ion.z
Did you ever meet man who, though
. stranger to you ten minut before,
could wrest from you secrets WHICH you'd
sworn to yourself not to reveal? Well,
be was just such man. 1t was not long
before he commenced asking me .ques-
tioas. He did not seem trying to quiz or
draw meout, but be asked me questions
il such sly, roundabout way, that before
knew It was giving him my history.
[ was at that time just on the point of
being admitted to the bar Of Wisconsin. as
a student Of Law & Law, of Brierville.
The firm were old lawyers, with a lucra-
tive practice, and 1t has been talked over
that in about a month l should become
the 's Co" of the firm, A year before q
farmer named Preston, down about fou1
miles from Grafton, had died, and bis
matters had been put to5into the hands Of
Law & Law for settlement. Preston bad
died rich. He had money in the bank
railroad stocks, mortgages. &c., aud
everything was settled up to the9satisfac-
ton Of the relict and the mothcrIess.
About year before his death, being
pinched for money, and not Wishing tc
sell anything at a sacrifice, Preston had
given mortgage on his farm for three
thousand dollars. While the papers read
" one year from date,o there was q verba
agreement that il should be lifted anv day
when Preston desired. 4 month after
when faving the money to clear off tht
paper, the old money bags holding i
refused to disgorge, wishing to secure hi.
interest for a wear.
| was on my way to ascertain the datt
Of expiration. A fire among our office
papers had destroyed the memoranda, ,anC
/ must go down aud get the date from ole
Scrip, who lived south of Grafton abou
five miles. The stranger had pumped al
this out of me In ten minutes, and yet
never ence suspected that he was receiving
information
81 am not positive" added, ''but I am
pretty sure the time is the I3th-which
would be Tuesday next.n
"And then your folks will send down
the money and discharge the mortgage, OF
course -
"Oh, yes, I shall most likely bring il
down." l replied, and it never occuerrd tc
me how imprudent | was.
He turned the conversation into other
channels, and did not once attempt tC
pump ms further. We got to Grafton a
10 80, and to my great surprise he an
nouneed that he was to stop IN the towr
on business for few days | had no
asked his name or avOcatioD, while ht
knew everything about me.
v went to the hotel, had dinner, anC
then | secured lively team and drove
out, getting through with the business 81
that was back IN time to take the Z 81
express east Ny friend was on She porcf
OF the hotel as / drove up, carrying tha
same honest, dignifed face.
Well, did you fnd out ?" he inquired
N his pleasant way. eyes; it is on tht
18th, as | expected" replied.
We bad lunch together, and when WI
shook hands and parted I had no mor
idea of seeing him again than have 0
knowing you. In fact he told me that b.
should sail fer England in a week or tel
days, ana should not return to America
At parting he gave me his card. 1t was
modest piece Of pasteboard, and bore th
name of " George Raleigh" in old Englis
script.
Everything at the Office went ON &
usual, and the 18th came at length. La
& Law had arranged for me to go dow
with the money. aad looked upon it as
business Of no special Importance.