The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-06-14

my door young man-the onelin yonder,
my assistant.
He was looking at the sign, cores
pOndent, rs many 10 Dked before, doubt
lessly, wondering what its significance
might be. Something in his face caused
me to salute him, courteously. He turned,
fastened a strange look upon me and,
without a word stepped into my first office.
Correspondent. he s"id, slowly, AS
though repeating Ike word What does
that mean r.
- A great deal, " replied land, If you
care to be seated for q few moments | Will
explain to you.
" He accepted the seat offered him,
and listened intently to what ! told HIM
| explained that a correspondent was sim
ply journalist, a hack-wrJer, and obscrv
ing that his interest did not hag. | went
ON TO tell him how furnished literary
articles upon the shortest notice portical
or prose; how dramas we're negotiated ior,
and letters were written by Us on orders
ln fact ] detailed our entire business
Then You are engaged ID 4 snrt Of lit
erary business ~ he sand - Iou write
stores, and furnish al sorts II literary
matter, as regular business
"l re lied afermauvely concluding
with my recent experience IN search of am
assistant The result was that engaged
him"
- have seen strange men, but ! never
saw SO strange being As himself He
writes and thinks, yet never notices what
is going on around hlm-never asks a ques-
ton. His ideas are original, his language
good, his mental capacity large But
there Is one subject which he never ap-
proaches, one idea with which hc never
struggles, and that idea As u,, past
Strange unused Mr. Leroy. aloud
:" Has he no friends, uo a-yuNntances
None Ar times / think hc is par
TALLY nom compos meutls. not Wild, not
even visionary, but torgrtfuI, distracted
almost 70 idiocy The past he does not
hIde, he cannot remember il Il Is a blank
page to him.
-" A singular history SAID MIR Leroy
Perhaps he may have received some in
jury
Z" Nothing which has unsettled his mind.
| should Judge He IS. apparently, we'll
educated, refined, courteous. Yet | have
often observed his mind, apparently
touched 10y some "Reminiscences Of the past,
prehend. g cropping cropping, until the
perpleXed look ia his bright dark eyes.
becomes one prolonged gaze which is pain
ful 10 perceive Then, again, he has a
singular antipathy to dark people and
some Idlosyncracy, / know not what
dwells IN his mind, relative To the OCEAN
| cannot fathom the mystery but that he
is man whose past is as entirely blotted
out II II had never existed | am safe
e. affirm
What is his name
All there Is another mystery When
| first asked him, he seemed 10 be lost il
thought shuddered visihly. aud mutterrd
unintelhgibly 70 himself Then sudden
thought seemed L. strike him. ana he said.
William Mapleton. ] have noticed quite
often recently, that h. viii forget, for a
time, certain thing, and 1t viii only be
recalled to his memory by some recurrence
Of the object or thought as presented by
himself or some one else
At tins moment 4 knock cam, al the
door Both men had been So deeply sn
crossed III their conversation that they had
not observed that its subject, William Ma
pleton. had arisen from his seat and sought
entrance, a page of manuscript In hls hand
indicating that he was deslrous uf some al
vice from his employer
1T is an address he said. m low.
singularly musical tone "Will YOU please
fill in the names
While Mr. lOrston Is engaged IN the re-
qulslte work, let US take glimpse Of the
young man, with doVncast gaze. awaiting
the fulhllment of his mission
He is Of medium height. good form,
dark brOnzed features, and dark hair and
eyes. On one side of his forehead L. a
wound, or newly healed scar. which
reached far up, until lost and hidden
among the black glossy waves Of hair
His face is intelligent. almost handsome.
but grave, thoughtful, almost studiuus
His eyes are large, and dreamy. fixed. aud
Yet wandering, retaining m expression of
halt vacancy, half contemplation, which
one could not but wonder A.
Tins Aas Mr. Samuel l1rstons conf
Dental clerk, Mr. William Mapieton His
employer having completed the hlhug IN uf
the names required, does not return tne
pNgc.
BE seated, Mr. Mapleton, he sand
pushing forward a chair
The young man sank into seat He
seemed to do everything mechanically.
We we're talking Of sou, pursued Mr.
lOrston. Mr.. Leroy, you are acquain'-
ed, | believe'
II believe have met The gentleman be-
fore, replied the clerk his eyes unremovrd
from the floor
As | was saying. continued Mr Yors-
ton, I'VE were talking ot you
Generally, Of course. coufusedlv in
terpolated Mr.. Leroy The quiet dignity
Of the young man almost deferred both
gentlemen from proceeding
You know / take an interest IN YOU.
Mr.. Mapleton,' continued Mr. Yurston.
cheerily, and my good friend and mvse,t
we're discussing the subject the subject.
ah ahem
He stopped abruptly, confused. almost
abashed at his clerk steady gaze, which
was raised to his own.
about your past. concluded the come
spondent
shadow Of sadness passed over the
young mans face, scarcely peroeptble, for
the uniformity ot his facial expression was
remarkable.
My past ''he exclaimed M, past
is hidden book. whose seal can never
find.
The employer leaned forward on the
arms Of his chair, and touched hIs assist
ant, whose gaze had again dropped to the
floor, on the arm, gently.
Try, Mr. Mapleton, try to think where
you were last before knew you"
The young man meditated. earnestly.
Then his hand went up to his forehead.
II cannot, he said Il can remember
nothing
Both men were silent, watching the man
without memory Of the past, who sat be-
fore them, with feeling Of pity and sym
pathy.
Il know you mean ME kindly, gentle
men, said Mr. Mapleton, but | fear it