The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-08-24
Selerf Story.
MY DOUBLE.

lam a man ofgood average size, broad
shoulders, big chest, wear a seven and a.
half hat, and have even been noticeable
on account of the blackness of my eye.
brows, the whiteness of my teeth, and
the prominence of my nose. My friends
tell me ! have peculiar face, and that
they would know me among ten thous
and-not that / am altogether lovely,
but because, though not handsome, I am
not common looking.
have never been vain of my looks,
but nevertheless I have had some pride
in my individuality, so much, indeed;
that have kept my eyebrows heavy and
smooth, my teeth white, and nose high
and straight. have never been foolish
enough to attempt to add to the size of
my head. l will say just here that peo-
pie seeing me for the first time, think me
stern and morose, and yetdogs, children
and horses make friends with me at
once; and 1 have as many noble, plato
mic attachments with the sex of my
dear mother, as any man living, who
has had no more extended experience.
state this, not to give a catalogue of my
personal peculiarities, but that my rea-
ders may comprehend an adventure l
am about to relate.
In '6S found myself in San Diego,
one of the dupes of the Lower California
Emigration Society. Unlike the hun
dreds who had risked and lost their all
in the adventure, 1 had money left, and
deciding to make the best of my ill-luck,
| stopped over at San Diego, with the
view of examining the country and look
ing around for chances for investment.
San Diego is as near paradise in eli
mate as any place on earth; aud where
the seasons are not dry, the country. for
forty miles back from the coast is as fer
tile to the plow and beautiful to the eye
as one would wish to see. The city itself
is old, and will continue to look SO until
new people get in to tear down its
adobes, and erect houses and marts after
nineteenth century plans, and do busi-
ness like Americans, instead of copying
the followers of Cid.
There is one thing about San Diego
that attracts the stranger, and that is the
show of hospitality-I say show, for it is
all on the surface, so far as the native
Californians are concerned. One of the
forms that hospitality takes in this city
is the fandango, where You are invited to
public dance, meet everybody on the
most familiar terms, without an introduc-
ton, and contribute to pay for the enter
tainment before it is over.
Students of men and manners go often
where their tastes would not lead them.
am not dancer by birth or by educa-
ton; and like the Chinese pricne, would
prefer to pay some one TO do it for me,
rather than do it myself-that is, if
dancing by proxy were delight, which
ii is not.
My friend, Captain Hammond, though
an older man, is dancer, and, so far as
am ajudge of the art, think he might
be classed as ffrst-rate one If he is not,
ne has not benefited by his opportuni-
Ties, nor failed for want of practice.
The ball tonight, major, is in honor
of you and your friends from the penin-
sula, 50 of course you will go round"
said TIE captain as he appeared in my
room at the hotel in his very best attire.
pleaded indisposition, but the cap
tain would not hear to it. He told me
was to sail for San Francisco on the NOR
row; that the chances were l would nev-
er visit San Diego again, and he was
anxious, having seen the houses in a
buggy with him by day, that | should
see the occupants of those houses with
him by night.
As it was reduced to matter of cour
tesy, | yielded to the captains wishes,
and, making some slight changes in my
toilet, l announced myselfas ready. As
we were about to leave the room the
captain, who had been eyeing me very
close, said, in tone of surprise:
1never saw such a resemblance in
my life"
What do you mean, Hammond?, |
asked, somewhat nettled; for be it re-
amembered up to this time / felt not a
little vain ofmy facial peculiarities.
"Why, never saw two men look more
alike in my life, ,Hhe replied.
"You mean / look like somebody
else?"
Most decidedly; with that coat and
hat on, and your beard brushed out from
your chin"