The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-04-16


tend to do here?" asked
"Well, I've got cash capital of nigh on
800. guess until get into reg lar businesr
I'll skirmish round Wall street, and sorter lay
low" l was about to give him a few words
of warning, but I remembered his watch, and
dessted. We shook hands and parted.
few days after met him on Broadway.
He was attired in another new suit, but 1
think saw a slight improvement in his gen.
eral appearance. Only five distinct colors
were visible in his attire. But this, had
reason to believe afterwards, was accidental.
| asked him if he had been to the ball. He
said he had. "That gal-and a mighty peart
gal she was too, was there, but she sorter
fought shy of me. l got this new suit to 60
in, but those walters sorter run me into
private box, and didn't get much chance to
continnew our talk about them checks. But
that young teller, Dashboard, was mighty
perlte. He brought lots of fellers and young
women roand to the box to see me, and he
made up party that night to take me round
Wall street and in them stock boards. And
the next day he called for me and took me.
And invested about $500 In them stocks
may be more. You see, we sorter Swopped
stocks. You know 1 had ten shares in the
Peacock copper mine that you was once Sec
rotary Of"
"But those shares are not worth a cent.
The whole thing exploded ten years ago."
THAT'S so, maybe-you say so. But then
| didn't know anything more about Commu
nipaw, Central or the Naptha Gaslight COM
pany, and so thought it was square game.
Only realized on the stocks bought and /
KEN up outer Wall street about $500 better.
You see it was sorter risk, after all, for
them Peabody stocks might come upp'
looked into his face; it was immeasurably
serene and commonplace. began to be
little afraid of the man; or, rather of my
want of judgment of the man, and after
few words we shook hands Ind parted.
II was some months before L again saw the
man from Solano. When l did found that
he had actually become member of the
stock board, and had little office on Broad
street where he transacted fair business.
My remembrance going back to the first
night / met him l enquired if he had re-
newed his acquaintance with Miss x. 81
heered that she was in Newport this summer
and ran down there fur week."
''And you talked with her about the bag
gage checks?"
NO." he said, seriously, "she gave me
commission to buy some stocks for her. You
see, guess them fash'n'ble fellers sorter got
to runnin her about me and so she put our
acquaintance on square business footing.
tell you, she's right peart girl Did you
hear of the accident that happened to herp'
l had not.
swell, you see, she was out yachting and 1
managed through one of those fellers to get
an invite too. The whole thing was got up
by man that they say is going to marry Ter.
Well, one afternoon the boom swings round
in little squat and knocks her overheard.
There was an awful eXcitement-you'v
heard about it. may be?"
No! But saw it all with romancer's in:
stinct in flash of poetry! This poor fellow,
debarred through uncouthness from express.
ing affections for her. had at last found his
fitting opportunity. He had
"Thar was an awful row." he went on, ct
ran out on the taffrail, and there dozen
yards away was that purity creature, that
peart girl, and p
"You jumped for her?" said hastily,
"No." he said gravely. II let the other
man do the jumping. sorter looked on.''
stared at him in establishment.
mo-" he went on seriously. Gle was
the man who jumped-that was just then his
'put-his line of business. You see' if had
waltzed over the side of that ship and ca
yoorted in and flummuxed round and finally
fioored to the bottom, then the other man
would have jumped nateral-like and saved
her, and eZ he was going to marry her any
way don't exactly see where I'd have been
represented in the transaction. But don't
you see, if after he'd Jumped and hadn't got
her, he'd gone down himself. I'd hev the
next best chance, and the advantage of hev-
ing him outer the way. You see you don't
understand mel don't think you did in
California"
"Then be did save her?''
"Of course. Don't you see she was all
right. If he'd missed her I'd have Clipped
in. Thar weren't no sense in my doing his
duty onless he failed"
Somehow the story got out. The Man
from Solano as butt became more popular
than ever, and of course received invitations
to burlesque receptions, and naturally met a
great many people whom otherwise he could
not have seen. 1t was observed also that dis
S700 was steadily growing and that he seemed
to be getting on in his business. Certain
Californian stock which I have seen quietly
inferred in the old days in the tombs of their
fathers, were magically revived; and I re-
member, as one who had seen a ghost, to
have been shocked as looked over the quo
tations one morning to have seen the ghostly
face of the ''Dead Beat Beach Mining Com
pany," rouged and plastered, looking out
from the columns of the morning paper. At
last a few people began to respect or suspect,
tie Man of Solano. At last, suspicion Gull
minated with this incident.
He had long expressed a wish to belong to
a certain "fash'n'b BILE" club and with view
of burlesque he was invited to visit the club,
where series of ridiculous entertainments
were given him, winding up with card
party. As passed up the steps of the club
house early next morning overheard two or
three members talking exctedly.
"He cleaned everybody out. Why, he
must have raked in nigh On $4,000"
"Who?" asked.
"The Man from Solano."
AS turned away, one of the gentlemen, a
victim, noted for his sporting propensities,
followed me, and laying his hand on my
shoulder, asked:
"Tell me fairly now. What business did
your friend follow in Californian
she was shepherd"
ga what?''
"a shepherd. Tended his focks on the
honey scented hill of Solano.''
swell, all I can saw is blast YOUR Califor-