Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-03-16

he looked back to Miss X. and said:
Z" 1t ods one Of the queerest things in
the world miss, that my findin' them
checks"
But the curtain had just then risen on
the garden scene in " Faust" and Miss
X. was absorbed. The Man from Solano
carefully shut the box.door and retired.
l followed him.
He was silent until he reached the
lobby, and then he said, as if renewing
previous conversation: "She is a
mighty peart girl-that's so. She's just
my kind and will make a stavin' good
wife"
thought 1 saw danger ahead for the
Man from Solano, so / fastened to tell
him that she was beset by attentions,
that she could have her pick and choice
of the best OF society, and, finally, that
she was, most probably, engaged to
Dashboard.
"Tbats so" he said, quietly, without
the slightest trace of feeling; :" 1t would
be very queer If she wasn't. But
reckon I'll steer down to the hotel. /
don't care much for this yellin'." (He
was alluding to cadenza of that famous
cantatrice, Signora Batti Batti) Whats
the timer"
He pulled out his watch. 1t was such
a glaring sham, so obviously bogus, that
my eyes were fascinated by it. You're
looking at that watch" he said; it's
purity to look at, but she don't go worth
cent. And yet her price was $l25, gold.
l gobbled her up in Chatham street, day
before yesterday, where they were sell
| ing 'em very cheap at auction"
"You have been most outrageously
swindled," said, Indignantly watch
and chain are not worth twenty dollars"
"A Are they worth fifteen?" he asked,
gravely.
" Possibly"
"Then reckon it's a fair trade. Ye
see, l told 'em was Californian from
Solano and hadn't anything about me of
greenbacks. ] had three slugs with me-
Ye remember them slugs?" Il did; the
"slug" was token" issued in the early
days-a hexagonal piece of gold little
over twice the size of twenty y-dollar
gold piece-worth and accepted for fifty
dollars.)
Well, l handed them that and they
handed me the watch. You see them
slugs 1 had made myself outer brass
filings and iron pyrites, and used to slap
'em down on the boys for bluff in a
game of draw poker You see, not be-
ing reg'lar Gov'ment money, that wasn't
counterfeiting. reckon they cost me,
counting time and anxiety, about fifteen
dollars. So if this yer watch is worth
that, it's about a square game. Amt it?"
began to understand the Man from
Solano, and said it was. He returned
his watch to his pocket, toyed playfully
with the chain, and remarked: Kinder
makes man look fash'nble and wealthy,
don't it?"
agreed with him "But what do you
intend to do here?" / asked.
Well, I've got a cash capital of nigh
on $700 guess until get into reglar
business I'll skirmish round Wall street,
and sorter lay low" was about to give
him few words of warning, but l re-
membered his watch and desisted. We
shook hands and parted.
A few days after l met him on Broad
way. He was attired in another new
suit, but think / saw slight improve
ment in his general appearance. Only
five distinct colors were visible in his at
tire. But this, had reason 10 believe
afterward, was accidental
asked him if he had been to the ball.
He said he had THAT gal-and
mighty part gal she was, too-was there,
but she sorter fought shy of me. l got
this new suit to go in, but those waters
sorter run me into private box, and |
didn't get much chance to continniew our
talk about them checks. But that young
feller, Dashboard, was mighty perlite.
He brought lots of fellers and young
women round 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
had ten shares in the Peacock copper
mine, that you was once Secretary 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
Communipaw Central, or the Naphtha
Gaslight Co., 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 Peacock stocks
might come upp
l looked into his face; it was immeas-
urably serene and commonplace. l be-
gan to be a little afraid of the man; or,
rather, of my want of judgment of the
man, and, after few words, we shook
hands and parted.
It ives sane from 6H&PnttSSfa h5.fore men aYgaia
l found that he had actually become a
member of the Stock Board, and had
little office on Broad street, where he
transacted fair business. My remem.
brance going back to the first night
met him, l inquired if he had renewed
his acquaintance with Miss X. 81 heard
that she was in Newport this summer,
and / ran down there for a week"
And you talked with her about the
baggage e-checks?"
No." he said, seriously; "she gave
me commission to buy some stocks for
her. You see, guess them fash'nable
fellers sorter got to runnin' her about
me, and so she put our acquaintance on
a square business footing. l tell you,
she's right peart girl. Did ye hear of
the accident that happened to herS"
had not.
We'll, you see, she was out yachting,
and / 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 her. Well, one after
noon the boom swings round in a little
squall and knocks her overheard. There
was an awful exci:ement-you've heard
about it, maybeY"
No! But saw it all with Romancers
instinct in fash of poetry This poor
fellow, debarred through uncouthness
from expressing his affection for her, had
at last found his fitting opportunity. He
had
Thar was an awful row." he went on,
and ran out on the taffrail and there
dozen yards away was that purity Great
ure, that peart gal, and-f-"
' You jumped for her," said, hastily.
No" he said gravely. 81 let the
other man do the jumping, sorter