The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-06-15

perfect result.
In the course of his experiments out of
his garret window Dan made street pic
lures of people, both near and remote, in
divers attitudes, and at nearly all hours OF
the day. Dan took them in single figures
and in groups; he took them looking up
and looking down, making gestures or sit
ting still; he took them as they stood in a
window, and as they walked below him or
rode past in carriages. Many of the pho
tographs were good, but still the subtle
finish was wanting. Dan could not realize
his dream.
Finally his mother begged him to stop
his amusement, as she called it and go
into a store or some business where he
might support himself.
Dan shook his head.
"Can't, mother"
eBut Dan, 1 cannot afford to give much
more money for the acids you want"
"Ahr" said Dan. And he shook his
head once more, and looked very detected.
He was at his wits end. He believed he
was on the very verge of an important dis
covery. He only wanted a little more,
Where should the money come from.
This was a trying question. He could
not imagine that any one would lend him
enough cash to carry out his projects, and
he did not seem to think of any way to
earn sufficient sum. He went up to his
ssden" and sat down in the midst of his
bottles and rubbish, feeling uncommonly
blue. Here was his camera upon its three
long legs, with black mufier drawn over
it, and with its brass nose pointing out into
the air.
The boys thoughts pointed the same
way. He must go out into the cold and
find something to do, or some day he might
have to stay out in the cold. lie descend
ed into the street and wondered about the
town, moody and distressed.
About this time trial was in progress
at the Court A man was charged with
passing forged check at the bank. The
teller fully identified the prisoner, de-
scribed his movements, and related what
was said between them at the time with
the greatest minuteness.
On the other hand, the accused indig-
nantly denied the charge and protested
that he was not in or near the bank at the
time alleged, but in the Office of friend
on B street. lie remembered his where
abouts, for his arrest was not long after
the presentation of the forged check, and
all his movements on that day remained
distinctly in his mind. From the first he
had continued to his innocence, and de-
clared the teller had mistaken him for
some other man.
Unfortunately for him, he was obliged
to admit that he was alone in his friends
Office at the hour in question, and failed to
produce any witness besides himself to
prove definitely where he was, though h he
made every effort to do SO. Itwas ques-
tion of veracity, man against man, but the
clear and very positive statement of the
teller against the accused, and the possi-
bility of some motive presumed to exist in
the mans financial circumstances, had de-
cided the direction, considering the inter-
est at stake, to hold him to answer at the
next session of the court. And now the
day of trial had come.
Everybody was extremely interested in
the trial, for the prisoner was well known
in the town, and had always been suppos-
ed to be honest. The anxiety was intense
to know whether he would be proved a
criminal.
The case seemed to be going against the
prisoner, for one or two other persons had
been summoned to testify that "to the best
of their knowledge and belief" they had
seen the man in or about the bank at one
o'clock on the day when the check was
passed.
The prisoner sat in the courtroom, pale,
but with certain fearless firmness on his
features that scarcely seemed like guilt.
All the known evidence was in and to
the last, save the statements of a few
friends as to his previous good character,
nothing in his behalf beyond his own un-
supported word had been brought forward.
The prosecuting attorney arose and for
mally recounted the strong points in the
case, dwelling especially on the failure of
the prisoner to prove an abili; i.c. to show
to the satisfaction of the Court that he was
elsewhere than at the bank at the moment
of the crime, when suddenly, to the un-
speakable astonishment of all present, a
queer voice from a distant part of the room
exclaimed:
"But l can tell where he was.
Everybody turned to look at the speak
er, who was none other than our friend
Dan. He stood with his mouth wide open,
clutching his cap with one hand, and with
the other nervously poking his tousled
Il
hair. Everybody laughed.
"SiIenccr' roared the crier, witha fierce
tone and then assuming that the boy in
tended to make sport, he ordered him to
sit down.
"No, drawled Dan. II guess not"
OF course that set the crowd into still
louder laughter. The crier made an at
tempt to get at the boy.