The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-09-30

\ yOutub Vi lSIOCI0t1C toStC, VIII Wcl6
happy enough to "know Selwin," often
went down full! How we'll and free
ly he disbursed the income of five
thousand q year, and how nimbly and
sweetly it recommended him to every
bodyi How promptly were his bills
! paid-hOw heavy they were! A prime
favorite with the host was he, and the
underlings knew we'll the surety OF .
"tip" every time they came in con tact
with him. Who could resist the fas-
ellhtinx, the dashing, the splendid
Sclwin! The faction that held out
against him was small indeed-cOn-
sisting, in fact, Of myself, solitary and
alone. .-sH tteA.
One afternoon was agreeably sur
priscd by the appearance of an excel
lent friend of mine, q heavy leather
dealer, doing business in the classic
locality known rs the Swamp. This
gentleman, Mr.. Colwell-firm of
! Treadley & COlwell-was taking q
week or two of relaxation, and had
chosen Belle Lake as the field for his
rustication. just as we exchanged
salutatiOns, the great Selwin, monarch
of all he surveyed, came down the pi-
azza in gorgeous array, with Susie
Naseby and anO Other young lady. Col
we'll looked at them q moment and ut
tered q long, low whistle.
swell, Dever!"
"What's the matter?" asked; "any-
thing extraordinary"
81 believe you, my boy. Do you see
that young swell with the two
"See him, Il might say we haven't
seen anything else In some time. That's
| Ht,0 ,.loc Cal tho A M 4 fph
of the season. Five thousand a year,
young, handsome, agreeable. He has
the whole community at his feet"
"There, don't say any more! You
take my breath away. Selwin! He's
no more Selwin than you are. His
name is Pollock, and he's humbug.
Five thousand q year, eh? Why, l
could buy and sell him for q five-dol-
| lar bill, and have . packet Of small
change left 0ver!" -1
"YOu must be mistaken. He cer-
tainly has money-he spends any
amount of it" f..., -...-...
"No, Ican't be wrong. know him
| Of old. He makes some money-made
some out of me by tho cheapest kind
| of q swinlle, and Pll give him . fall
now. Wait till = chance comes, FL
| astonish him." ....-.
| After dinner we were smoking our
cigars in front Of the house, when Sell
win lounged out. As he came down
the steps, Colwen called out to him !:
"Hafloa, Pollock Bill Pollock"
He was startled, sure enough. His
confusion was evident enough to ex-
cite attention from all present. Col
well had made telling shot, but it
was prematurely discharged, and the
conqueror was too much for us yet.
| Old Camden came along at the mo-
nent, and, seeing Selwin's embarass-
| ment, asked him what was the mat
ter.
"Your name isn't Pollock, is it?"
said he. ... .... ...
The cool impassability Of the young
man returned, and, with the sweetest
sincerity, he explained that he had q
twin brother closely resembling him
self. who, under the assumed name of
Pollock, was leading . ruinous and
disorderly life.
"He has always been q trouble to
the family" said the injured innocence,
land hearing his name suddenly has
/ disturbed me. I fancied he might
have come here to worry me into Civ
ing him money, rs he sometimes does. /"
All this, said with perfect air of
truth, and coming from the admired
aud respected SelWin, carried convic-
ton to the public mind ut once. Even
| Colwell was staggered, and thought it
might b0 true. ,s .,se.tsss..-.s. vla
Selwin's triumph, then, was COM
plcte. The anti-Selwin party was an
nillilated, and he was more popular
than ever. h.5t a-s i.-
Under pretext of passing part of
his time with his invalid mother, this
Young gentleman absented himself
from Belle Lake every Wednesday
night, returning Saturday. My belief
was that he then transacted some bus
mess of . more or less questionable
nature, and the money he spent SO Free
ly was earned-or made, by hook or
by crook, out of fsomcbody-fromw week
TO week. saw, however, that it was
no use 70 attempt to overthrow him,
this season, at Belle Lake; and, as
business required my return to town,
/ gave up the whole affair. .-
Susie and her mother remained some
time longer, and, from occasional re-
ports, I learned that Selwin's success
with tho poor girl was considered in
dubitable. Feeling sure that she was
being deluded into marriage that
could only bring miserable disappoint-
Inent to herself and family, I deter
mined to make one more effort to pre-
vent it. Susie was too nice q girl to
throw herself away on such fellow,
and in the capacity of ami de familie, ;
l thought would take the affair In
my own hands.
With this intention I sought the
Swamp, and found my friend Colwell.
| 81 hA ovskSN a nf
his relations with the ABill Pollock
he had mentioned, and the swindle
practised upon him by that person.
"I'm almost ashamed to tell you
about that" said Colwell .but if you
think my experience will be Of any
value to you, you are welcome. This
Pollock, or Sclwin, or whoever he is
is spiritual medium A year or 81
ago, heard so many stories about his
wonderful tests that Treadley and
concluded to 20 and SEQ what III
amounted to. We went to his rooms, IL
Amity street, but he wasn't visible
and . boy who attended the door told
, us it was necessary to make an ap.
} pointment, as Mr.. PollOck's time wa!
always engaged for two or three day!
in advance. We put down our names
paid our five dollars apiece in advance
according to the gentlemans rule, anC
/ when the time came, l went to see him
Treadley backed out, but I thought
might as we'll get my moneys worth
: Pollock was q very quiet, polite young
. fellow, the very image of that Selwin
except that he wasn't quite SO muci
, of swell, and didn't squeak his word
out like sick mouse. He did SOM
very strange things, and told me som.
news from the other world which
: might or might not have been true
Finally, when he had got me prett,
we'll interested, and good deal sur
, prised, he offered to produce por
} trait of my mother, who had beef
, dead for about eight years. There i
no picture of her in existence, and
have always wanted one, 30 agreed
to nav him fifty dollars in advance