The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-06-09
WHY JOINED THE DETECTIVES.

Van Il olt WIN fCh
Certainly, sir"
Nice weather."
splendid, indeed"
"Crops growing finely?"
"Yes-couldn't do better"
| was sitting in a car on a Wiscon,
sin railroad, one day, years ago
when good-looking, pleasant-spo-
ken man came along, stopped at my
seat, and the above conversation took
place, the latter part of it after ! had
given him part of my seat.
Now, am regarded as a social
man. | like a joke; more so then
than now. On entering a railroad
car always looked about for talk
ativc man, and then | got as close to
him as possible and drained him
dry, if the journey was long enough
And | want to state one thing
more. Left an orphan before / could
realize the sad event which made me
one, | got kicked here and cuffed
there, and grew up between folks, as
they say. ought to have had, al
the time of which / write, a pretty
thorough knowledge of human ma
ture. and have been able to read evil
in mans face if he intended me
evil. / did not pride myself on be
. ing over sharp, but the knocking
around among strangers ought tc
have given any one a good expert
ence.
Well, the stranger and | fell into
an easy train of conversation as We
rode together, and in ten minutes
began to enjoy his company. He
was we'll made fellow, finely dress
ed. and wore fine watch and 81
mon-pure diamond ring. | never
saw a man who could talk so easy
and so pleasantly. 1t seemed that
he had but to open his mouth ano
the words fell right out.
| had travelled in the South; Sc
had he. / had heard the roar of the
Pacific; he knew all about it. Ihat
been up in a balloon, down in mine
been blown up, smashed up and re
paired again my new friend had ex
perienced all these things, and wa:
wishing for something of a more
startling nature. We agreed on pol
itics, neither had any religion, and
had never met such railroad com
panion.
Did YOU ever meet a man who
though stranger to you ten min
utes before, could wrest from yor
your secrets which you had sworn t.
yourself not to reveal? Well, he wa:
such man. 1t was not long before
he commenced asking me questions
He did not seem to try to quiz ol
draw me out, but he asked me ques
tons in such sly, roundabout way
that before | knew it | was givine
him my history.
| | was at that time Just on tht
point of being admitted To the bal
of Wisconsin as a student of Law 4
Law, of Briefville. The firm were
old LAWYERS with a lucrative prac
tice, and it had been talked over tha
in about a month l should be tn,
So" of the firm. A year before, (
farmer named Preston, down about
four miles from Grafton, died, anC
his matters had been put into tn,
hands of Law d Law for settlement
Preston had died rich. He hat
money in bank, railroad stock ane
mortgages, etc, and everything wa.
settled up to the satisfaction of th'
relict and fatherless.
About a year before his death, be
ing pinehed for money, and no
wishing to sell anything at a sacri
flee, Preston had given n mortgag,
on his farm for $4,000. While th'
papers read "for one year from date,
there was verbal agreement that i
should be lifted any day that Pres
ton desired. A month after, when
having the funds to clear off the pa
per, the ''old money bag" holding i
refused to discharge, wishing to Sc
cure his interest for a year.
| was on my way to learn the dat
of expiration. A fire among my OF
flee papers had destroyed my memo
randa. and l must go down and ge
the date from old Grip, who livec
south of Grafton, about five miles
The stranger pumped all this out o
me in about ten minutes, and yet
never once suspected he was receiv
ing any information.
Il am not positive" | added, "bu
| am pretty sure the time is tn
18th, which would be on Tuesda,
next"
"And then your folks will sent
down the money and discharge tn
mortgage, of course" he queried.
"Oh, yes, / shall most likely brin
it down." / replied, and it neve
occurred to me how imprudent ] was
He turned the conversation int
other channels. and did not once al
tempt to, pump me further, We go
to Graftoa at 1850, and, to my grea
surprise, he announced that he wa
to stop in town on business for a fey
days, | had not asked his name Q
avocation, while he knew everythin
about me.
We went to the hotel, had dinnel
and then | secured a livery team an
{ drove out, getting through with bus
!, mess so that / was back to take tn
|, 3::2O express east, My friend wa
on the porch of the hotel as | droy
up, carrying the same honest, dign