The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1880-05-11
Selfrt Sturu
WHY l JOINED THE DETECTIVES
"Can I sit with you ?"
"Certainly, sir"
.sNice weather p

INtSc WSutuCi
"Splendid, indeed"
"Crops growing finely 7"
"Yes--couldn't do better"
I was sitting in u car on Wisconsin
railroad, one day, years ago, when a
good-looking, pleasant-spoken man came
along, stopped at nv seat, and the above
conversation took place, 'the latter part
of it after / had given him part of my
seat. 49, -5s'sesa
Now; / am regarded as social man.
1 Ike a joke-more so then than now
On entering railroad car / always look
ed about for talkative 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 kick
ed here and cuffed there, and grew up
between folks, as they say. l ought to
have had, at the time of which write, a
pretty thorough knowledge of human
nature, and have been able to read evil
in mans face il he intended me evil
l did. not pride myself on being over
sharp. but the knocking around among
strangers.ought to have given any one q
good experience.
Well, the stranger and | fell into an
easy train of conversation as we rode to-
gether, and in ten minutes began to
enjoy his company. He was well-made
fellow, finely dressed, and wore a fine
watch and simon-pure diamond ring. I
never saw man who could talk 80 easy
and so pleasantly. 1t seemed that he
had but to open his mouth and the words
fell right out
had travelled in the South so had he.
had heard the roar of the Pacific; he
knew all about it. ! had been up in q
balloon, down in mine, been blown up,
smashed up, and repaired again and
again; my new friend had experienced
all these things, and was wishing for
something OF more startling nature
We agreed on politics. neither had any
religion, and l had never met such rail-
road companion.
Did you ever meet man who, though
a stranger to you ten minutes before,
could wrest from you your secrets which
/ you had sworn to yourself not to reveal 7
Well, he was such man. 1t was not
long before he commenced asking me
questions He did not seen to try tu
quiz or draw. me out, but he asked me
questions in such sly, roundabout way
that before l knew it l was giving him
my history.
i / was at that time just on the point oi
being admitted to the bar Of Wisconsin
as student of Law d Law, OF Brief.
vile. The firm were old lawyers with
a lucrative practice, and il ba6 been talk
ed over that in abont month / should
be the "Co" OF the firm. A year he.
fore, a farmer named Preston, dowr
about four miles from Grafton, died, ant
his matters had been put into the hands
OF Law q Law for settlement. Preston
had died rich. He had money in bank
railroad stock. mortgages, etc, and every
thing wss settled up to the Satisfaction
of the relict and the fatherless.
Abeut year before his death, being
! pinched tor money and not wishing tt
sell anything at a sacrifice, Preston hac
given a mortgage on his farm for S3 900
While the papers read ''for one yea
from date" there was verbal agree
ment that it should be lifted any day tha
j; Preston desired. A month after, when
having the funds 10 clear off the paper
the sold monev bags" holding it refused
to discharge, wishing to secure his inter
est for year.
!, / was on my way to learn the date o
expiration. A FIRE among my office pa
pers had destroyed the memoranda, ant
, must go Gown and get the date from
old Grip, who liyed south OF Orator
abont Eve miles. The stranger pumped
all this out of me in about ten minutes
and yet never once suspected be wa
receiving any information.
II am not positive" / added, "but
am pretty sure the time is the 18th, whicl
would he Tuesday next"
"And then your folks will send dow
the money and discharge the mortgage
lof eourse," he queried.