The Portland daily press., 1880-02-16
THE PRESS.
For the Press.l
A Modern Reformer.
lNNCIEDEI
BY ARCHIBALD OLDHAM.


One day customer brought tony office a
note which he desired me to collect for him.
Upon this note the name of John Horn
blower appeared as principal, and that of
well known retired sea-captain as surety.
The holder of the note informed me that
he had attempted in vain TO collect the
amount, two hundred dollars, from the prin-
cipal he said the man was either bank
rupt or knave, he could hardly make up
his mind which. l dropped line to the
captain,--the usual lawyers letter request
ing immediate payment. My letter bore
fruit very speedily; for the irascrible old
gentleman appeared in person the same af-
ternoon. He came up stairs, preceded by
fearful volley of oaths and curses. Walking
into the office hethrew down roll OF bills
upon my desk and requested me very sud-
denly to hand over that piece of paper that
had his name on it (Oaths are omitted for
the sake of brevity and morality.) Feeling
strong curiosity to learn something about
Hornblower, soothed the captains feelings
and managed to draw from him the follow
ing account of his connection with the max
er of the note.
81 was never so taken in and gulled, in all
my life. More oaths omitted. He's the
smoothest rascal ever saw. Smart? He's
smarter than lightning. How could he have
got my name in his note if he hadn't been
smart? 1t takes something more than
land lubber to fool an old salt like me, tell
ye How did he do it? Well, I'll tell you
the whole story, though know you'll thiuk
that am precious old fool to be so taken
in. You see, 1 had been acquainted with
him for some time and on the whole, liked
him very well. He was little luny some
times, when he got to talking about railroads
and banks, but it was as good as theatre
to hear him talk about anything else. He
He told me that he had small note falling
due, and that he had been disappointed in,
getting the money in time to meet it. He
could not bear, he said, to tell anybody else
about his trouble, but had come directly to
me; for he considered me true friend. He
knew that it was presuming very much, even
upon such friendship as mine, but could l
accommodate him with two hundred dollars
for few days, until he could collect some
money that was due him? The fellow was
in such evident distress, that l really pitied
him and, not having the ready money by me,
was fool enough to sign note with him.
He took it with great many thanks and
told me over and over again that he would
surely meet it when it fell due. Of course,
have never set eyes on him from that day
to this. Served me just right, too, for max
ing such fool of myself. Catchm putting
my name to anybody's note again. But
am not the only one who got deceived by
that rascal. 1 know five others who got sold
in precisely the same way I did, and am
afraid they are not all SO well able to bear
the loss as / am"
With grim smile resting on his weather
beaten features, the old man babe me good
day and walked briskly away.
Again Mr.. Hornblower sank below my ho-
rizon, not to reappear for three long years.
One Summer afternoon, when the intense
heat was very oppressive, sat in my office
endeavoring to keep myself comfortably
cool. On sIch day it was impossible to do
any work,-and it was hard work enough to
exist. All the windows were open and the
dull rumble of traffic in the street below fell
in a monotonous beat upon my ear. think
must nave Deen naII asreep wnen unu
was softly opened. and to my astonished
eyes appeared the Hornblower himself. "a
little older looking than when I saw him
last; with long, black hair, reaching down
to his coat collar, and thin, scraggy wills
kers growing upon his chin. Before I had
fairly recovered my senses,-before I had
time to speak even, he had taken seat and
had opened small valise, which he carried
in his hand. From this he proceeded to take
an elegantly bound book, and in twinkling
had opened it before me upon the desk.
In another twinkling he had launched
into the stereotyped drivel of the typical
book agent, rafting off set story with little
regard to sense or propriety. Waiting pa
tiently until he had finished, I said:
"Hang your book, Hornblower, don't
want it; but will buy copy if you will
tell me truthfully what you have been doing
since I saw you last.'
My words had a powerful effect upon the
man. Instantly the light went out of his
eye and the glibness departed from his oily
tongue. He looked at me in evident con-
sternation. He was apparently calling up
in hasty review the questionable acts of his
life, in vain effort to recall in what one of
them l had suffered. He had evidently for
gotten me, but remembered our meeting in
the depot when mentioned it. Even then,
he was not at ease, and was not inclined to
talk with his usual freedom. In answer to
my questions, he said that he had been try
ing to earn an honest living; but admitted
that, owing to the oppression of capitalists
and what he called the money power, he
had met with rather Indifferent success.
In the present state of society he supposed
that a poor man ought to consider himself
himself well off if he could get food enough
to satisfy the cravings of his hunger, and
cheap clothing :enough to cover his naked
ness. So far in life he had been fortunate
enough to obtain as much as this. Then
his eyes began to flash again ard his voice to
rise, as he proceeded TO remark that he be-
lieved the time to be very near when the
would enter into the natural inheritance,
from which be had been so long excluded
when the rich man would sc compelled to
divide his wealth with his needy neighbors.
He should continue to work, he said, in the
firm belief that such revolution must soon
be inaugurated. While talking, Hornblower
had been busily engaged in restoring his
book to its place in the valise. When it had
been arranged to his satisfaction he snapped
the lock and strobe spitefully out of the
door, and out of my knowledge for several
years.
But it was fated that our paths should
again cross each other. A certain manu-
featuring company in Maine suspended pay
ment. was sent by a Boston firm to rep
resent them at the meeting of the creditors
called to consider the affairs of the bank
rupt concern. Imagine my profound aston
iShment when found that the treasurer of