Sharp County record., 1880-12-02
EDWARD MEYRICK'S FRIEND.

EDWARD MEYRICK'S FRIEND.
1t is curious how city life makes peo-
pie neighborly, often in fact while in
different to the mere accidents of neigh
borhood. One may live long next door
to ones unkindest enemy without dis
covering it, and once knew of two
gentlemen in the city who for twenty
years dined daily on the opposite sides
of the same table in a restaurant, and
never knew each others name or bust
ness. They chatted upon all manner
Of topics and had the most friendly feel
ings for each other. One called the
other Doctor and the other called the
one Captain; they were merely conven-
lent hardles with which to lift the cover
ofdaily conversation. 1t surely can be
no surprise, therefore, to any one IA
miliar with city life, when say that
Mr.. Thomas Springer had lived several
years in New York City, and yet could
1t any time have disappeared without
causing any anxiety or leading any one
% feel more than moments curiosity,
lot to say responsibility.
To begin with, his name was not in
The city directory. He never was any
where when the canvasser for the di-
.ectory was on his rounds. He invaria-
,ly left the house where he roomed just
before the annual visitation both of the
lirectory man and the assessor of taxes,
mdwhile these detectives were out was
,ither' travelling or lodging as trans
!ent in some hotel. He took a lodging
md paid his rent monthly in advance,
,ut he found his table at some one or
)ther OF the numberless hotels and res
mrants, wherever he happened to be
when his hour for dining came round.
lie had no place of business, for he had
10 business. He had money, enough
md more than enough for his
needs, which was all invested in
Government bonds. He had no post
)ffice box, and had almost said he had
10 letters, but | remember that he did
occasionally write and receive one, and
le always inquired at the general de-
livery on Monday morning at nine
jclock. He never voted, for his name
vas on no voting list; he never was
irawn on the jury; he never had sub
jcription paper offered him for his
signature; he went to church but one
nay easily be entirely private at church;
when he found himself from any regu
arity beginning to awaken an interest
his worshiping neighbors, he quietly
lbandoned that church for another, he
lad no accounts current, so that his
lame was on no tradesman's books,
md he never received any circulars
ldvising him to send his children to a
lew school, or offering him boys cloth
NO at low rates; he had no children, he
lad nc wife, he had no home. | had
.lmost said he had no country, but |
'emember the bonds which he held, so
lie really had a country, which appeared
IN the face of things to be in his debt.
indeed the bonds furnished him with
he only place that one might call his
egular hanging out" place, for he
ired a drawer in the BurglarProof
Safe Deposit and Trust Company, where
ie Kept his bonds and such uninvested
money as did not happen to be in his
pocket
It must not be supposed that Mr..
Springer because he had so slight a
lold upon the community was q mere
yagrant. Having nothing to do, he fell
nto the most methodical habits of do.
ng it. He was the most punctual of
nen and the most orderly. He kept all
PERSONAL effects in single trunk and
le had simplifed life so perfectly that
tnever required more than half an
lour for him to get together in
lis room all that he possessed
md pack it neatly in his
me trunk. He had this trunk
made to order, and it was
livided into compartments which
leld exactly the several articles of
llothing and toilet which he -equired.
| lie bought new suit Grp-v spring for
. he summer and tau;1eE Il the fall for
he winter, giving away at the end of the
eason what he had worn. He bought
looks and maUazines and naners to read
nut he never had but one at time.
, When he had read it he gave it away;
le carried in his pocket-case a careful
ist of struggling libraries and reading
ooms and when he had finished book
le sent it anonymously by mail or ex-
ress. Such anonymous communica-
ions are not returned or thrown into
, he waste-paper basket. His daily or
weekly paper or monthly magazine he
egularly placed in one of the boxes for
! iospitals. In this way he never accu-