The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1880-05-28
WHY I JOINED THE DETECTIVES.

'OoTCalHly, Sl.
"Nice weather."
"Splendid, indeed"
"Crops growing finely"
Yes-couldn't do better.
I was sitting in car on a Wisconsin
railroad, one day, years ago, when a
good-looking, pleasant-spoken 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 joke more so then than now. On
entering a railroad car [ always looked
about for talkative man, and then I
got as close to him as possible and
drained him dry, if the journey was long
enough.
And I want to state one thing more.
Left an orphan before I could realize the
sad event which made me one, I got
kicked here and cuffed there, and grew
up between folks, as they say I ought
to have had, at the time of which I write,
pretty thorough knowledge of human
nature and have been able to read evil
in mans face if he intended me evil. I
did not pride myself on being over sharp,
but the knocking around among strang
ers ought to have given anyone a good
experience.
Well, the stranger andsI fell into an
easy train of conversation as we rode to-
gether, and in ten minutes [ began to
enjoy his company. He was a well-made
fellow, finely dressed, and wore fine
watch, and a. simon-pure diamond ring.
I never saw man who could talk so
easy and so pleasantly. It seemed that
ne had but to open his mouth and the
words fell right out
I had travelled in the South so had
he. I had heard the roar of the Pacific;
he knew all about it. [ had been up in
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 [ had never met such
railroad companion.
Did you ever meet a 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
Well, he was such a man. 1t was not
long before he commenced asking me
questions. He did not seem to try to
quiz OF draw me out, but he asked me
questions in such sly roundabout way
that, before [ knew it, / was giving him
my history
I was at that time just on the point of
being admitted to the bar of Wisconsin
as student of Law Il Law, of Briefville.
The firm were old lawyers with lucra-
tive practice, and it had been talked
over that in about a month / should be
the eco" of the firm A year before,
a farmer named Preston, down about
four miles from Grafton, died, and his
matters had been put into the hands of
Law & Law for settlement. Preston had
died rich. He had money in bank, rail
road stock and mortgages, etc., and
everything was settled up to the salts
faction of the relict and fatherless.
About year before his death, being
pinched for money, and not wishing to
sell anything at sacrifice, Preston had
given mortgage ON his farm for So, 900.
While the papers read "for one year
from date, there was verbal agreement
that it should be lifted any day that
Preston desired. A month after, when,
having the funds to clear off the paper,
the 4" old money bags" holding it refused
to discharge, wishing to secure his inter
est for year.
was on my way to learn the date of
expiration. A fire among my Office pa
pers had destroyed the memoranda
and must go down and get the date
from old Grip, who lived south of Graf
ton about five miles. The stranger
pumped all this out of me in about ten
minutes, and yet never once suspected
he was receiving any information
81 am not positive" he added, but
I am pretty sure the time is the 18th,
which would be Tuesday next.
"And then your folks will send down
the money and discharge the mortgage,
of course ?" he queried.
"Oh, yes, I shall most likely bring it
down. l replied, and it never occurred
to me how imprudent [ was.
he turned the conversation into other
channels, and did not once attempt to
pump me further We got to Grafton at
1850, and, to my great surprise, he an
nounced that he was to stop in town on
BUSINESS loI 1GW 0aJe p Al'u LIZ
asked his name OF avocation, while he
knew everything about me-
We went to the hotel, had dinner, and
then { secured a lively team and drove
out, getting through with business 50
that / was back to take the 800 express
east. My friend was on the porch OF the
hotel as / drove up, carrying the same
honest, dignifed face.
"Well, did you find out? heinquired,
in his pleasant way.
eyes, it was on the 18Th, as I expect
ed, replied.
We had lunch together, and when We
shook hands and parted had no more
idea Of ever meeting him again than ]
had Of knowing you. In fact, he told me