Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1881-08-02
MIscELIAiM EnuS.e
Jim Keene's Washerwoman.
Ism rrnnnisco pnst.i

, Tsan Fraucisco Post.1
"Tho fact is, said i'm Keene, tho great
New York rival of Jay Gould, as he relaxed
his usual taciturnity under tho genial in
auence of one of Sam Wards dinners the
other day.; 1.-The fact is, that no matter how
clever and thorough mans system Of stock
operating may be, there is always occurring
some little unforeseen and apparently in
significant CIRCUMSTANCES that is forever
knocking the best laid plans into a cooked
hat" r.-zas.,.-s 80 r...1- =
Gas how7" s.E
t'Well, for instance, about year ago I
was doing good deal Lin Lake Shore, and
counted on making big cleanup. / dis.
covered. however. that there was somo hid
den influence in tho market that was ALWAYS
against me-. 1t didn't. exactly defoat INV
plans, but it lessencd tho profits. 1 soon
saw that there was some operator who was
kept Informed as to my movements in timo
to mako mo pay for his knowledge"
Broker gave you away" said several.
"Nct at all. ! novor gavo an order in
advance, ard besides, I usod, as now, half
dozon brokers, and also gave cross and
dummy orders in plenty. Ono day, while
was standing at tho window of my uptown
place, cogitating over this state of affairs. an
elegant private coupe drove past, and stop.
ped just around the corner from nv door.
1t contained richly dressed lady and a
ragged looking girl. The latter got out.
rang my basement boil, and was admitted
I sent for my manservant, and inquired who
the girl might be-"
"She comes for the wash, sir" ho said.
"Does she generally como in q coupe 2"
l inquired.
"Why no, sir" said my man. worry much
surprised "hcr mother, tho washorwoman,
is very poor"
"Just thcn my own carriage drove round
for me, and as it passed tho othor could
see the lady osgcrly sorting the soilod
clothes in tho coupe on her lap. This ex-
cited my curiosity, so had tho driver fol-
low along behind. Pretty soon tho coupo
stopped, and tho dirty little girl got ou.
with tho bundIc and wont into brown
stone front on Twonty- -nineth street. The
coupe then kept straight on down to Wall
street and stopped in front of brokor's of,
fco, where the Indy alighted with the en-,
tiro lot OF soiled shirt cuffs in her hand
"Shirt cuffs (" cried tho entire company.
Exactly; shirt cuffs. saw through It
all in moment. You see, amor rather
was-a groat hand while at dinner, OF at the
theatre in tho evening, TO think over my
plans for the next day, aud to make memo-
randums on my cuffs 70 consult before START
ing down town in the morning. My wash.
erwoman had found this out, and bad been
quietly 'coppering' my game by meaDS Of
my cuffs for over Q year"
"Well, by Jove !" said ssm Ward, paus>
ing for single instant in the saorod mys.
terry of shad dressing.
''It's the cold fact" continued Keeno.
In less than eight months she had cleaned
up over 5000, 600 and was washing my
clothos-at least my cuffs-in nn $50, 900
house. She had diamonds and horsos until
you couldn't rest"
"You didn't make auy moro cuff mems.
after that Z" laughed several.
"Well, not nany-just q, few" said tho
great operator, holding Tho Burgundy to the
light. 81 believe 1 kcpt ii up abou. q
mouth longer, at tho end of which time I
had raked in the washerwornan's bank ac>
count, aud even had mortgage on the
brown stone house. 1t was queer coiuci.
dcuce, wasn't il? But perhaps the infor-
nation sho found on the cuffs aftcr that was
not as exact as it had been, somehow, or as
reliable"
And the "King of the Street, emptied
his glass with an indeseribable wink that
made Beach, who was short on Harlem,
shlver like cat who had just swallowed a
live mouse 80 80