Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1882-06-29
Vol. XVIII. Whole No. 1881. No.26.
Brooklyn Eagle
The Force Of Circumstances.

"What are you after ?" asked a Fulton
street druggist of a tramp who had been
| porlng over the directory and making mem
oranda for an hour.
/ I'm taking list Of the banks in Brook
/ lyn,' replied the tramp.
WANT to open an account ?" inquired the
druggist, with tone Of half concealed irony
/ in his voice.
| "No,' answered the tramp. II am forced
into the banking business. | haven't been
doing anything lately and I've got to come
| TO it,"
The druggist looked mystifed.
/ "Iou see continued the tramp, 81 start
ed in as lawyer, but was elected Judge
and that not only broke up my business but
exposed my lack Of legal information so
couldn't get any cases after my term expired.
While | was looking around, my family
4 lived on the money our country friends sent
in TO buy things for them here. Then
/ preached aw hile, but my salary wasn't paid
regularly and | quit that. Where made
my mistake was in not being tried for heresy
and then hiring theater and preaching to
Il collection and the man sighed as he
thought Of his wasted opportunities.
What did you do next2" asked the
druggist kindly.
Then | went to doctoring. Did first
rate the first two months, but | was called
to a consultation and | prescribed Just the
/ opposite way from the attending physician
and saved the patient But they took nv
/ diploma away from me because had violat-
ed the ethics of the profession. II was un-
anlmously decided that | should have sup
ported the doctors treatment and let the
patient slide"
The druggist rubbed his chin and seesed
to take more kindly TO the melancholy
tramp. Perhaps he recognized the possibi-
lity that the tramp truthful.
That put me in a hole" the tramp went
on but borrowed some money and start
ed a newspaper. That lasted SIX months.
The public spirited citizens abused me be-
cause | wouldn't go for the local ring, and
when did 90 for EN- the ring brought libel
suits and the public spirited citizens got on
the jury and found yerdicts against me-
! The Sheriff sold me out and left me strand
ed"
Hard luck, " murmured the druggist, STILL
seeing no reason to doubt the mans state
ment.
Yes, SIR replied the tramp. "It was
tough. After that | got position as a
I driver on a bobtall car. The Company
would put mutllaied com in the envelopes
that ! passed IN for change and they bounced
me ior letting the passengers put that same
coin back IN the box. Bv that time Id got
pretty low and repentant and tried to get
back into the church. They said | might
90 around and imptore sinners TO pay off
the sacred mortgages, but | mustn't charge
. ANYTHING for my services. OF course that
wouldn't do, so joined the police force"
All calculated the druggist, brighten
lng up. "lou must have had curious ex-
prrence Is policeman :"
Il had a short one, returned the tramp
with a sigh. Il dubbed four or 1--WE men
and got medals for IL, and thought was
fixed at last. But one night caught fel-
Iow committing burglary. lie turned out
to be an alderman, and | was discharged
from the force with a terrible reprimand.
That Knocked me-
Yes, YES" muttered the druggist, rub
bjng his hands SLOWLY.
We'll, sr, then turned out as a day
.abprer, and worked hard. | was hacking
away with pick one SUNDAY. building a
street railroad around an inJuction, when
the owner Of the franchise went past on his
way to church. He dropped his PRAYER
book and ! ran after HIM with it, He
ordered the foreman to dock me for the
loss Of time and quit
"Is that all ," asked the druggist.
about all" replied the tramp. "l am
now going to hre out TO some bank as a
cashier. That will land me in State prison
sooner or later, and if can make the
amount big enough before the directors
wake up, society will out and support my
family I'm much obliged for the use of
your directory :"
"lou're perfectly welcome" murmured
the druggist, and as the tramp went of,
studying over his list Of banks, the drug
man made up three and a quarter grains Of
. qunlne into five grain pill and sighed as he
reflected on the impossibllIty Of an honest
man making living in this day Of great
( competition.