The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-06-06
brooklyn Eaglel
Tho Eorca of circumstances


The Force of Circumstances.
"What are you after?" asked Fulton street
druggist of tramp who had been porting over
the directory and making memoranda for an
hour.
"I'm taking list of the banks in Brooklyn
replied the tramp.
"Want to open an account" inquired the
druggist, with tone of half concealed irony in
his voice.
"No," answered the tramp. "I am forced
into the banking business haven't been do
ing anything lately and I've got to come to it. -
The druggist looked mystifed.
''You see," continued the tramp, 81 started
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 lived on the money
our country friends sent in to buy things for
them here. Then preached awhile, but my
salary wasn't paid regularly and quit that.
Where | made my mistake was in not being
tried for heresy and then hiring a theater and
preaching to collection" and the man sighed
as he thought of his wasted opportunities.
"What did you do next?" asked the druggist
kindly.
"T6en went to doctoring Did first rate the
first two menths, but was called to consult
alton and prescribed just the opposite way
from the attending physician and saved the pa.
TENT But they took my diploma away from
me because L had violated the ethics of the
profession. 1t was unanimously decided that
should have supported the doctors treatment
and let the patient slide.'
The druggist rubbed his chin and seemed to
IL; fIn nhnlr trat
Perhaps he recognized the possibility that the
tramp was truthful.
''That put me in hole" the tramp went on;
s'but borrowed some money and started a
newspaper. That lasted six months. The pub
lie spirited citizens abused me because would
MT 90 for the local political ring, and when ]
did go for em the ring brought libel suits and
the public spirited citizens got on the jury and
found verdicts against me. The sheriff sold me
out and left me stranded"
lizard luck murmured the druggist, still
seeing no reason to doubt the mans statement
Eyes, SIR" replied the tramp. sit was
tough. After that I got position as driver
on bobtail car. The combany would put mu
tilated coin in the envelopes that passed in
for change, and they bounced me for letting the
passengers put that same coin back in the box
BY that time I'd got pretty low and repentan1
and tried to get back into the church. They
said might go around and implore sinners tc
pay off the sacred mortgages, but mustn't
charge anybnlng IOf my SorVlceS VI course
that wouldn't do, so joined the police force. ,
''Ah!" calculated the druggist, frightening
up. "You must have had curious experience
as policeman"
81 had short one, ? returned the tramp with
sigh. 81 dubbed four or five men and go
medals for it, and thought was fixed at last
But one night l caught fellow committing
burglary. He turned out to be an alderman,
and was discharged from the force with ter
ribe reprimand. That knocked me-
eyes, yes," muttered the druggist, rubbing
his hands slowly.
.sWell, sir, then turned out as a day labor
er, and worked hard. was hacking away witt
a pick one Sunday building street railroad
around an injunction, when the owner of tht
franchise went past on his way to church. He
dropped his prayer book and 1 ran after him
with it. He ordered the foreman to dock me
for the loss of time and Quit
SIS that alp" asked the druggist
"About all, replied the tramp. II am now
going to hire out to some bank as cashier
That will land me in State prison sooner or lat
er, and if can make the amount big enough
before the directors wake up, society will Their
out and support my family! L m much obliged
for the use of your directoryw
You're perfectly welcome" murmured the
druggist, and as the tramp went off, studying
over his list of banks, the drug man made vi
three and quarter grains of quinine into five
grain pill and sighed as he reflected on the i'm
possibility of an honest man making living
in this day of great competition.