Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1883-07-06
THE TWO MARTHENs

any wayis generally cause for consider
able amusement to those who know of
it. but Anson Marthen, civil engineer
and railway builder, whose headquar-
ters were in New York, suffered more
or less nearly every day of his life for
the reason that there was another man
of exactly the same name who also
lived in New York but had ~ bu,
ness or profession whatever The
men were unlike in almost every par.
ticular, except that both were bache
lors and fond of ladies. Anson Mar
then, the engineer, earned pleasing
number of dollars every year and al
ways paid his bills as soon as tn Y
were presented his nominal double
never earned penny and never paid a
bill when he could avoid it, and as this
peculiarly had become prominent
enough to be talked about, it
occasionally subjected the honest
Marthen to exasperating indignitie,
from persons who knew the name but
not the men who bore it. The dishon-
est Marthen, on the contrary, got all
necessary credit at tailors shops, livery
stables, and even hotels where the eX.
istence of two Marthens was not
known; he had merely to devise some
excuse to talk OF railroads and en-
gineering to be taken for his entirely
reputable double. His bills, in the
course of time, reached the engineer
Office, and were the cause of much pro
fame language from the wrong Mar
then and much fun among the two ol
three clerks and draughtsmen whom
the busy railroad builder employed.
Worse still, the honest MaTthen was
sometimes chillinglY received by per
sons to whom he was introduced anC
who had heard of the other bearer o
the same name. Worst of all, ladie
sometimes seemed disappointed whel
he was presented to them. for his ras
be talked about while the engineer, al
though of perfect manner, unfortu
nately had rugged and disproportion-
ate features. When, finally, he was
arrested one afternoon on charge OF
obtaining goods under false pretenses
the complainant being the father of a
lady to whom he had just been pre-
sented, and he officers catching him a.
he emerged from her house, the lady
herself behOlding the affair from a
window he went in his wrath to a
lawyer and prepared a petition to the
legislature, that for reasons already
stated in this story, he might be per
initial 70 occupoa bic ,ootbor'. e,a.:t.
name as middle name.
But even this relief he could not ex-
pect until more than half year later,
for the arrest occurred in June and the
legislature would not meet again until
January. One thing, however, he
could and would do; he would man
age to see his troublesome double so
that he might afterward know him by
sight and defend himself against him
whenever he found himself in close
social or business proximity TO the
rascal To find the dishonest Marthen
was no easy task it required fort
nights effort on the part of two differ
ent detectives, but at last Marthen
was informed that the man who lived
upon the engineers reputation was at
Saratoga, so the indignant man ha tily
packed his trunk and hurried off to
that crowded village.
On the train he CHANGED to find a
pleasant and entirely innocent travel
ing acquaintance. A well-dressed, not
uncomely lady who sat in front of him
endeayored to raise window and
Marthen hastened to assist her, getting
pleasant smile and word of thanks
in payment Marthen skillfully in
volved the lady in conversation, and
finding, to his great delight, that she
was amiable but not smart, quite
susceptible, yet not inclined to flirt, he
became very devoted He detested
smart women several of his friends
had married such beings and never
ceased to regret the step; smart women
had often tried to "catch Marthen
himself, for an income of a thousand a
month was not to be despised, and he
had not always escaped with ease.
Marthen fully intended TO marry some
day. but he had been determined that
he would be entirely satisfied with
plain, rather stupid woman if only he
could find one who was amiable.
The trip to Saratoga consumed six
hours in the year when Marthen first
n ade it; and as one-siXth of this time
has often been sufficient to the birth
of violent admirations of men for
women, it is not remarkable that when
the Journey ended Marthen was so ia
vorably impressed by his new ac
quantance that he regretted on leay
ing the train, that he had not strained
his habitual courtesy enough to learn
her name and ask the honor of being
again allowed to meet her, for she had
let drop the fact that she was a widow.
1t was now too late to do that, but not
too late TO hope; he was sure of find
ing friends at Saratoga; he could
hardly help seeing her somewhere
somehow, if he remained, for she had
intimated that she expected 10
spend a month with some rela-
tives; his profession consisted in the
work of overcoming obstacles, so he
felt sure he would make his way again
to the side of this pleasing little lady
and perhaps
His reverie and resolution were in
terrupted as he signed the hotel
register, for when the clerk read the
signature that official winked at a
rather rough-looking man with whom
he had been talking; then the rough
looking man read the signature and
exclaimed
You're just the man Pm looking
for, Mr.. Marthen; I've only Just been
able to find out where you were stop