Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-08-08
| STRANGER IN THE CITY,
BY P. DEFINING.


His name was Golden. He had been in town
two days. He was tall and gaunt, with shock
of gray hair, and q voice like an ice-wagon
rum bling over q cobble-stone pavement II
was in the parlor of Mrs. Changers boarding
house in Jay street, Albany. Only Golden, our
genial landlady, and myself were present.
As we gathered around the winter evening
fire, Golden continued his narrative. He had
already told us that he was brought up "under
the caves" of the Green Mountains, that his
sister Jane had inspired him while he was yet a
boy with desire for education, and that he
had with her help managed to get halfway
through college. Continuing his story, he said:
1t was that shortness of funds that brought
me to Albany thirty-one years ago. The under
standing was that might take a stop-of ticket
for two years; and then, with plenty of money,
which / expected to earn in the mean time,
Jane and / calculated that the rest OF my col
lege course would be splendid run, ending
with a magnificent finish in black broadcloth
on commencement day-my clothes thereto
fore having been satinet and fustian.
You ought to understand first where came
from. Perhaps you have never been on the
Green Mountains. might as well tell you that
what you cannot see of the Kingdoms OF this
world and the glory OF them from the top of old
Mansfield is not worth talking about. On one
side you have New Hampshire and the White
Mountains, and on the other Vermont and
Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks. That
tells the whole story, although remarks
are in order, If any one is SO disposed. might
suggest as an item of interest that the noun
tain itself is covered with rocks, spruce trees,
Our folks lived at the foot of Mansfield, on
the Vermont side. We called it twenty miles
70 Bu mr r on Lake Champiain and tina.
who did business in Albany managed 1t with
some Of your city men so that got place as
teacher In one of your public schools. And
then down came, as unsopbisticated as you
can imagine, but desiring and resolving to be
the best and most faithful Instructor I'D the
world had never seen large place before; l
was stranger in the city.
But am happy. to report that my teaching
was success. l liked my scholars, and they
liked me. / must state, however, another point
which was not so favorable. i will preface it by
saying that you have habit of blackening
characters here without much hesitation. Pub.
lie men are usually the sufferers. Perhaps I
was public man in a very small way. But,
however that may have been, my point is that,
guileless and innocent as was, had not been
here quite nine months when got "a slap with
the tar-brush that marked me, apparently, for
life, and scared me almost out of my senses. /
do not say how far human beings were to blame
in my case. Perhaps the total depravity OF in-
animate things had something to do with it.
You have noticed that depravity of all kinds is
where.
What am trying to get down to is this: they
charged {. me here with stealing. That was what
true. The idea that had stolen thirteen dol
lars in bank bills out of the office of my friend
G Gapr Bowl STOW, who was shipper down on the
scholars and their parents and others. The
first hint had of it was from my pupils. They
began to treat me with disrespect amounting
almost to contempt, and some of them made
illusions to pirates and to Capt. Brown which
did not see the force Of When Information
was asked for they evaded my inquiries. 1t
was impossible for me to understand the situa-
tion. Day by day, however, it became more
certain that something was wrong, although
/ finally ascertained what the trouble was
rom vermont man named Avery, whose ac-
quaintance had made in the city. He did not
seem inclined TO tell me when first questioned
him, hut finally disclosed the facts. 1t appeared
that Captain Brown had been sitting in his
office one morning with thirteen dollars before
him upon his desk, waiting to pay the money
to a mechanic, who was to come at an appointed
hour. In the meantime the captain was read
ing a volume that you may have heard Of 1t
trated with hideous wOOdcuts, and the nara
tives are of a painful and revolving character
1t Is due to Captain Brown to say that he was
not reading such a work solely for mis- own
amusement He was lamenting the fact that
his nephew, Orlando Smith, should have
a Al, fondness for such literature, The boy;
remarkably vigorous, was wild enough and
bad enough without such reading. Just as the
gcse in the book
heard an unusual noise outside, ON the river or
the dock. He placed the thirteen dollars in
them, and leaving the volume, with the money
thus protected, on his desk, went out and
walked TO the brink of the river. he was alb
sent fifteen minutes, but did not at any time
lose sight of his office door. Your humble SER
want, on his morning walk, was the only indi-
vidual who entered that door. So the captain
empty, and the book and the money were gone.
As frequently dropped in to say good
morning and asked the news, my friend
saw me step i'll, and out again Immediate
ly. had not seen him because he was par
TALLY hidden behind some boxes piled on the
ma ri fnr & Ho had it%o
go on my way without making his proximity
known. 1t was inferred that took the book
at snH money! e one else had entered the
ence seemed to be unavoidable. But the cap
tain was generous man, and considering my
youth and position, had intended to keep the
matter q secret 1t had, however, leaked out,
perhaps, through his family, or through the
no echanic who had come to Browns Office for
had disappeared. The people had got hold of
the story in some way, and were suspecting me-
AS Avery related these circumstances I
became hot with anger. The idea that any one
should dare to suspect me of stealing seemed
wicked, incredible, and vile. My first impulse
was to hasten to Brown and demand Of him, in
the upbraiding tone OF injured innocence
whether he was not ashamed OF his outrageous
and dastardly charge against my sacred integ-
to come when should see him wither
beneath the scOrn and contempt which would
pour out upon his miserable soul.
Avery cooled me down. / think that nv
flaming eyes and the Recommendations I made
must have convinced him of my innocence;
but he did not think they would have that eff
feet upon the captain. He suggested that IL
pitched into Brown, as / had threatened I
would shortly find myself in jail. The circuin-
stances would justify my arrest at any mo-
ment. Avery limited that he had already
talked with Captain Brown about my affair,
and that If wished to get clear had better
not provoke q man who vas already sore over
the loss OF thirteen dollars. He remarked that
the evidence was squarely against me, and that
while TINS might be my misfortune and not my
ii.
1 was compelled to feel that even Avery was
not quite clear in reference to my innocence,
think, upon the whole, he believed
me. Yet 1t was puzzling. The money had dis
from the office, and no one but my
self had been there. 1t was not easy to blame
even Avery for his doubts.
As reflected upon these circumstances and
realized the situation, o very uncomfortable
feeling stole over me. The shyness of friends
was accommodation, and the mystery in the air
was no longer without explanation. The deiec-
ton which began to experience was not les
sened by the Information which Avery volun-
feered, that Captain Brown would have con-
sented TO make complaint against me, and
would have permitted my arrest, had il not
been that he was u special friend OF the man
who had procured for me my situation as tea
cher 1t appeared that only friendship had
saved me from Jail.
As the result of Avery's statement of the
situation and his advice, I was reduced to
condition OF pitiable treInor. After left him
to 90 TO my room, it seemed to me that every
eye in the street was boring into me.
When / reached the small house which I
called home, and had assembled to the close and
mine (by the week., / found q letter on my
table. The terms of that epiStle were simple