The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1885-10-07
TIE WRONG; MAN,
Working tho C"nii'i"ncc Grpc on an Old
New York soldier.

james Chit:cndcn is II wcl!-to-do
farmer Of western New York, who
fought under Gen. Grant, and who
came to the city To pay the last sad
tribute to the memory o! his old COM
mandcr. Time iias whiirncd the LONG
hair which streams over his coal-collar,
and long bending ut the pIuw has int
parted Il StoOp to his broad shoulders:
but his face is ruddv with health, and
his step rs firm and Spr.n.y us ever,
whitc his arm is as strong and his
glance us bright us when he lrst shoul-
dcrcd II muskrt. Many eyes were
turned upon him rs he sauntcrcd sadly
down broadway on his way to the city
hall yesterday afternoon n his travel
stained linen duStcr, needless OF the
clamor ot the passing crowds and the
din of car-bclls and carranc-N Nhnrls.
sorrowlul expression clo,iictI Tho
benevolent countcnancc Of the veteran.
and he was walking along slowly near
Canal street, saddcncd by thoughts of
days that were gOnr, when he WAS as
tonShcd by cordial salulalion from II
slim, dudish youth, who suddenly smil-
cd up ut him and waved ut him an am
brosial hand giittcring with rings:
why, bless my soul. Mr.. Smith,"
exclaimed this product of lattcr-day
civilization in the most honoycd tones,
'who ever would have thought Of see
ing you? This is indeed an uncxpccl-
cd pleasure.
MIR. Chittcndcn for n moment was
taken aback. He surveyed the new
conner from the crown o. his white tile
to The points Of his dainty patcnt-lcath-
CT shoes and saw at once that he was
an entire stranger; but he loves II iokc,
and twinkle showed in his clear
gray eye rs ho replied with quiet
smile
"My name is not Smith; it's
Brown"
Inc dudlsh young man bowed his
most fashionable bow and ut once pass
ed on, with proiusc apologies for his
mistake, and Mr.. Chittcndcn again
pursued his way. He had stopped
laughing ut his little adventure and
had rclapscd into his former train Of
meditation when he was second time
accoStcd Dy another apparition in 4
standing collar and cuils, and Il voice
even moro unctuou5 than the first, sa-
iutcd him ;,s "Nlr. Brown" Whether
MIR. Chittcndcn's faith in human nature
had been shaken by his first encounter,
or whether his love of Il joke again i'm
PEELED him, he does not now remember
but inc Immediately seized the hand
extended TO him and shook it with COR
dial violence, uttcring ut the same time
the warmcst greetings.
"llow do you find yourself my dear
est tricndP There, stand OF so | can
look at YOU" cried tho cxuberant
farmer, emphasizing every word by
tightening his grasp Of the strangers
hand "PicaScd to see me? The pleas
urc is mine, sir, entirely mine Only
to think Of its buin" YOU! " hat, come
to sec the funeral? How cons .,,crutc
of you, ch?"
"Oh, yes, and-and all that sort OF
thing" replied the other, his smile Il
little fainter and his tone little less
cordial than ut first. "Why, what an
all'cctionatc fellow YOU are, Mr..
Brownp"
Aye, lad; cordiality runs in our
fami j." rcjoinod the farmer, c,osino
his fingers relcntlcssly and working
his arm like tho handle of y force,
pump; - firm hand shows n warm
heart. Ailcctionatc? Well, reckon
l am. None of your loose grips for
ii". 'icS' u iiichu us Il iIlcnu, L say,
and don't be backward in showing
your friendship. Why. how well you
look: l should never havo known
YOU"
lime does alter one, it's true.
There, there, Mr. Brown; have been
suffering with 4 sore hand, if you would
kindly y"
Don't mention il, sonny; don't
mention it. Nothing like exercise to
keep good blood circulating. | can
never control myself at the sight of an
old friend. We'll, well, only to think
that it's you. How -how-you'vo
growcdr'
Eyes. indeed, and that reminds mo
I've an important engagement, and
l see have no time to lose, so if you'll
just excuse mo"
But Mr. Chittcnden is not the man
to part from old friends so hastily, and
so he only jcrked the arm of his new
acquaintance the harder, renewing his
expressions OF delight. BY this time
the thing was getting serious. Tho
would-bc confidence man was capcrino
with pain. and struggled in the vice
like grasp Of the stalwart rustic like
lobster in the clutches of IN octopus.
His face and lips were colorlcss, and
his brow strcamcd with cold pcrSpira-
tlon. His eyes stood out like sauccrs.
His collar broke loose his hat fell of,
and the light seemed TO have faded out
OF his life. The agony depicted on his
face was not lcsscncd when he saw
that crowd was gathering; and tho
farmer released him only after n final
wrench which nearly tore tho willy
sharpcr's arm from its socket.
What, going alrcadyP' exclaimed
Mr. Chittendcn, who had never turned
a hair and rather enjoyed the exercise.
well, well, you needn't be in such n
hurry" lie continued, in rcproachful
tone, as tho confidence man picked
himself up and dartcd around the cor
ner out of sight of tho approaching fig
ure in the helmet and brass buttons.
That's rather shabby treatment of an
old friend like mc--but hc didn't seem
so very glad TO SEQ me, after ALL" and
Mr. Chit'cnden bcamod bcnignly upon
the grinning bystanders and calmly
pursued his journey. -New YORK
World.