The Washington critic., 1886-03-09
A CLUB MANS STORY.


81 am going to tell you a story of
real lifc," said friend TO me in the
club the other night--a friend who has
lived in many countries, and seen very
much of the world.
"Many years ago was living in fur.
nishod apartment in Paris. One day
my servant brought me the card of Mr..
Charles Dumont. The name was not
known TO me, but told him to show
the gentleman in. a tall and very
good looking fellow entered. lie was
extremely well dressed, and | noticed
particularly that he wore three very
handsome malachite studs and sleeve
buttons of the same material. He ad-
dressed me in u frank and hearty man
ncr
You do not know me. Mr.. -
he said, but we ought to be well nc
quain,cd, for ] am Il nephew of your
old friend Colonel Charles Merritt of
New Orleans, and have heard him
speak so often and 50 warmly about
you, that | cannot regard you as u
stranger
II was extremely prepossessed by the
you fellows appearance, and delighted
to meet countryman of good connec
ton and with time on his hands.
1--WE soon became very intimate, and
were much together for some weeks
thenceforward Dumont was a very
accomplished and agreeable man, and
j found him most excellent company.
Zone day, returning from journey
! received a call from u sergent de Vile.
had no idea what he could want with
me, but soon learned.
Pardon, Monsieur said he, L am
sorry to trouble you, but do you know
one Nj. Charles Dumont?'
"'Yes, very well;' said I.
"May ! ask if you knew him well in
American
II was about to answer that did,
when l suddenly lecollected that did
not know him well in America. So |
said, i knew his family and friends
there very we'll
II regret to inform you, Monsieur,
said the officer, that he is in custody,
and that his extradition for the crime
of forgery is demanded by the United
States. Will you so with me and see
him?'
"Of course l assented, and in short
time, and after elaborate formalities, |
was taken to a cell in the prison of ST.
Pelagic, where | found my new ac-
quaintance apparently in excellent
health and spirits, and jauntily wear
ing his malachite studs.
"l am sorry to see you here, said
]. How can such shocking mistake
have been madeY'
"'It was no mistake at all, said he,
standing erect, and with perfect cool.
ness; 4 am guilty!
"'Good heaven! What do you
mean?' / cried.
=. -" i will tell you, said he. 4 have
deceived you. My name is not Du-
mont at all. 1t is Ashley. l am the
son of an English gentleman, and
lived in Wisconsin until IL place was
offered me as clerk in commission
house in New Orleans My work was
hard and my salary small; but al
ways dreamed of the day when |
would be rich and assume my rightful
position in society. In this direction
was desperately ambitious. One day
the devil tempted me. / was sent to
| the bank with check for fourteen
dollars The humor seized me to alter
| it, as joke, TO one for fourteen thou
sand. did this in the presence of the
cashier. assure you | had not the
slightest idea but that the teller-would
notice the alteration, and take the
thing us ] meant it. To my infinite
| surprise he handed me the $4,000.
When the money was in my hand, it
suddenly occurred to me that my op-
portunity had come. a steamer was
| to sail for Havana in an hour, and on
that steamer ] took my passage, hav-
| ing just time to reach the wharf,
without luggage. From Cuba went
to Spain, then came to Paris. have
been here some time. have stayed
| too long, and suppose some one has
thus recognized me. No matter, |
have enjoyed myself to the full, AMI
now ! must pay the piper. | have
only one favor to ask you. am II
gentleman. Do not let me be ironed
/ give my word not to jump over
| board or try to escape in any way.
And, by the way, of the $4,000
which brought here l have just
81 600 left. You will find it hidden
behind the pier glass in my apartment,
where it escaped the vigilence of the
police. 1t will just about suffice to
pay the bills of which / hand you n
list, and / beg you to attend to this
matter for me.
There was little for me to say. |
promised to do what he wanted, and |
babe him good.by. In few days he
was duly eXtradited.
Three years later | was seated in
my house In ST. Louis when gentle.
man was announced; and, to my sur.
prise, in walked Mr.. Ashley, alias Du.
mont, neat as new pin and wearing
the malachite studs. | looked at him
in speechless astonishmcnt,
"l thought you were in the peni
tentiary,' said |.
"Oh, nop said he, i was only in
jail and have never been tried. The
cashier of the bank died suddenly, and
there was no one to prosecute. The
jailer and became great friends. lie
was Il Know-nothing and tremendous
partisan, and much interested in thai
movement. wrote articles for him,
and was useful to him in many ways
One day he said to me: The door OF
this Jail is open. Why do you no
walk out? did so, and here am.
have no money, and want to earn an
honest livelihood, win you help IN,
to do SOP
"Dumont, said /, you cannot pos.
sibly stay here, with Il crime hanging
over you. There is just one thing foi
you to do. will buy you some clothes
and pay your railroad fair to New
York. l will write you letter TO &
man there who will at once forward
you to General Walker in Nicaragua
and will give you an introduction tc
my friend llemingsen, who is with him
Throw yourself heart and soul into thC
service, and you ought to be an officer
in three months. If they succeed you