The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-10-06
Two Stories of Real Life.

On the 2jth of June last there sat at one
of the tables in the Hoffman cafe a man of
prodigious size. He was six feet six in height,
his neck was like column, his shoulders
three feet broad, and his chest swelled like
the bulge of hogshead. He was both a
gourmand and a gourmet. His face was
smooth shaven, cheeks bloated, but he had
pleasant smile and was the life of the party
with which he was dining. He was dressed
in good taste and in the latest fashion. He
wore rather conspicuous jewelry. He would
have been picked out for for a rather fast
club man. and he was. His home was in
Hartford, where he has lived some twenty
years the ideal life-for Hartford-of man
of the world He kept fast horses, there was
breath of comment always respecting his
relations with certain women, he was cool
poker player, he entertained as no other
bachelor in Hartford did and was regarded
by the lively young men there as the model
good fellow. At the same time business
a rich business family in Pittsfield, and
brought some $4,000 TO Hartford. He
tablshed and managed several manufacture
ing enterprises Last spring he went to st.
Louis with Edgar Wells in connection with
the purchase of the Wabash railroad system,
and his financial suggestions We're there
deemed worth considering. His name is
Plunkett, and he is now wanderer and
IA defaulter for many thousand dollars. He
has been living dishonesty no one knows
Plunkett ran away people in Hartford said
that another man was ruined by fast and
riotous living, and that such course of life
as Plunkett led was sure TO bring a man to
a diShonorable end.
That is one story. Now for another: d" On
the very day that Plunkett was dining and
wining at the Hoffman with his jovial
fashionable companions there hurried up
Broadway slender sharp-featured, sallow-
faced man who entered the st. James hotel
and seated himself in the lobby as though
awaiting some one. His clothes We're plain,
almost shabby. The front of his coat was
spotted as though he We're careless in his
eating His boots We're not well cleaned.
From under his bushy eyebrows there
peered, however, pair of very bright,
quick eyes, remarkably so for a man of his
apparent years-his age was plainly not far
from seventy. a prosperous business man
came into the lobby, and the respect with
which he treated the old man indicated that
the latter was person of some consequence
Notwithstanding his plain appearance The
conversation between them having been
finished, the old man went to the cloak
room, called for basket, and then retiring
to "a secluded place took out some bread and
butter and cakes and ate his frugal meal.
He had spent the night at a reputable but
cheap lodging hotel, and he had brought
food enough in a basket from his home TO
sustain him for two days. Yet this man was
a power in the financial world. He was re-
nuted to be worth a million. He had served
on railroad directories with such men as
Samuel j, Tiden. He was president of
half a dozen great corporations and his
credit was so great that banks eagerly ac-
cepted his paper and called IT gilt edged.
Men accepted his financial views as the best
to be had, and his name and experience
alone had tioated more than one company
from embarrassment TO success. lie, IKE
Plunkett, was a Hartford man; but, unlike
the younger man, he was person of singu-
larly correct habits in private life. His food
was of the plainest. He never knew the
taste of wine or stronger spirits He never
used tobacco. He never had fast horse.
He never visited theatres, nor, in fact, ever
allowed himself milder forms of social
pleasures. He was very active in his church,
which he almost carried on his shoulders.
He was frequent delegate to "A missionary
and charitable gatherings He was an en-
thusiastic member of the White Cross
League, and made many addresses in favor
of active efforts to reclaim fallen women
and to punish unchastity in men When
in New York, where he spent much of his
time he always declined invitations of his
business colleagues to participate in dissipa-
tons, harmless or otherwise, and he was
everywhere regarded as man of model
life This was George NJ Bartholomew,
and last week he, too, was admitted de-
faulter for some $4,000, taken from the
funds of the great Charter Oak Insurance
Company, of which he was president. He
has fled like Plunkett, though Bartholo-
news hiding-place is known and Plnnkett's
is not His dishonesty has involved several
corporations will cripple probably number
of banks, and cause loss to many individ-
uals,-Sun.
Ono of the curious effects of the Charles