Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-01-07
A BLIGHTED CAREER.

10 not know now soon this history Will
he given TO the world. 1t may be very soon,
or perhaps years will elapse before mankind
understands the great enigma that 1 have
sought TO solve-the enigma of my existence
As yet the riddle is not read-the mystery
may last my lifetime, and then scientists and
professional men can investigate the strange
circumstances that have been mine, and ar
rive at their own several conclusions regard.
ing them Then the world can read these
pages and speculate upon them. But not
until l am wholly free from this horrible
curse, will give the record of my blighted
career for publication. 1t may help, it can't
possibly hinder. At present, however, / am
suffering untold misery. am just %, of mod
crate height, with spare mustache and side
whiskers of a sandy hue. 1t is not that,
though, which worries me; it is the unfor-
tunate resemblance 1 bear to half Of man.
kind (the half that do not take after being
the weaker sex).
When i was years old was the living
image Of my mother; at 8, was a miniature
edition Of my father, and few years later
might have passed for the re-incarnation of
the First Napoleon. L did not of course, offer
any objections at that time, but when got
older it was extremely unpleasant to have
every caller see in me the Likeness to some
great me-. Even my actions were apparent
ly copied after some one and the family tired
of hearing that l walked like Gen. Grant,
that held my head like the Prince of Wales,
or that l played the piano as Mozart did
when boy. l gave up playing the piano,
but unfortunately could not dispense with
walking or holding my head in any other
way than Nature made me.
At school, if | carried off prize, IL was In
ba "a m Ia nla ma a
pupil had done, or if I was lazy, 1 was
just like some COMPOUNDED drone that had
pIgSse' sss1ne. 1t has always been mystery
thine why people could not have acted or
done differently before l was placed upon
this mundane sphere where seem to follow
their idiosyncrasies.
OCTOBER 3, 1887.
This thing has been going on for some
time, but it is only recently that the dread
full state of my existence has fully dawned
upon me- Before l could not realize tit
all seemed some horrible mistake-but now
the blow falls with crushing force, and it is
all too, too real.
Last week, the time hanging heavy on my
hands, crossed over to Long Island City to
take the train to Far Rockaway, where sew
eral of my friends are spending the early fall
As l stood in the low dingy waiting room
man flashily dressed in a check suit, heavy
jewelry and all that goes to make up a
sport" rushed up to me and thrusting a
twenty dollar bill into my hands muttered
some excuse about being SO long in paying
and was off. Perhaps did not exert myself
to stop him, for the rarity of such an occur
renee rendered me speeches. for the mo-
ment, and when at last recovered myself
my unknown debtor was out of sight.
ba to ha al
over the strange way in which l became
twenty dolla richer, and am afraid that I
responded in an distracted manner to the
warm greetings of my friend who met me at
the depot. For day or two had plenty to
do and life was as serene and pleasant as pos
sible. But my Nemesis still pursued me, and
yesterday us lay on the shore watching the
restless waves and INDUCING in peaceful
dreams heard a sound as of subdued sob
bling near me and looking up beheld two old
ladies gazing intently at me and bathed in
tears. 1t occurred to me that might be the
innocent cause of their grief, and as it was
the first time in my experience that had oc-
casioned anything of the kind Immediately
inquired the reason. Great heavens learned
that one of them saw in me the features
of her departed son, and the other
wept because | was the counter
part of her first husband My apollo
gies awaited nothing. don't see how
was TO blame anyhow, as their symptoms In
creased at each word of mine, and finally
was obliged to beat hasty retreat Long
Island, with two old ladies' each of whom
wished to claim me as O deceased relative,
was too much for me. I invented some sort
Of excuse to my friends, packed my valise,
and took the train for the city, stopping long
enough in the village to have my whiskers
shaved off.
AS got out at Thirty-fourth street ferry
young and pretty girl espied me from the
other end, and rushed across the room. Be-
fore could guard myself her two arms were
around my neck, and she had kissed me two
or three times, thinking, as soon discovered,
that was her betrothed for whom she was
waiting. l would not have cared much for
that, but the real fellow turned up just then,
and barely escaped thrashing. Indeed,
think that he would have whipped me then
and there, but for the fact that was larger
than he
When reached my room my mind was in
q state bordering on distraction. felt wat
Q doomed man. The dread reality had sud-
denly come upon me, and l paced up and
down like Gagged beast. Could nothing be
donel felt as though l were under spell,
and really wished for the good old days
when witches were burned at the stake. /
might then have picked out an enemy as
having bewitched me, and had the pleasure
of seeing her slowly sizzle in a broiling fire. |
These were my feelings then, but am usu-
ally an uncommonly peaceful man, and
haven't an enemy, to my knowledge, living |
or dead. A black cloud seemed TO have gath |
cred about me, and 1 felt as though were |
living in an uncertain existence like that as |
cribed to Buddha, neither sleeping, waking, |
nor in trance. rang the bell at this juno |
ture for the porter, who acted as a sort Of |
valet. He came up smiling and bowling |
After giving him some trivial order l dis |
missed him, feeling somewhat Quilted, for he, |
at least, had recognized me.
At the dinner table seemed to everybody |
to be the same as usual and improved |
greatly in spirits decided to go out |
that evening Strange chance caused
me to pick up an invitation that 1 had |
received to an impromptu party given that
night, and decided to accept it. Some little |
time was consumed in dressing, and got 20 |
the house late, The hostess, Mrs. Parker,
greeted me warmly. SPY the way, Mr.. |
Stevens she said, after her welcome, ''there
is some one here want you to meet-Miss
Earle, charming GIRL will introduce you
later" Another arrival then claimed her
attention, and l was left to myself CHANGING
over the large parlors, saw that knew
nearly every one there, and decided that a
particularly striking girl, standing to one