The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1888-01-04
A CLEVER CAPTURE.

AT three o'clock one morning twenty
years ago was on a railroad train going
from Portage, Wisconsin, to Milwaukee.
had been out on some private detective
work for parties in the latter city, and
had succeeded so we'll that was both
happy and sleepless. This was the rea-
son Twas not in sleeping car, fast held
in the arms of slumber, instead of oc-
cupying seat in the comnfore oach, with
my eyes very wide open and my wits all
about me.
may say, without egotism, that am
an observing man. There are others in
plenty, but the greater half of humanity
go through life with their eyes half shut.
My father was Sheriff for many years,
and, as boy, he taught me to observe
and remember. If went down town or
out for walk, had to tell him, when
got home, who and what l had seen.
On one occasion, for failing to report a
loose horse had seen in the road, l got
a sound thrashing, and again, for failing
to report a street fight, my liberty was
taken away for four days. can thus
truthfully say to you that had the habit
Of observation licked into me, while ma
ture had kindly furnished me with very
retentive memory. By and by / began
to study human character as profession,
and liked it. learned to read mems
characteristics by their faces, and their
thoughts by their actions, and on two
occasions this faculty 0f perception pre-
vented Jail deliveries.
- fwns wide awake, as have told you,
when the train stopped at a country
station on signal. 1t barely csme to a
standstill, and only one passenger got
aboard. The car was pretty well filled,
and such OF the passengers as had seats
alone were stretched out in sleep. / had
sized up every one near me, and had
counted up two honest old farmers, a
drover, two milliners, a mechanic and
family, and a house painter who was
evidently going TO the city for work.
No one seemed to notice the entrance OF
the new passenger. 1t was in October,
and he had on fall overcoat. He carried
heavy valise in one hand, and he came
down the aisle, looking from right to
left until he finally reached my seat /
moved TO the window as a hint that |
was ready to share it with him, but he
hesitated for long minute, and looked
at me sharply three or four times before
he finally sat down. The satchel he
placed between his feet. He had not
uttered word, and after sitting down
he seemed to forget all about me.
"Hello but l have found two-legged
hog" said to myself after a bit. 'I
offered him half my seat of my own fee
will, and he seems to be mad becVE ]
did not surrender it all. Old fefow,
you are an II. O.G., and no mistake. Let
me look you over Bit"
leaned back against the window, pre-
tended to shut my eyes and resume my
nap, aud then inventoried the fellow.
He had hard, cruel face ON him, and
felt sure he was man with little mercy
In his heart. had not been looking at
him over two minutes when | saw that
he was taking sly glances at me, and that
he was quite anxious about the satchel.
In the course of five minutes he turned
around and gave me q thorough looking
over, and / read in the gesture of his
hand and the toss of his head that he
said to himself:
Bah! Why should l be afraid OF
him ~
His dress was that of barkeeper-
rather fiashy. The jewelry he wore gave
him away as well. If he was not bar
keeper he was at least the owner of q
saloon, and, from his build, l judged
him to be pugilist of more or less local
fame. After one general look at his
dress, | began at his collar TO make a
closer inspection. His shirt collar kept
working up to annoy him, and ] said to
myself that the button was gone and he
had fastened il with pin. In his twist
ing around ne pulled his overcoat back,
aud | saw that the top button on his an
der coat had been pulled out by violent
jerk, leaving a hole in the cloth. The
coat was new, and it would take heavy
wrench to pull the button out that way.
/ followed his arm down to his right
hand, aud across the back of il was a
long scratch. Ii was fresh scratch, foI
the marks of blood still fingered, My
eyes dropped to the strangers right leg
and / saw that his knee was damp and
soiled. He had certainly fallen on the
ground. might have reasoned that he
had met with a very common accident,
but didn't. said to myself
"Old fellow, you hive locked horns
with somebody to get mussed up this
way. 1t is scrape you don't want
known, for you keep throwing anxious
! glarces at me. If il was only an acci-
dent you'd get up and fix that collar,
/ growl little over the SPOT on your knee,
and cuss the railroad company for having
4 depot plstform unprotected by a rail
inc at the ends Wonder what you've