Smyrna times., 1889-10-09
An Humble Apology.
BY NJ. QUAD.

BY NJ. QUAD.
lowe "Mr. Perkins, of New JERSEY.
an apology, and here goes to apolC
glze. l have owed it to him thre
weeks, but wanted to wait until sur
there was no mistake. When Vol
apologize to man without owing hin
an apology you produce confusion an,
embarrassment, and while you discove
that you didn't really owe him anv
thing he gets the idea that YOU hav,
played dirt on him without his knowl
edge.
was going up to New York from
seashore resort when Mr.. Perkins
asked to share my seat. AS there wer,
several empty ones in the car his re
quest seemed rather queer and begaI
to look him over. Inside of two min
utes made up my my mind that he
was bad man. He had the genera
cut of a confidence man, and it didn'
hatter me a bit that he had picked me
out for a hayseed.
Nice day." suggested Mr.. Perkins
Going up to the city?
Live there?"
"NO."
| thought l saw his face brighten al
this information, and / was now posi-
lively settled in my convictions We
talked ofthis and that for awhile, and
he finally asked if l didn't want to Dlav
few games of euchre. l hesitated
awhile, as good euchre player always
does, and as a Western man should
and then consented. l fully expected
this was the prelude to the three.card
monte business, and l thought out a
little speech full of D.? d? &? and
which l meant to deliver at the
proper time. However, Mr.. Perkins
kindly permitted me to win nine games
out OF the ten games we played, and
furthermore he payed Michigan a high
compliment. Said that it was no Won
der our clergymen had calls at $1,000
per year, our apples were shipped all
over the world, and that our murder
record beat any other state in the
Union.
Mr.. Perkins could not deceive me bv
his hOneyed words and bland smiles.
kept weather eye on his every
movement and when he expressed
anxiety to hear my history l refused
to go back over ten years. Even when
he asked me for the time of day l was
on my guard and replied that carried
worthless old watch around for the
pleasure Of working So chain. When
he brought the conversation around to
money matters | was on to him at
once, and | gently conveyed the idea
that l was almost dead broke and had
got to telegraph home for the few dollars
that l had hidden in the kithen clock
before leaving home.
l hoped that | had proved to Mr..
Perkins that | was no green pasture in
which he could frisk, but he was a per
severing mau. When we got to New
York l Iexpected to get rid of him bv
saying that l was going over to Brook
Iyn for hotel accommodations, but he
promptly replied:
Well, as | never stopped over there
yet, and being as you are good COM
pany, l guess I'll go over there too"
Then l suddenly changed my mind
and told him guessed I'd 60 to the
Westminster as the proprietor was
friend and always gave me
the only room without a fire escape.
Then Mr.. Perkins smiled sweetlv and
replied:
lie is also my personal friend, and
he'd feel grieved if l didn't also stop
with him."
The result was that both of us went
to the Westminster. Mr.. Perkins
wanted little more time to angle for
me. He was in no hurry and could
wait his time. registered first, and
then what did he do but get a room
right next to mine. This seemed to
prove that Mr.. Perkins had three or
four professions. He might be a monte
man, a con. man, pick pocket and "A
robber, and l got out my revolver and
loaded it. and determined to do him
mortal injury ifhe worked his way in
on me.
After dinner l walked down one hall
and up another, lodged the elevator.
went down a pair of back stairs and
went out by the ladies entrance. This
was to avoid Mr.. Perkins; but had
scarcely touched the sidewalk when he
came up to me in his sweet and gentle
way and said
You are going out, and l shall be
only too glad to accompany you. There
are bad men in Gotham, and Won
might come to harm"
l was badly taken down, but I told
him to come on. The idea came TO
me to walk him to death. therefore
set out for the big bridge, walked him
down to it, across it, back and down to
,he Battery, then down to Union
square, and while l was so tired l had
20 fall upon a bench, he was as a fresh
IS daisy. He said he was used to
about fifteen miles everv
morning before breakfast. 1t was evil
lent that he counted me his victim and
The thought angered me. l was de-
-ermined to get rid of him somehow.
and l said l must go to the telegraph
office. He said he guessed he'd 90
over with me and send a disnatch about
some business, and so l didn't 90. /
1idn't want an open row with him.
ana 1t was an hour or more before for
June came to my aid. A detective
whom l knew by sight and name hap
Dened along the walk, and l excused
myself from Mr.. Perkins and halted
The official and told him my suspicious
and convictions.
Eyes, he does look fly" answered
-he detective, land it won't do anv
hurt to run him in, and see who he is"
When Mr.. Perkins was told to come
along he looked at me so reproachfullv
that l almost felt sorry for him, but
Justice must be done though the heav-
ems fall. He walked off with the Of
icer, and breathed a sigh of relief,
and took ramble for an hour. Just as
got back to the hotel l saw Mr.. Per-
kins and the detective enter. When l
followed l heard the landlord ex
planning:
u assure you that you are mistaken.
have known him fifteen years. He
s as straight as string"
Mr.. Pei kins was thereupOn released
from custody, and he looked at me
with sad face as he passed upstairs"
us he all right ?" / asked of the
andlore.
why, certainly. Best fellow in the
world"
"You know him personally, then Pn
81 should say !"
''But who is hep"
"Why he owns about half of Pater-
son, good slice of Trenton, and can
draw his check for 50 1000, ,OOO."
got my grip and left the hotel, and
went uD to YOnkers In stav all ni0bf