The evening world., 1890-02-03
THE JAUNT OVER THE SEA.
A CHAT WITH THE WINNER or THE
GUESSING MATCH.

Something About the Gentleman
Who Was Successful in a Con-
test with a Million Competitors
He Will Take His wife t Europe
with Him.
Frank W. Stevens. the winner OF the free
trip to Europe for having guessed nearest
the exact time II took Nellie BLY, TO circum-
navigate the earth, was n pretty we'll pleased
man yesterday. lie learned Of his good for
tune at breakfast lime and was quite willing
to talk about IL when a WORLD man visited
him in the afternoon.
Mr.. Stevens il General Superintendent In
the house Of Bill h Caldwell. manufacturer
and jobbers IN hats, straw goods aud furs,
No. $50 Broadway. He is married and lives
with his wife at No. 1p3 Second avenue. A
couple of hours after he had read his name
in the SUNDAY WORLD he received the follow
ing telegram from one of his employers;
HraHk ". Stevens. 100 Second arsnn,. NJ T.
You are as good at guessing as you are at work.
ing. Accept my congratulations.
ALEXANDER CALDWELL.
Notlong after the reception of the telegram
a visitor was announced. This proved TO be
q gentleman from the interior Of the State,
and a stranger to Mr.. Stevens. He was very
bashful, and for q few minutes could hardly
explain the object OF his call. Indeed, MIR.
and Mrs. Stevens are still q little puzzled as
to its real intent,
Thought I'd like tor see ye," grinned
the caller, cause l read in The WORLD
paper that ye won that prize. Kinder felt
like comm up.
YES. " said Mr.. Stevens, very kind I'm
sure"
"Ya-as." went en- the gentleman from mp
country. - was guessin' on that thing
myself, but 1 didn't win it. Thought I'D
like to see the man what did. Guess Ill be
q goin'."
The stranger withdrew a little awkwardly,
evidently somewhat disappointed in not
having found the story to be q myth.
In answer to q query as to the means he
had employed to reach the result the fortu-
nate guesser replied that he had used no
regular system beyond occasionally con-
sulting a timetable.
Every evening after having read THE
WORLD, " said he, II cut out the coupon
and put a guess on it. 1 think | sent in
about fifty coupons in all. l watched Miss
Bly's progress as 1t was reported from day
to day and based my calculations on that.
All Of my first guesses were made on the
supposition that she would not reach Chi
cago in time to catch any other than the 8
o'clock train on Friday afternoon. which
would lave brought her here at o. so =. NJ.
When l saw that she would probably reach
Chicago in time to take that 10. 80 O'Clock
on Friday morning, l changed m calcula-
tons, and took chances. making q number
~ Aaa 49, q. NhA -l .Ns~Na fIAN l..
about all there was to it. / didn't go into
anything like a close study of time tables. ~
VIII you AXE the trip yourself or dele
IF / can get away from business l shall
go myself. :" was the reply, and IL / do ] will
take Mrs. Stevens with me, aad pay her ex-
the trip can be taken almost any time during
the Summer ~
This and other questions touching upon
the length Of the stay in London. Paris and
faction, and he was told OF the kindly offers
made by numerous pei sons who were
s sooS sep d. ? give " TSeI s sSss tbal SfanP;stsp 81 z
an infallible cure for sea sickness, who was
anxious TO have his. remedy tested; the
bother of q wonderful brand OF natural
should venture q mile from land; the com
FOUNDER OF a small but powerful, pill who
offered u quarter gross Of his product il the
winner would promise to take them; the
manufacturer OF ship chairs who wanted
to. testify his, appreciation of Nellie Bly,
achievement by donating one of his best
made chairs for the winners comfort. There
were many other well-meant proffers. some
of them OF utility and some OF them funny
enough to make Mrs. Stevens laugh heartily.
An e%nterprlsing photographer had sent to
Mr.. Stevens's house yesterday morning with
o proposition that the winner have his pho
tograph taken free OF charge. This was de-
clined with thanks.
The close aud successful guesser in the
Nellie Bly, contest is Q native OF Dover,
Duchess County, N. Y. He has lived in
this city about six years. His first engage
ment was with Hill Brothers wholesale
millinery house, No. sos Broadway. He
gave up this position to engage with Bill 4
Caldwell soon after the firm was formed,
and holds the responsible place of general
upetintenueI MI: s.eSens IN q young
address. He has never been abroad before,
and looks forward to the contemplated trip
with . good deal OF pleasure.