Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-26
TALE OF A SHADOW,
Many a Merry Chase After'an Eccen.
trio Young New Yorker.
ON THE GO BOTH DAY AND NIGHT.
A Pretty Little Wife Paid the Bills, and
They We're Heavy.
THE DIVORCE DETECTIVES PUZZLE
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DISPATCH. !

! who makes a speciality of collecting eyi
dence on which to found case .or the leaa
separation of husband and wife Usual,
he is hired by the plaintiff sometimes lie j
in the pay OF both plaintiff and de endant
He is the custodian Of particular reputation
for the time being. If there is anybod,
| living upon a more despicable phase O
human nature, or has to do with a NOR
miserable feature of modern civilization
nobody could wish to see him.
"A man cannot be a divorce detectiy,
and ksaint at the same time" said one o
these individuals. Perhaps no one will dis
pute so sel-evident proposition.
Taking this man as he stood you coulc
entertain no doubt as to his status. He wa.
not saint. Nor were there any outward
evidences by which casual observer might
guess his calling: Yet he would have in
terested student d0human nature. Lean.
ing gracefully against the bar, very shor,
| stub of very bad cigar between his finger;
and thin volume of smoke curling upward
from between pair of thin lips, he was
ostensibly enjoying short beer.
NOT AN ATTRACTIVE CITIZEN.
His chin retreated almost too precipitately
for the prominent nose-a nose apparently
expressly designed or other peoples busi.
ness. The struggling whiskers seemed to
shrink from publicity, and the small keen
eyes, more modest still, peeped from hall
closed lids with cynical twinkle. There
was nothing in his attire to distinguish him
from the thousand who come and 90 in the
streets of large CITY.
The short beer having been duly disposed
of after the conventional manner of short
beers on the downward road to dissolution.
he accepted better cigar with an eanuied
air and remarked parenthetically, as if
there might be some doubt about it. that he
was no saint.
"But there are things in this business. F."
said he, 'that give a man a sort OF moral
twist, you see, when he comes home to his
wife and babies. Yes, 1 promised to tell
you something about il, but-thank you, I
invariably let nv cigar go QUIT lasts
longer-but, well'' hesitatingly-'I am
on the case now. The case is in this house.
Don't look around-the case is in this
ROOM"
THE SLICK MANS STORY.
1t required an effort not to turn around in
spite OF this injunction. The half closed
eyes were carelesslv roaming between the
cigar ash and the empty glass with which
his fingers toyed. The nearest persons were
seated at some small tables at the upper end
OF the .room. There were half dozen in
one noisy group and several more quiet
couples slipping beer beyond the alcove
arch.
''Thi. case is trying one-a devilish try
ing one I've been on it two months. 1t is
a paying case. for matter of that, but try
in IN + t6
first day. You see fellow wants to see his
way to something--something definite. 1t
is an important case to me-big reward at
the end OF 1t. And the end isn't in sight
not il sight.
eyes, the case is in sight-in sight all o.
the time-all the time it isn't in bed. Queer
easel Don't sleep much. Alwav. on the
go. I've chased it all over New York an
two other States. Fact! If Il ever felt a
persona. interest in a case before don't re-
member-don't remember. This case ab-
serbs me. 1 dream of it-yes, sir; dream of
of it: 1 Irever stop following it. L follow it
in my sleep, see?-iR my sleep. Not that 1
get much sleep.
IT WAS A PUZZLEg.
"At the end OF the first week 1 made up
my mind that it was q case of jealousy-iust
fool woman jealousy. At the end Of the first
month 1 thought the case was onto me, see?
Leading me around for Jun. But it takes
no notice of anybody. Just roaming
around night and day-night and day. In.
six weeks I thought it was crazy. Now
I'm pretty near crazy myself. While the
case tends to business down town every
day, it is about all I've been able to do-lo-
cate it. l can catch an hour or two's sleep at
our office while the case attends to business,
that's one advantageous great advantage.
For sometimes I'm up with the case all
night. You'd hardly believe my reports
I'm actually ashamed to make IN some
times-yes, sir, ashamed! They LOOK so like
lies. It's the Queerest case! Now look at
it-Gon't look right away-now!
''The man in the mackintosh?"
''That's the case! Broker-plenty of
money-Fiftieth street-brown stone-pretty
wile-no chlldren-lour clubs-drinks little
eats little or nothing-sleeps less. Got
something on his mind. When a man like
that gets something on his mind it's sure to
be a woman--perhaps two women. Yes
macintosh, silk hat and umbrella. Pale,
isn't he?"
THE DETECTIVES VICTIM.
A side view of "rhe case'' showed him to
be a gentleman of about 40, prematureIy
gray, clean cut profile, smooth face save
gray mustache5 complexion almost ghastIv.
He was apparently alone, though they were
two other gentlemen equally welldressed
at the same table engaged in earnest con-
versation.
Nov that macintosh and umbrella NAV
lead me all over creation yet, tonight One
night about this time, " looking at his watch,
"this case came up ffom a chump dinner,
takes horse car-yes, horse car-and
goes down to CORTLAND street-takes ferry
ticket Office on the other side-wants train
just gone west-buys ticket South-Balti-
off Wilmiagton-walks up one
street and down another-takes next train
back to New York and goes home. 1t was
nearly morning. 1 never lost sight of it two
sir; not two minutes! Next
day when 1 hanied in my report and bill
Of expenses they laughed at me-laughed at
mel She'll never allow that says my
boss. But she did. She believed me, too,
though L was afraid she wouldn't.
THE WIFE WASN'T SURPRISED.
"You see, she'd been following the case
herself. That was in the beginning. Now
I'm used to it. Nothing surprises me now.
II it should go or board a coaster in an hour
and sail for Savannah, or New Orleans, or
take the Boston limited north, it would be
all the same. I'd take it as a matter of
course. Only never knew this case to
miss day in Wall street-not one in these
two months. Business is the only thing
that seems to hold it in one spot. That over
it is as restless as the devil. I've seen it try
four theaters in one night and then run over
to Coney> and come back on the last boat.
"Crazy? Oh, no. She says it is as sane
as anbody. It's just way, see? 1t has
lots OF friends and they think it's all right.
A pair are with it now. There they go.