Middletown transcript., 1891-10-15

ulat0ly SCI OUT lOr Mdin6 10 b6t my =
self straight I made up my mind to
confront my accuser at once. OF
course all the proof | needed was to
announce myself as Henry Valentine
and not Harold Austin, except in 50
far as that was pen-name which /
had chosen from mere caprice.
II arrived at my destination about
six..o'clock in the evening, and went
directly to the Office of the newspaper
which had printed the accusation.
The editor, who was prepared for my
visit, appeared rather surprised when
| presented myself, and said be had
expected to see an older man. In
deed, be, was at first disposed TO be-
lieye that was an impostor, stating
that he had supposed that Harold
Austin was in his sixties, if not older.
After a little persiaage about youth
being fault to be overcome in time,
i convinced him of my identity, went
to the editors home, had dinner, and
then started with him for the house Of
my accuser, who persisted in her
statements, and asserted her willing
ness to make them to my face. We
arrived, and after waiting a few nom.
ents in the parlor, there entered q
rather fine looking woman whose
years were in the neighborhood of
seventy.
80 Her mother / thought to my
self. / wish l had been right. The
case would have been much less
mysterious had my accuser been q
younger woman. But my surmise
was not correct, for this woman was
herself my alleged playmate, who had
been with me in school when we both
we're ten years ofage, but who now
was forty years my senior. She
looked at me 10 amazement.
sc Y0u Harold Austin 2 she said.
That is nonsense. You are a mere
boy beside Harold Austin
"t But / am /" Harold Austin," my
dear madam / said, and I have
come here to see if we cannot come to
some understanding of this claim of
yours thatI have held up before the
public eye in remorseless fashion
the sorrows and trials Of old family
friends-of- whom, let me say to you
upon my honor, | never heard before
in my life.'
She was speechless for moment,
and then recovering, she began. She
told ME all about herself, all about
the Harold Austin she had known, all
about the persons named in my book.
Such details Of their troubles as I had
failed to imagine she narrated to me.
In fact, she very effectively set her
self right in my eyes as we'll as in
those Of the editor, and left me
wondering whether or not / was sane;
whether slept or no. She told me
little things that had happened in
connection with the people In my
book, which recognized as some Of
the fancies | had discarded in the
story and to cap the climax, !
swear to you that woman, who bad
played with me thirty years before /
was born, was, before her marriage to
her Maine husband. Morrowby Of
his town, and the people Ohose Epes I
supposed myself to haze fashioned,
together soth Harold dustin, resided
here as nesghbors together sigty gears ago.
We parted good friends, but mysti-
fed. could not understand it then,
nor can | now. The wcman's story
was true, for I verified it in every
particular, stopping here on my re-
turn to New York, and devoting two
days to that end.
+" Account for the first episode in
this town as due to slight mental
alteration account for the second as
co incidence, perhaps; but for the
combination, account for that you
cannot. It defes reason. That is
why sleeping ashore tonight is dis
tasteful to me. I am candidly afraid
of the consequences to myself. If
you wish to try it, go ahead"
"No, by Jove!' SAID Caddy,'
{" I'll not. I'm for weighing anchor,
and spending the night out in the mid
die of the Atlantic Ocean. This har-
Dor is little too close for me."-John
Hendrick Bangs.