Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-10-28
ANNAPOLIS Md WEDNESDAY EVENING, OCTOBER %,
A MISTAKE ALL AROUND.
"SWEET WILLIAM" WAS WANTED,
NOT THE OLD MAN.


Trine Mixsd-A Detroit Free Press
Mans E1psrIsnes.
Ihad beeen detailed by the firm, SAYS o
Free Press writer, to go out into the
country in search OF young man named
William Jones and acquaint him with the
fact thar he had been left 5000, 900 by an
uncle just deceased in Australia Our
firm had the task of finding William and
setting him on his throne of presumed
happiness and afiluence, and had learned
that the young man was engaged in that
capacity commonly known as "hired
man. on small farm near the village Of
Bilin' erik.
secured a horse and rig and drove OF I
in the glorious fall sunshine through
long lanes, where the leaves were russo
gold and bright yellow, and scarlet, an
finally came TO the "farm." went u
to the house and discerned young man
in gray shirt. homespun pants, and an
ultra porous straw hat, reclining in the
sunshine, neaI the trent door, sucking 4
corncob pipe. He did not otier aLy
apology for being th~ 0, merely gazing at
me in vacant way that told me his
thoughts were beyond the bowl OF the
corncob, SO began conversation by re.
marking:
is there q young man employed here
uameh William7"
Seems to ME there is, was the Ioply
Is his name Jones:" inquired.
"Maybe-I dunno"
"Hes your hired man, amt nef"
II dunno-ask pop.
SIS your father round7" I inquired
desperately, after pause.
Maybe dunno"
SLOW tall is he?"
III dunno.-medium I guess Bout
five foot six or six foot five--somethin
like that. What's he done?"
"Done?n
"Yes; what dye want ter see i'm
fer!"
"Oh, well, he's dropped into $2O0,OO0
md | want 20 interview him." an.
swered.
The boy took his corncob from his
mouth, opened his 81 .epy eyes, stared at
me, tried to gather in the outskirts of his
mouth to eliminate a whistle, failed, and
finally said:
"The ole sinnerl You-do-o ont
ay---"
Perhaps he isn't the right man. "
Eaid carelessly. "Is he fairp"
"Fair?"
"Yes--complexion, mean, and hair.
Is no dark?"a
On. iniddlin'; bout medium, I
guess.
SCOT any hair9"
"Hair?n
"Yes, hair.
"Well, now, guess you have me. No
seems to me he's balder'n that stone +"
II mean hair on his face-any whis-
kers or beard?"
"Oh, whiskers Well, now, I think he
has kind o. whisker. Wouldn't like to
,ay sure bout that.
ANY particular feature or character
tstic about him that would distinguish
him from any one elseT"
"Eh?" The pipe suspended connection
with the mouth, and the lower jaw
dropped.
"Well, is he peculiar in any way?"
"Ob, some. Gets drunk onct in awhile
and does NOM up. Mom's game,
though.
l was on the point of expressing my
surprise at Ills allowing the hired man to
adopt such liberties with his mother,
when a small, lean man, with little
wizened face fringed with a heavy
growth of tangled gray whiskers that
ran like chain Of rugged mountains
from ear TO ear beneath a very wrinkled
jaw, came round the corner of.the house.
AS the young man with the corncob
pipe saw the individual appear on the
scene he sprang to his feet with an activ-
ity that almost stupefied me, dropped the
pipe, and shouted:
"Go back! Go back, tell yer, y ole
fooli Hump yourself, now, 'er yer done
terl"
The little fossilized specimen merely
stood and stared at this abrupt and un-
accountable outburst, and, seeing that
his warning had not the desired effect,
the excited youth bore down upon the
little man, grasped him by the shoulder,
and pushed him round the corner of the
house, saying:
@Why don't y humpf Don't / tell yer
to hump? Run, now, an I'll stave him
off with the gun till yer safel"
The old man. unable to cope with the
violent energy of the younger, called for
assistance TO third party who was at the
Darn. addressing him as Sweet William !"
and this individual coming up, recog-
uized him from the description carried
1f the missing heir to be William Jones.
acquainted him with his fortune, and
IN the explanations that followed
gathered that the young man with the
'orncob ripe had supposed from my con-
.ersation that / wished TO arrest his
father for having stolen 5000, 900. When
at length he fully comprehended the true
state of affairs he relighted his pipe,
pulled his decayed hat over his eyes, re-
Sumed his attitude against the wall, aud
the reflective expression crept once more
into his eyes.
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