The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-06-14

or to comb with his fingers his long, un-
kempt beard. We in the ward room had
only general idea that he was some out
cast in hard luck to whom we were giving
passage free of expense out of charity 1t
was not, in fact, for some weeks after our
arrival at Yokohama that STUN bled across
him again in the streets. He wore the same
old coat aud cap, was smoking the same
ponderous pipe and staring about him in the
same half curious, halliday way. He took
his hand from his pocket and raised it TO his
face as passed. l turned back and spoke
to him: well, how are you making out.'
About the same, sir: about the same;
nothing to do and nowhere to turn. Pm
some years behind my time. guess, and the
crowds have sort of left me-passed and left
me behind
His appearance was so odd generally, and
his hesitancy in his speech, punctuated
with quick Chances cast about him so pecu-
liar. that my interest IN him revived, and /
motioned to a pubic house near by, and
suggested that he 60 with me and tell me
his story. He followed me across the mar
row street in his shambling way and took
seat opposite me at one OF the little wooden
tables. There was no one else in the room.
He leaned his hairy head upon his out
stretched hands and told me this:
1 AM AN AMERICAN, SIR,
though they say look like Slav Twas
born in the west in one of the then new
states, fifty years ago this coming month.
My real name is Simpson, though 1 have
had many since.
For nine years it has been $50 in the Rus
sian tongue; that was the number l had
on the collar wore about my throat
You see, sir, was of the rowing and law
less kind that makes tails out of heads of
everything, and sweep round and round in
the eddies and gullies of life. did not stay
on the farm long, but wandered further
west, till / fioated over the Rockies and
fetched up in California, in the early tifties.
Then from camp to camp, from good luck
to bad and up again, till l came out of the
mines with good $50, 600 in Frisco bank
and a fair smattering OF engineering. So l
gave up rowing life and made a hitch to
settle down and enjoy myself. 1 took to
studying, too, and paid my way in school
where they taught building and such. 1
married, during these years, the daughter
of chum Of mine in the old days, who
owned small hotel and was doing a fiolr-
ishing trade. She was q pretty little thing
with flaxen hair, that she had way of let
ting down when she got 10 talking and
shaking her head to convince me. Well,
sir, followed her advice and took half out
of the bank and put it into the hotel and
married her. So when the Occidental went
up it took with it my half, and drew the
children, we had two then, came out to
japan to start afresh. i made out to do
pretty well at first Europeans in my trade
were few then, and the Japs had a craze
for foreign buildings and foreign railroads
and foreign clothes; so l had good deal to
do. 1 built pretty house in Toxic, and
took my wife and children there. One day
got letter in a big, square envelope with
a heavy seal and a coat of arms. 1t was an
offer from the commandant Of the Russian
military station at Vladivostok to come over
and help them oplan some public buildings
they wanted to put up. Well, sir, did 60
after a bit, and took with me kit of clothes
and besides some cash in gold-about 81, 900
in United States bonds that thought
could turn to ready penny in rising gov
eminent town. So bid good-b bye to my
little wife and children. We came down,
hand IN hand, the broad walk that ran to
the gate in the fence all covered over with
trailing vines and sweet smelling flowers.
"Good.by," she said;
GOODBYE, Benz"
and threw back her long hair all tumbled
down over her teary face, as usual; write
as often a. you can, and I'll bring the boys
down TO meet the steamer that brings you
back"