Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-01


r.J kas.SN had with him. lie was
rather tall, slenderly
NM built and distinguished
looking, with a blonde
I" mustache. As he
aiighted at the corner he appeared somewhat
puzzled.
LET me see-was this my street?' he asked
himself, refectively, looking around for sign
on lamp post. "By Jove! I've quite forgotten
what street it was that was going to get off at.
l intended-no, that wasn't it. What was
going to do any way? I positively think that
am getting more absent-minded every day.
Pshaw; this is too absurd. say. boy, what
street is this?'
boy Of twelve, swinging a school book on
the end OF leather strap, paused to ''size up"
fremont street"
Then he passed on, leaving the man with the
blonde moustache apparently more puzzled than
ever.
well, this beats the Dutchr he exclaimed
''This neighborhood is strange to me. don't
understand it at all. suppose there's nothing
to do but to turn around and 60 back. Let me
see, where was last? Upon my word can't
remember: Now, this is getting to be perfectly
| ridiculous! When started out this morning l
went frst-where did go? That's another CO.
nundrum! BY gracious! / don't even recoliect
where had my breakfast. Ifeelaltogether queer
just asif / had walked up suddenly in strange
city. And, now / think Of it, what town is this?
1t doesn't look bit familiar. The fact Is,
am clean lost.strayed altogether out Of reckon
unique sort Of situation. only that the sensation
is unpleasantly like dreaming by daylight. I
| am gratlfied to observe that am appropriately
attired, tnasmuch as in actual dreams l have
more than once imagined myself walking along
| crowded thoroughfares with little or nothing
4 %lo& A.
back In the direction came from I'll board
it,"
"Couductor,' said he when he had iumped
nearest hotel."
Get OF at the third corner take the first
right and the first left and you'll strike the
Adams House" replied the official concisely,
punching the fare.
Never heard Of the Adams House" ssid the
| stranger, to himself this time. $50 that doesn't
enl1ghten me as to my whereabouts. However,
| the only thing possible is to 90 ahead. This Is
certainly most astounding predicament."
After going wrong once or twice he finally
reached the hotel In question and dropped his
travelling bag on the counter by the desk.
viii you kindly let me see the directory of
this city, he said, adding, "of this city, mind
you, not any other"
The urbane clerk raised his eyebrows slightly,
a. II surprised At the emphasis put upon so
commonplace request, and handed over the
bulky volume. He further remarked, with
some curiosity, that the visitor did not open
the book, but merely looked hard ct the letter
Ing ON the back, surrendering it thereupon.
so this is Boston, remarked the stranger
half aloud
This is Boston, SIR echoed the clerk Do
litely: II Judge that you have never visited
"NO, never have"
OWN you register"
Certainly. with pleasure" responded the
stranger, accepting the prohered pen. But, as
he was about to write his name. he hesitated,
paused, bit the panhandle as if embarrassed,
and finally, with the air Of o person taking a
sudden resolve, wrote awkwardly across the
page John Jones" leaving the space for resi-
dence blank. The clerk quickly assigned him
room, a colored "boy'' about sixty years OF
age brought along the travelling bag, and pres
emily he found himself alone in a cozy little
apartment looking out upon crowded street
He sank into chair buried his face in his
hands, and remained in that attitude for several
minutes Finally he rose to his feet and paced
back and forth.
by the great horn spoour' he exclaimed,
Il have heard of things Hike this, but 1t never
occurred to me to imagine that / could be the
victim Of such contretemps. I nearly gave
myself away to the clerk down stairs Think
OF entirely forgetting ones own name! But
that il nothing. Any fellow can get along
without a name, but seem to have lost my
L
Why, this is simply mnddening! II my situa-
ton were discovered 1 might-very likely
would-be locked up in q lunatic asylum.
mu ut keep 1t secret at all hazards. All! have
an idea! This is merely question Of subjec-
u, i've identification; Dead people are usually
On their clothing. Queer that shouldn't have
thought Of that before. I'll try the valise first 4
there must be something in that to give q
clue"
With feverish haste he pressed the spring Of
the travelling bag and opened it, emptying out
the contents on the bed. There were two clean
shirts, pair OF clean stockings, four clean col
lars, four pairs of clean cuffs a brush and
comb. nail brush, tooth brush, piece Of
soap, nghtshirt and nothing more. Not one
OF these articles bore any mark save for laun-
dry nupbers on the linen.
That's unlucky," said the young man. "But
Of course l ought to have tried my pockets
first. Here's wallet Thank heaven, it's full
Of bills-four hundr five hundred hun
bred and forty-two dollars It's bad
enough to be without an identity, but to
be dead-brOke simultaneously would be aw-
full. Nevertheless, l would give every cent
OF the money for enc small business or
private memorandum that would tell me my
name and residence. l can't find so much a. a
scrap Of paper-not an envelope Of an old let
ter. It's positively astonishing. Possibly there
are some marks on the clothes / am wearing.
Here's tag inside the coat collar--.Smith 4
Smith, Merchant Tailors.' That's some thing,
though it is unfortunate that the town or city
wherein Messrs. Smith 4 Smith hang out their
sign is not mentioned"
After spending half an hour more in O
minute examination of all his belongings going
through his pockets at least fifty times. he
dressed himself carefully and went down stairs
."Lunatics are usually careless about their ap-
parel, he said to himself, land il am to sue
coed in keeping away from. the asylum it will
behoove me to take pains with my dress By
the way. the unpleasant idea obtrudes itself
upon my consciousness that possibly l may be
an escaped inmate Of So ne madhouse--a harm
less patient, perhaps, who has eluded the watch
fulness of the keeper with a cunning that is 10
commonly Characteristic Of mental alienation
Suppose that, instead of writing my name on
the hotel register as John Jones' Of nowhere, 1
had put myself down as the King of the Canni-
bal Islands. The police would have had me
inside Of twenty minutes. What an extremely
narrow escape that would seem to have BEEN
ION second thoughts" he continued, "the
theory that am an escaped lunatic is hardly
tenable. Persons of that description do not
customarily travel with a valise full OF clean
clothes and q large sum OF money in crisp
bank notes. Clearly I am at large with the
permission Of the authorities, though for how
long shall stay 80 remains to be seen. Mean
while will try to seem at my ease and as much
n nOa6ibla like other noopla I vnuof ro,pa,r-