Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1892-02-16
s25O,OOO.

S(oS9OSOb
lam not a very old man nor very
rich one; neither am I so young as I
once was, nor so poor. I am, so to
say, standing upon that golden middle
ground, near enough to youth to
enjoy 1t. near enough to age to
respect it; near enough to wealth to
enjoy it, near enough to poverty to
respect it. 1t Is pleasauter thus to
think, and I am fairly content. If
could be richer and younger 1 should
no doubt choose it, but 1 am not of
the opinion that should choose to be
richer than am and older, or poorer
and younger.
Revolving thoughts of this philoso-
phic and comforting kind in my mind
one morning a month or moro ago,
as l sat in my office down town, a
miserable specimen of man came in.
He was about my own age, should
say, but further than that 1 am
scarcely willing to carry the COM
parison. Dirty, ragged, palsied in
mind and body, unsteady in limb and
eye, abject, malodorous, he stood
there fitting picture to paint in the
bottom of n wine glass.
L Z was NV lCNtSobty lOL hlul ~ lSll
one his story. 1t WIS told in a tableau
vivant stronger than any words can
tell it, and gave him money enough
to get himself a breakfast and u
drink, or two of them If he felt that
his digestion needed an added stimu-
liant. He thanked me profusely and
went away, leaving me with some
thing else to reVolYe in my thoughts
than my own comfortable condition.
Next day he came again, at about
the same hour, and the next and the
next for week Each time he re-
ceived my money and received his
thanks, and as far as could discover,
each was satisfied with the exchange.
I had money to spare, and he had
thanks to spare; we spared them to
each other, and l feel that mutual
benefit was the result.
On Saturday morning when came
in, the janitor told me dead man
had been found in the building, evil
IDENTITY suicide, and with few nat
urul and reasonable inquiries, 1
passed on, and opening my door
found under it n soiIed envelope di-
rectcd to me in nervous, jerky, Chi
rography, which was entirely untamil-
lar.
1t was a comparatively bulky COM
munication, but with it was shorter
note of explanation, from which /
learned that my needy acquaintance
of the week past was on the point OF
suicide, but that he was anxious for
me to know his story and had at con-
siderable pains prepared it, and had
delivered it in person, as "a last re-
mem brance to one who had be-
friended him.
The letter read as follows:
FRIDAY, CITY. p. m.
Mr.. Brodkaire q get your name from
your office sign):
My DEAR SIR-You have been so
kind to me and want to tell you my
story and will you have it printed in
the newspapers so that from it some.
as weak as [ am, may be protected,
and some much stronger NAV be
warned? am forty-eight years old
and ut twenty five / had u wife and
one child and was quite we'll fixed in
business in the country town where
the parents of both us lived. But
was ambitious and thirsted for wealth
as many young men do. All the
money on earth could not have
brought me more happiness than
that which surrounded me as /
was, but 1 did not look Mt it that
way, and neglecting what was about
me, thought only of money, money,
money. l was not ayaricious, though,
and was much more given to dream
ing and wishing for money than 1 was
to pinching and boarding and driving
hard bargains for it. wanted
money. not for what it was in itself,
but what it might be converted into
with reference to my own pleasure.
Things ran along thus for year or
so when one day in an old scrap of a
New York paper read u notice in tho
Personals - to this effect:
II X: Y. a.: wherever he may be,
will address his full name to II. A. p.
Q. box 9999, or call on him at his office,
No. 4, Mall street, he will hear OF
something greatly to his disadvan-
tage.
The notice struck me as a most pc
culiar one in several respects. It
was scarcely possible that any man
would seek to hear of something to
his disadvantage. and it was most un-
usual that Y. I. u could be the in
itials Of any mans real name.
But they were mine, CXerxes
Young Zimmernan,) and that
far 1 felt that the notice in some
way applied to me. / cut it out and
showed it to my wife and after a good
deal of chaffing on her part, Iput it in
my pocket and said no more about 1t.
But kept straight on thinking about
it, and within week had addressed
aletter to II. A, and in two days re-
ceived an answer. In it he requested
me to come to the city, with proof OF
my identity. and the disadvantageous
information would be forthcoming as
soon as had established my claim.
Securing the necessary credentials,
but keeping the object of my visit
from the knowledge of my wife, left
home one morning, and at noon 1 was
standing before the office of my
mysterious correspondent. i went In
without ceremony and found an old
man in dfngy little room, clean, but
poorly lighted, and with him, as his
secretary, apparently, a boy of six
teen. The old man was, no doubt, a
lawyer with limited practice, for the
dust showed on his books and the
carpet on the floor was little worn by
the tread of clients. He was an odd
old genius, whoever he was, but
kindly in voice and manner, and
had no fear that L was to be "bun-
coed" or otherwise maltreated, so I
sat down and We began our confer
ence.
The details are scarcely necessary
now. 1t is sufficient TO say II. A. was
a confirmed crank, a millionaire and
a .money-hater, and that in pursuance