Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-06

merit by agents OF the
secret SERVICE of dies. molds and implements
| for the making of counterfeit money. the photo
graphs Of noted counterfeiters, their weapons,
tools and specimens of their work. There are
reproductions of our coins: there are bank notes
which marvellous works of art, executed
with pen and brush or by skilled engravers and
| photographers. which have been made in strange
| places at times when others sleep and by ex-
| pert. daring men, who are frequently not ordi-
nary criminals. but worse-men whose abilities
should have made them useful members OF So
I ciety
There is something uncanny in the mysterious,
| solitary lives of these lawless men. stealthily
working in the secret hours of the night.
or living double lives. one in the dark,
another in the sunlight. after the grUesome
manner Of DIR. Jekyl and Mr.. HYDE.
Strange" said the young man of party
who was looking at these relics the other day.
''The very name of counterfeiter has an inter
esting sound, like that of 'moonshiner' or
/ pirate. He was examining the tools as if
with view to making some if the wrong man
should be elected and the country in conse-
quence go to ruin. II remember when it was
equal to that of 'spook' for giving me a nice
Gravity sensation up the spine"
THE BUSINESS MANS STORY.
The business man had put on his specs and
was closely examining the photographs.
|
eyeglass rubbing it carefully and putting it
/ back in its case. ~ was looking" he con-
| tinued. for the face of a counterfeiter once
knew: but. however, that long before the
secret service was in existence He lived in our
! town and was arrested there for counterfeit
| ing" he said slowly.
II shall never forget the story, for it created
a great sensation even then. in those days when
( the country was new and many strange things
happened. was just a boy then, and the i'm
preston it made will never be effaced" And
this was the story he told:
/ Il had caught the western fever and with a
party from Pennsylvania had gone west and
stopped in what was then the land of chills and
/ fever. OF course | had not been there long
before my teeth were rafting like castanets,
and when dose after dose of quinine failed to
quiet them we had entirely exhausted our med
ical resources, one of the boys started out
| for a doctor.
when l saw the man he brought. 1 was not
sure that with my last shake the in1initesimal
amount of gray matter which naturally be-
/ longed to my noodle had not been dslodged
and ratified out entirely. DIR. Patterson was a
/ little, dark man with heavy beard. (which
seemed to grow all over his face and especially
/ high upon his cheeks. Although it was
a raw. cold day, he had on a broad-brimmed
straw hat The thin coat which he wore was
wrong side out and he had waded through the
mud and slush in "A pair Of old carpet slippers.
''Well. was too sick to object to any thing, SO
/ swallowed his medicine with no more than my
usual number Of groans per minute.
with only few words of direction he turned
abruptly. left the house and waded back again.
Jim sidled up TO the bed and said by way of
apology: They told me he was the best one
in the county. Mighty queer acting. bat
guess he's all right
lyon don't feel like he'd give YOU pizen or
anything. do your he added rather anxiously.
THE STRANGE DOCTOR.
II did not care one iota and jerked out nv
sentiments on that point with so much emphasis
that Jim backed off without driving me to a
frenzy. Us he usually did, by asking to look at
my tongue.
THAT was not the last of the doctors visits. by
| any means. for was very sick For weeks no
one but my mother could have watched over a
sick boy more faithfully and tenderly than he
| cared for me.
at is said that the way to win mans heart is
| to allow him to do you a favor. and in saving
| my unworthy life he certainly did allow me to
step into his good graces, to certain extent, at
| least.
"Gruff and almost sullen he was az times. and
eccentric always, yet We boys idolized that
| doctor.
when finally became convalescent he would
take me with him when he would drive into the
country to visit his patients. He had large
| practice and was undoubtedly an able physi-
clan. His eccentricities were well known and
! regarded. perhaps "a mark of genius. At any
| rate his ability, honesty and integrity were UNI
questioned, and people generally had. like my
| self. the most implicit confidence in him. They
would send for him miles away and wait for him
| in preference TO any other doctor far near.
Inquired once about patient whom We had
visited together the day before--a nice old
Quaker gentleman. His astonishing answer
was "He will probably eat breakfast in -
won't mention the place he named. It's too
/ warm today.
"How did enjoy those rides as the weather
became pleasanter and grew stronger. The
doctor was interesting companion. being
/ finely educated and well informed on ali sub
jects. Once said: Doctor, how did you ever
happen to settle down in this wild couptry?'
HE did not answer. l caught glimpse of
| his face and / never cared to repeat the CUES
ton. It was my first and last personal inquiry
| His oddities were very amusing TO me. For in
stance. on a warm spring day he would appear
dressed as If for midwinter, in heavy over
coat. fur cap and gloves and wrapped in q
buffalo robe. On unusually bright day he
would go prepared for rain. One day he app
peared on the street with all his beard shaved
| off except little tuft under each eve, which
gave him most hideous appearance.
HE never invited me nor any one else to his
house; but back OF and at some distance from
the house were his stables, surrounded by a
large pasture, and here, after our acquaintance
had progressed for some time, veneured to CO.
1t was generally understood that the doctor
| attended strictly to his own business and ex-
to their sorrow. sometimes met with a very lurd
| reception At times. however, he astonished
beggar who ventured on the premises to ask
humbly for few pennies, by giving him V,
but perhaps the next time he appeared he would
be lucky to escape the toe Of the doctors
boot. MY stars! said one of the boys,
who stood in holy terror Of the doctors wrath,
| some day the old man will get mad at YOU for