Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1893-09-22

ara accepted the invitation, and with
an avidfty that made my hopes 20 up
to the loftiest pitch. Assurance, ]
felt, was doubly sure.
Hut alas. Who-who can read the
future?
What sagacity in that reflection!
retired to my humble abode, and
slept the sleep of a happy and hope
full man.
The next morning, refreshed and
joyful, I sought the counting-bouse
of P0dger, Strother s. ca, whore l
earn my daily bread. Ioverdrew my
salary, in order to pay for ths private
box, and the supper which I intended
shouid follow the performance. l
applied myself to nv labors, and was
cheerful; nay, vivacious to an un-
wonted degree.
At 5 O'clock, leaving the Office, 1
sauntered up Broad street, on my
h0meward way.
1 felt SO good, I hardly knew what
to do with myself.
mo more adding up of wearisome
columns. old boy,"I said to myself;
mo more plodding to and fro afoot,
in an old ink.stained sack coat. No
more hard times and short commons:
but a coupe bride down town in, and
kid gloves every day. Hoorah!!"
As I mentally uttered this joyous
exclamation, l saw Cogsmith loiter-
ing thoughtfully along, in his Pc
culiar manner. just ahead of me. L
decided to inform him of the fact that
1 was to have a %proscenium box, and
a stunning. splendid girl at the
Academy of Music that night, to
overwhelm him and impress him with
q belief that I was ..in society,"" q
regular heavy swell. and all that sort
of thing.
AS I overlook him I noticed that
his handkerchief more .halefu!ly
odious one than ever--was hanging
about six inches out of his pocket
Remembering the ancient lark of
our %schooldays, and feeling, as l have
said, .uncommonly youthful and
frisky, l dexterously twitched the
wretched rag from his pocket. axd
passed by him with a loud ..ahemw
He did not look up and recognize
me, as 1 thought he would; and as l
had got step or two by I turned to
confront him.
Horror of horrors, it wasn't Cog.
smith at all!
At the same moment a horrible
little boy shouted: s.Say! Here!
Mister! He's got yer handkerchief"
The person whom I had mistaken
for Cogsmith, but who was quite a
respectable-looking old buffer, inn
mediately clapped his hand 10 his
pocket, missed his handkerchief, and,
collaring me Indignantly began to
call for the police.
Stop, SRI" 1 vociferated, trying to
pull away from him, ssto! Pm not
the mani thought you were Peter
upon my soul l did. You're mis-
taken, sir-I didn't steal it-I-'
"You scoundrel!" cried the old gen-
tleman: 'I'll teach you to steal in
the streets! You villain! Police!
Police!!"
A curious crowd gathered immedi-
ately, and two officers stepped for
ward.
In e%ndeavoring to free myself from
my assailant's grasp l had lost my
hat; my collar aud cravat had been
disordered. and my face had become
extremely red.
1 felt that circumstances were de-
cidcdly against me.
"Well, Gully" said a flashy looking
youth near me, in a sympathetic tone,
"you're not fly at c%lay-faking, eh?
/ Whv didn't vO,, ohovvco3S
81 think I know that cove" said
one of the officers; VI L'lieve he's the
same Teller that grabbed some money
from a boy as was comm from bank
last Monday
|. HE looks like a hardened rascal,m
said the respectable old buffer whom
l had mistaken for Cogsmith; '.take
him to the station-house at once"
In vain I eXpostulated. entreated
and Threatened. In vain 1 demanded
permission to send for reference as to
niy character and position. 1t was no
go. 1 was ANONYMOUSLY dragged off
to the station, with a ragged and
dirty crowd jeering me.
just as the rabble had reached its
pitch of noise and numbers, l met
Miss Pricilla's cousin, the young man
with the weak eyes and the yellow
mustache, who always hated me.
He raised his eye.glass. smeild
scornfully and passed by without a
word.
Then 1 knew that my doom was
sealed.
To be brief, I was locked up for
examination. I gave the name of
John Smith to the magistrate, but a
boy in the crowd-an Grand boy in
the store next to ours-knew me and
informed the dignitary that l was
travelling under an alias.
was registered; then. under my
own name, with ..alias John Smith,"
tackled to it, for all the world like a
veritable thief, and taken down to
the filthiest, foulest cell imaginable.
The next dav 1 was allowed to send
for anybody I wanted to see, and sue
ceedcd in proving my responsibility
sufficiently to he let off with a severe