The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-12-30
THE REDHEADED MAN

Five or ak men had gathered in Harvey
5reer's rooms at the Benedict one rainy
Sunday afternoon smoking aud telling
yarns.
Everybody had told some wonderful
story of his exploits, except Jack Wilmer,
the athlete, who sat, big and calm aud
putting away at his corncobI
pipe.
"Look here, Wilmer" said Greer, "this
won't do. Any fellow that's led the tough /
life that you have must have lots of things
to tell. Come, brace up and give us a
story. We want to be amused
Never had but one extraordinary ad
venture" said Wilmer, "and that was
chiefly remarkable for the way it ended
You won't like it. :"
"Come, give it to u.s."
Wilmer took his pipe from his mouth
and stretched out his frame in the chair.
"Well, you sce,' he said, sit was when
first came to New York. was having
a pretty hard time of it, without money,
friends or any education to speak of, like
you fellows that have been to college.
There wasn't much that didn't try my
hand at, from porter in hotel to clerk in
a big clothing store on Sixth avenue, but
gave that up pretty soon-co couldn't stand
fitting clothes on pert little dudes that
could have carried with one hand. Good
thing got out of It, too, because If it had
lasted much longer should have knocked
some Of them down
"But while was clerk had room in
cheap lodging house on the east side,
near Third avenue Eighth street, ! think
it was 1t was on the first floor, the back
room, as stuffy and hot little hole as you
ever saw, and was there all summer. 1t
had one big window in the back, and
there l used to spend most of my time
when was in the house, trying to get q
breath of fresh air and looking at the
| dingy courtyard mat belonged also to the
house back OF Us. en- Seventh street. II
was like well paved with stones; the
children used to play in it and the women
hung out their clothes.
lone nwfully hot day in July, about
o'clock In the afternoon, | was sitting
there in my shirt sleeves, drowsy and sleepy
! with the heat. Not having anything els
(, to do, had sheet OF paper before me, OF
/ which / idly scrubbed, over and owe
again, my name, John Wilmer, in my owl
peculiar scrawl--that looks like the trai
Of fly that has just crawlea out of al
inkstand.
81 was very drowsy and mad as hop
with yellow haired woman at a window
who was calling out as she lifted the lii
of box that had been hung out of tn
window to serve as refrigerator:
Maggie, do you want me to bring til
potatoes tooH Maggie, Maggie, why don
you uaswer5'
son tile fire escape Of another house tw
children were having fight My eye
closed for moment, when suddenly, i
the quiet, came gust Of wind. locke
up In time to see the paper before m
, blown out Of the window across the court
: yard to the window in the basement wher
Il man was sitting Tho man picked u
the paper, looked at it carefully for severe
minutes, and then, taking a piece of papt
. from book, seemed to compare the twt
looking from one to the other with sati
faction He then put them both back
Z the book and sat down again, looking ovt
= at me from time to time. lie was Il bl
red haired and red bearded fellow whom
bad often seen before at TINT window, bt
was very curious to know what was h
interest in my handwriting.
well a few evenings after that j WI
on the Bowery, 1t was AS hot as blaze
the doors and windows were all open, t!
flies coming in and sticking to the butt
and 10 the pink and blue tissue pap
hnngings on tho walls. don't HOW VIII
they have those things for, unless it is
keep the flies from feeling homeless. ID
there was something that made me ft
uncomfortable aside from this, and didl
know what 1t was until turned aroul
and saw sitting at another table the sal
III red bearded man who had been at I
window, and who had been so much
So terested In my writing. lie was start
le at me enough to bore two gimlet no
through my back, and that is what h
I'll made me SO uncomfortable.
MT g Look here said, what do you wa
with meg
fa ''He was all out of breath with the CHI;
after me
''You nre pretty fellow he sa
Is running away SO fast, when I've 60
To- big piece of business to offer you. Isy'
name John Wilmerf'
III tt'Yes.
mr. "Do You want to make $50 in half
hour, John Wilmerg'
Il had exactly 81 in my pocketbook, {
ri my week rent due.
Yes, | do, | said; but what's
Ike What have got to do''
"tNever mind about that here. j
come with me.
ave went on for several Squares t
turned into Baxter street, The man Sc
IA ed mum sort of fellow and didn't
:, anything. From Baxter street we IN
D. several turns to the right to u street tot
unfamiliar to me. There didn't seen
be any hurry, and rs we walked alon
smoked a cigar which my mysterious
Hal ployer handed me.
4 AT little bakers shop we turned
into narrow alley, dimly lighted. |,
pose 1t was swarming with people, hcct
| could hear them bustling around
Md talking. When we came to house
NV looked empty, the man unlocked the d
carefully locked it agnin and went |
flight of stairs into back room, fol
ing.
hat around in the dark, but the man s t
81 match and lit candle. Then ! saw
the room was perfectly bare except Il
common wooden chair and n table
winch stood the candle and IA leather
lisn
~. "'Sow, said the man, sit down th
ne ltph SolilE llsil'ia bAkt "a tht ' tAlisS
IS. handed me IA fauntaiR pen. What ,
you to do is very Simple and won't
YOU n nement. 1t is INST to write
name.
. He Hagsn searching in the valist
,ura Something. and had time to notice h
well dressed gentlemanly mail
De lpoked ns IL ha might be Il swell fallt
hard times
!" Here, be said, arc some pa
There is man in this city named
Wilson You have heard of him--i
big wholesale liquor house Well, i
curious thing You both write obscl
!. but yo,l couldn't tell your sigma
apart Sect
III '.Ic held out letter to me with "
ry could ou have sworn TF Was shn my S SYH Mas
enough, and the three last letters end
in an illegible dash as mine did.
- Now, said the man, this rapt
a. transfer of property by John Wills