The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-03-03
THE REDHEADED MAN.

Everybody had told some wonderful
story OF his exploits, except Jack VIII
mcr, tho athlotc, who sat. big aud calm,
and tmpcrturbablc, pulling away ut his
corncob Pipe.
Look hCrcr Wilmer" said Greer,
This won't do. Any fellow that's lcd
thctoush life thatyou have musth0volots
ofth'nGs to tell. Come, brace up and give
US story. We want to be amused"
Never had bu. ono extraordinary m.
venture" said Wilmer, "and that was
chiefly remarkable for the way it ended.
You won't like It,"
Come, give 1t tous."
Wilmer took his pipe from Il ia mouth
and stretched out HE iramo in the chair.
well, you see" he said, at was whom
hrat came to Now York. | was having
u protty hard timo oiit, without money.
friends or education 10 speak Of, like
you fellows that have been to college.
There wasn't much that didn't try
my hand at, from porter in a. hotel 10
clerk in 4 BIC clothing store on Sixth
avenue, but gave that up pretty soon
couldn't stund fitting clothes on port
little dudes that l could have carried
with one hand.
But while | was clcrk l had room
in cheap lodging house Oh tho cast
side. near Third avenue-E:ghth street,
think 1t was. 1t was on the lirst floor,
the back room. as stuGy and hot little
hole as you ever saw, aud | was there
all summer. 1t had ono biz window in
the back, and there | used to spend
most OF my time when | was i'll the
house, trying 10 get breath Of fresh
air.
One awfully hot day in July, about
D o'clock in the afternoon, was sitting
thorc in my shirt sleeves, drowsy and
sleepy with tho heat. Not having any
thin: else to do, had n sheet OF paper
before INC, on which idly scribbled,
over and over again, my name, John
Wilmer. III my own peculiar scraw =
that looks like the trail OF a fly that has
Just crawled out Of au inkstand.
My eyes closed for moment, when
suddenly. in tho quiet, came gust OF
WIND. l looked up in time to see the
paper before mo blown out OF the win
dow across the court yard to tho win
dow IN the basement where man was
sitting. The man picked up tho paper,
looked at it carefully for several min
utcs, and then, taking piece OF paper
from book, seemed to compare tho
two. looking from ono TO the other with
satisfaction. He then put them both
back in the book and sat down again,
looking over at mo from time TO time.
llG was big red-haired and red bearded
fellow whom had often aeen before ut
that window, but l was very curious to
know what was his interest in my hand
writing.
We'll, few evenings after that l was
taking my dinner ut a-cheap eating
house on the Bowery. 1t was as hot rs
olazes; the doors and windows were all
omen, the flies coming in and sticking to
the butter and to the pink and blue
tissue paper hangings on tho walls. l
don't know what they have those things
for, unless it is to keep the flies from
feeling homeless. But there was somo-
thing that made me feel uncomfortable
aside from this, and didn't know what
was until l turned around and saw
sitting at another table the same red
bearded man who had been at the win
dow, and who had been 90 much inter-
ested in my writing.
"1ou are pretty fellow he said,
running away so fast, when I've got a
biz piece OF business to offer you. Is
your name John Wilmer?'
Yea
DO you want 10 make $50 in half
an hour, John Wilmer?'
II had exactly 81 in my pocketbook,
and my weeks rent due.
Yes, l do, l said: but what's up ?
what have | got to do?'
Never mind about that here. Just
come with me-
"Wewent on for several squares, then
turned into Baxter street. The. man
seemed a mum sort OF fellow and didn't
say anything. From Baxter street VIC
made several turns to tho right to Q
street totally unfamiliar to me. There
didn't seem TO DO any hurry. and a4 We
walked along smoked cigar which
my mysterious employer handed me.
Alta little bakers shop We turned of
into 4 narrow alley, dimly lighted.
suppose it was swarming with people,
because l could hear them busting
around and talking. When We came 10
house that looked empty, tho man
unlocked the door, carefully locked i,
agnln and went up flight OF stairs into
aback room, l following.
"'Now, said the man, sit down there.
lie took some papers out OF the valiso
and handed inc fountain pen. 'Wha.
want YOU to do is worry simple and
won't take you moment. 1t is Just to
write your name
Here, he said, are some papers.
There is man in this city named John
Wilson. You have heard OF him-has n
big wholesale liquor house. Well, it ia n
curious thing. You both write obscure.
", but you couldn't tell your signatures
apart. Sec!
He held out 4 letter to me with what
would havo sworn was my own name
on it. The John VIII was plain
enough. and the three last letters ended
OFT in an Ineligible dash as mine did.
Now, said the man. this paper is n
transfer OF property by John Wilson to
some parties who have lawsuit against