Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-04-24

leading question would-tos pursue m,
chemical analogy-actas my litmus pa
| per, determined to try one. There
was Times lying by my companion
and thought the opportunity too COCO
to be neglected.
"Do you mind my looking at Won,
! paper?" asked.
Certainly, sir, certainly" said he
most urbanely, handing it across.
|. glanced down it's columns until nv
eye rested upon the list of the lates,
betting.
"Hullo!'' said, "they are LAYING
odds upon the favorite for the Cam.
bridgeshire. But perhaps" / added
looking up, you are not interested in
these matters?'
"Snares, sir" said he violently;
"wiles OF the enemy! Mortals are but
given few years TO live, how can they
squander them so! They have not even
an eye to their poor worldly interests. -
he added in quieter tone, '.or they
would never back a single horse at such
short odds with a field of thirty"
There was something in this speech
of his which ticlled me immensely. |
suppose it was the odd way in which he
blended religious intolerance with
worldly wisdom. laid the Times
aside with the conviction that should
be able-to spend the next two hours to
better purpose than in it's perusal.
You speak as if you understood the
matter, at any rate" remarked.
eyes, sir" he answered.; "few men in
England understood these things bet
ter in the old days before 1 changed my
profession. But that is all over now"
Changed your profession?" said l.,
interrogatively.
Eyes; l changed my name, too"
''Indecd?" said I.
"Ies; you see, q man wants a real
fresh start when his eyes become
opened, SC he has new deal all round,
SO to speak. Then he gets a fair
chance"
There was short pause here, as
seemed to be on delicate ground in
touching on my companions antece-
dents, and he did not volunteer any in
formation. l broke the silence by Of
fering him cheroot.
mo, thanks" said he; 81 have
given up tobacco. 1t was the hardest
wrench of all, was that. 1t does me
good to smell the Whit of your weed.
Tell me-" he added, suddenly, looking
hard at me with his shrewd gray
eyes, why did you take stock of me
SO carefully before you spolle?"
at is a habit of mine," said I. 81
tin medical man, ana observation Is
every thing in ny profession. had no
idea you were looking"
81 can see without looking" he an
swered. 81 Thought you were a de-
tective, at first; but l couldn't recall
your face at the time knew the force"
'Were you detective, tken?" said I.
'No," he answered, with laugh; II
was the other thing-the detected, you
know. Old scores are wiped out now,
and the law cannot touch me, so
don't mind confessing to a gentleman,
like yourself, what scoundrel have
been in my time"
1--WE are none of us perfect" said 1.
''No; but | was real out-and-outer
A fake You know, to start with, and
afterwards n 'cracksman.' 1t is easy
to talk of these things now, for I've
changed my spirit. It's as if I was
talking of some other man, you see."
Exactly So" said 1. Being med
zeal man had none of that shrinking
from crime and criminals which many
men possess. | could make all allow
ances for congenital influence and the
force of circumstances. No company,
therefore, could have been more &C.
ceptable to me than that of the old
malefactor; and as l sat putting at my
cigar, was delighted to observe that
my air of interest was gradually loosen
ing his tongue.
Eyes; I'm converted now" he con-
tinued, land of course am happier
man for that. And yet" he added
wistfully, ''thcre are times when long
for the old trade again, and fancy my
self strolling out on cloudy night
with my jimmy in my pocket. left
name behind me in my profession, sir.
I was one of the old school, you know.
1t was very seldom that we bunglcd
job. We used to begin at the foot Of
the ladder, the rope ladder. if ! may
say so, in my younger days, and then
work our way UP, step by step, so that
we were what you might call good
men all through"
81 sec,' said |.
81 was always reckoned hard-work-
ing, conscientious man, and had talent,
too-the very cleverest of them allowed
that. l began as a blacksmith, and
then did little engineering and car
pcntering, and then | took to sleight-
of-hand tricks, and then to picking
pockets. | remember, when was homo
on a visit, how my poor old father used
to wonder why was always lowering
around him. He little knew that
used to clear everything ont of his
pockets dozen times day, and then
replace them, just to keep my hand in.
He believes to this day that am in an
Office in the city. There are few of
them could touch me in that particular
line of business, though"
Il suppose it is a matter of practice?"
/ remarked.
ssrTo 81 crreat eytent Still MON