The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-01-19

| squander them so! They have not even
an eye to their poor worldly interests.
he added in a quieter tone, "or they
would never back n single horse at such
short odds with field of thirty
| There was something in this speech
of his which tickled 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 l should
be able to spend the next two hours to
better purpose than in its perusal.
you speak as If you understood the
matter, at any rate" remarked.
| "Yes, sir" he answered.; few men in
England understood these things bet
ter in the old days before l changed my
profession. But that is all over now.
Changed your profession?" said l
interrogatively.
Yes; / changed my name, too"
'1ndeed?" said l.
"Yes; you see. a man wants rea
fresh start when his eyes become
opened, so he has Il new deal all round
so to speak. Then he gets fail
chance"
There was short pause here, as
seemed to be on delicate ground II
touching on my companions antece'
dents, and he did not volunteer any in
formation. | broke the silence by Of
fering him a cheroot.
mo, thanks" said he: Il 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 care
fully before you spoke?'
1T is a habit of mine" said |. u
am a medical man, and observation Is
everything in my profession. mad h'
idea you were looking.
Il can see without looking ne an
swered. II thought you We're de-
tective, at first; but | couldn't recall
your face al the tineI knew the force.
Were you detective. them said
NO" he answered with laugh;
| 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 l have
been in my time"
| 1--WE are none of us perfect" said /.
| mo: but l was real out-and-outer
| A fake you know. to start with and
afterwards a 'cracksman.' 1t is easy
to talk Of these things now, for I've
changed my spirit. It's as If / was
talking Of some other man, you see."
| Exactly So" said |. Being medi-
cal man | had none of that shrinking
from crime and criminals which many
men possess. l could make all allow
ances for congenital influence and the
force of circumstances. No company
| therefore, could have been more ac'
| cepta BILE to me than that of the OLD
malefactor; and as | sat putting at my
cigar. was delighted to observe tina,
my air of interest was gradually loosen
ing his tongue.
"Yes; I'm converted now," he con
tinued, "and of course l am happier
man for that. And yet" he added
wistfully. there are times when | lone
for the old trade again, and fancy my
self strolling out on a cloudy night
with my jimmy in my pocket. l left q
name behind me in my profession, sir
| was one of the old school, you know
1t was very seldom that we bungled {
job. We used to begin at the foot OF
the ladder, the rope ladder, if | may
say so, in my younger days, and ther
work our way up, step by step, so thai
we We're what you might call goot
men all through
81 see," said |.
81 was always retkoned a hard-work
in,r Z t..,,s tar
ent, too-the very cleverest of them al
lowed that. l began as blacksmith
and then did a little engineering ant
carDentering. and then l took tC
sleight-o tricks. and then Il
picking pockets. | remember, when
was home on visit, how my poor old
| father used to wonder why | was al
| ways lowering around him. He little
knew that | used to clear everything
out of his pockets a dozen times a day
and then replace them, just to keeI
my hand in. He believes to this day
that l am in an Office in the city There
are few of chem could touch me in thai
particular line of business. though
81 suppose it is a matter of prac
tice?" ! remarked.
ITO a great extent. Still, a mar
never quite loses It, if ne has once beer
an adept-excusem me; you have dropped
some cigar ash on your coat" and he
waved his hand politely in front of m,
breast as if to brush it off There
he said, handing me my gold scarf pin
you see | have not forgot my old Gun.
ming yet"
He had done 1t so quickly that
hardly saw the hand whisk over my
bosom, nor did feel his fingers touch
me, and yet there was the pin glitter
ing in his hand. at Is wonderful"
said as fixed 1t again in it's place.
"Oh, that's nothing! But i have
been in some really smart jobs. / was
In the gang that picked the new patent
safe. You remember the case 1t wa.
guaranteed to resist anything; and We
managed to open the first that wa.
ever issued, within a week of its ap
pearance. 1t was done with graduated
wedges sir, the first so small that yo,
could hardly see it against the light
and the last strong enough to prize 4
open. 1t was a clever managed affair
II remember It," said l. But surely
|
yes, one was nabbed. But he ddn
split, nor even let on how 1t was done
Wed have cut his soul out if" n,
suddenly damped down the very ugl,
fires which were peeping from his eyes
Perhaps | am boring you, talking
about these wicked old days of mine?'
"On the contrary" / said, you in
tcrest me extremely"
81 like to get a listener I can trust
It's n sort OF blow-off. you know, and
feel lighter after 1t. When ] am anon.
my brethren | dare hardly think o
what has gone before. Now. I'll tel
you about another job / was in. r,
this day, | cannot think about It with
out laughing"
lit another cigar, and composed my
self to listen.