The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-06-17
HIS ENACT DUPLICATE.

HIS EXACT DUPLICATE.
We were seated around comforta-
BILE fire i'm hotel i'm one of the interior
towns in Kentucky, beguiling the
evening with recitals of our personal
adventures, most of which, as may be
inferred, were of the Munchausen order.
We were about to retire for the night,
when some one suggested that We had
not heard Gritty. He was travelling for a
big New York jobbing house, and not
hard to become acquainted with.
My name, he began, 'as some ofyou
know, is Griffith Griffith. 1t is queer,
outlandish Welsh name, but as it was
not my own choosing, there is nothing
for me to do but to put up with it.
/ have often tried to account for the
infliction, but none of the reasons were
satisfactory to me, except, perhaps, the
possibility that had been christened
by a person who suffered.
81, however, abandoned that theory
about five years ago, upon the astound-
ing discovery that another fellow had
been just as unfortunate, precisely the
same odd name having been allotted to
him."
1.-THE first intimation received of the
existence Of my double was just after l
had registered my name at hotel in
New York City.
"Will you have the same room you
had yesterday?n asked the clerk.
~ wasn't here yesterday" / replied,
with stare.
ssU-aIt NV ,,-,-'--. a.
ga, uifueT Ine impression
that you WERE" heinsistingly replied.
Perhaps you are too impression
able,'' l retorted, slightly annoyed. 81
was never in New York before to-day"
He turned page of the register and
placed his finger upon an entry. There,
indeed, was the name Griffith Griffith,
and it was so much like my own sigma
ture that I found myself catching my
breath.
at is hardly likely" suggested the
clerk, ''that two gentlemen should be-
be-
Handicapped with such a cOgno-
men," supplied /, for he had hesitated.
''That is your signature, isn't it ?"
he asked.
NO." declared L; but it is con-
foundedly like it. Did he resemble
me?'
''In every respect, sir.n
'Was the man sober when he wrote
that name?'
"As sober as you are"
"Well, am | sober ." / angrily de-
manded.
''I should say that you are"
''Oh, thank you," | rejoined. well,
L didn't write that name. / never
stood at the desk before. This is my
first visit to New York. / got in just
one hour ago. Now, if you question
my word as to this, by even the culver
of an eyelid, one of two things will
happen | can't just foretell which,
He saw that was angry, and that
my physical proportions were sufficient
to bank on.
"All right, sir; if / have offended
you | am sorry. But it was natural
for me to become confused over the
circumstance. There is funny side
to-
"Yes," / interrupted, ''it's funny all
over. There used to be a typical song
about The Fellow That Looked Like
Me, didn't there ?"
The clerk remembered that there
was, and recited verse or two of it,
after which the bell boy showed me to
my room.
The next occasion on which / was
mistaken for my double was while on a
visit to New Orleans. In strolling
along street saw crowd about an
alderman's office.
"What is the matter p" / asked of II
bystander.
"a woman up for shoplifting, was
the answer.
Having plenty oftime on my hands,
elbowed my way into the office. The
woman under arrest was Crole, young
and handsome, with superb figure,
royal in bearing, and fashionable in
attire.
''I will have to commit you," said
the magistrate at the close of the hear
ing. ''That is unless you can command
bail to the amount ofs50O. If you have
friend"
"But / haven't" interrupted she.
mot here in New Orleans"
Just then her black eyes rested on
me. They were brilliant black eyes and
they grew more black and brilliant
with pleased surprise.
so, Gritty" she cried, tenderly,
gushingly. "How fortunate. You will
go my bail, will you not?"
suddenly became hard of hearing
and gazed abstractedly at the fee bill
tackled against the wall.
~ haven't any real estate here or
elsewhere Il have farm i'm Colorado,
but / never saw it. There's another
fellows farm on top of it-anyhow, he
do ISN'T own any further down than he
can plow. What do you mean, judge?'
1.-THE lady wants you to go her bail, I"
he said.
~ can't, and wouldn't If / could, F"
replied. II don't know herr
All eyes were turned toward me.
The pretty culprit came closer. a sweet,