The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-10
THE DOWNFALL OF BROWN.
A PBrsTCIAN's DENOMINATION OF
4 SOCIAL DIAGNOSIS.

As Result of His Deductions Along n Ger
tain Line of investigation, n Young Acc
ausintance Worked Ont n Unique Re-
venEe and Married the Girl He Loved.
"One OF my rccrcatons for many years as been
to discover and classify certain mental failings
which cannot properly be diagnosed as diseascs-
said a physician at the Lotos Club "and as the
result Of my deductions along a special line n
investigation young acquaintance Of mine
worked out revenge that was unique and mar
ricd the girl Of his choice. have been tempted
several times TO report the case 10 the County
Medical Society. but don't believe that II would
be received with approval. Let me tell you the
story, and you can determine for yourself the
correctness Of my deductions
business called mo TO San Francisco eight
years ago and ncccssitatcd my staying there for
two years In my boarding house the star guest
was easily Miss Sally Gilt, the only daughter
of lucky Forty miner, and a young woman with
some beauty as well rs wealth. Her devoted
adnifcr was c. Knickcrbocker Smith who wrote
society news for a local paper Smith had come
TO the coast from New York and failed in a bust
ness venture. He was conccitcd well dressed.
rather good looking little fellow and the strong
est point in his favor was his undoubted attach
mcnt for Miss Gilt. ! was very much interested
in watching the progress Of his suit with Miss
Gilt. when II was interrupted unex pectedly by the
advent Of young lawyer named John Fred Brown.
Brown had inherited some money, and had worked
hard ut the law. but apparently he had enjoyed
no social advantages Probably he had been too
busy. Al any rate he was man Of some little
importance in his way. and when IL was evident
tibet he also admired Miss Gilt the other boarders
said: Poor MI Smith lie liz out Of IL now
Mr.. Brown has lots Of money Miss Gilt was
just IN average girl. and she was mcrccnary and
III
attracted favorable attention by running in her
name In the list Of among those present at some
fashionable reception.
"Shc became very kind 10 Brown and CORE
spondngly chilly Ia Smith. The affair intcrestcd
me-. had concluded that Brown was a cold
oU"d ,,, selfish ohnp. when one fine moIning 10
announced to us his engagement 10 Miss Gilt
Smith came to my room that night very much
wouldnt mind Il 10 much he said. but know
lint he has made careful inquiries about Miss
of that girl and had reason 10 believe tina, shs
was fond of me until Brown arrived don't
PcGaps cam Seip ya ,S out a% and a, tho sam,
time demonstrate one Of my pet theories. said
81 don't sec how IL is possible he said
"'lt You wanted to. could you make Browns
name well known in the fashionable list without
exciting his suspicion or that Of your creditor?
That would be Easy he replied. I have been
on the paper ~ long that my lists 70 as / srito
them. | don't like his name. though John
Fred Brown would look queer Anyway. such
nm?t,oIe,y as that would simply please the beast
What are you driving at
, u Explained my theory and after some debate,
smith said that he was inclined To believe in H.
II sounds all night he said and IL il worth
trying " Brown isn't susceptible We cen give
IT up ~ change his name after il has been
published two or three times to J, Fred Brown
That was the way the plot was planned ard
two nights later Mr.: Brown announced that no
formSnc'. Of a New York theatrical c"npsrr.
The night after this performance Brown turn,d
up for dinner looking Just a little bit naughty.
~ the bOarders said that they knew by their papers
that Mr., Brown had been at the theatre the night
before 1t was the FIRST time that his name had
ever b""n published in The fashionable list and
he pass'd II oil by saying carclcssly that II was
impossible Ia avoid IN" reporters in thrsc days
| happened to know tina, he bought every papr
in town anh cut out III" paragraph Of names which
included his own. Smith he'd asked every Other
John Frcd Brown and that was how tho decd was
Seccompl'shcd ! studied Brown closely during
able 10 assure him that in my opinion he could
not fail brown vas So pleased with the motto,
agar H. attended another pCrformance and
hc S ms,n,nS asI MS p nam Sas printed ap3Is
bit the following night He was also rather
snpcrcilions With The rest NJ us and he t'ntcd
his being present at dinner many nights during
thu season
He not only printed Browns name among tho
lis, Of osc present a, all first nights but he intro
duel it in SS.MsI,nss "ne,e j. frcd Brown was
missed an opening night. lie went to all sent.
public dinners when lie PERMITTED To buv
naughty Tia, he would hardly Notice Miss Git.
Smith explained II later. In return for favor
sd sent mt Snf to 10 df Fred sr"Tm o
opening reception in her hig house She never
had heard Of ihc man before hut she was tho
outer fringe Of society and she was quite willirc
10 entertain him, Brown spoke 81 the invitation
casually at the table and said that the hostess
lie supposed tha, he would I've bored 70 death.
hut he tet y duty TO 60. HAPPEN 10 know
that he bought new frock coat for the occasion
Wen, near his Office that dny. lie was negleCtng
his practice and he was spending lots Of money
Miss Gilt This reception gave him an oppot
iunlty to meet o'hct people who entertained, His
name had been printed so frequently that winter
that ihcsr people had a vague idea that Ne was
social swell and some Of them invited him 10
gall and others invited him 10 receptions j.
kmckcrbockcr Smith worked like q beaver 10
keep browns name before the public II APP
In LIST o and 4
the newspapers reported him 10 be, he would have
broken down
as his due. lie joined two second rate clubs
lie even gave a little dinner at the best rcstau-
appeared in the next mornings papers Tbs
game was very interesting Brown was neglect
ing his practice and he was attending every affair
that might tempt the papers 10 print his name
He kept all these notices in a scrap book, Tho
more conspicuous he became the less devoted he
WAS 10 Miss Gilt The man was badly afflicted
with what have diagnosed az Newspaper Mania.
had observed II in other people and felt pro-
prietary interest in Browns case. Brown had
II badly. lie snubbcd Miss Gilt two OF three
times before the other boardcrs, and she didn't
like IL Browns conversation WAS almost ex
clusiyely devoted 10 the society news OF tho day.
Finally Miss Gilt announced that she had broken
her engagement with him. IL was not a sur
prise TO the other boarders Two weeks later
she announced her engagement W Smith. Brown
did no, seem TO be very much detected then.
CAUTIOUSLY enough from that date his name
Brown 7, went to the same old places and he exam.
lned the newspapers eagerly tho next morning, but
his name was not USED. He sent anonymous
notices TO the papers and they were thrown into
the waste basket. Then he tried 70 make up
with Miss Gilt, but she wouldn't consider him
nj all had no sympathy with him. He had
knickcrbockcr Smith three months later and
her husband brought her TO New York where
her fortune supports them both comfortably
y took brown two years to recover from his social