The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1899-06-15
My Vocation.

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r. 5
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
4 My name is Arthur Clarence Fits-
gerald Mackenzie. I am e5, tall. good
looking and a clerk. am not absolute
ly miserable, but am nevertheless far
from happy. --,,...''-.-S
The cause Of my own unhappiness is
that I cannot alight upon the particu-
Lar walk in life in which my abilities
are destined to make me famous
"a It was my fathers. great principle
y that every man is genius in partic-
j ular department. but the chances are a
million to one that he never finds that
/ department.
/ For 80 years he worked at the trade
Of bootmaking without becoming pen
ny piece the richer, and 1t was only on
his deathbed that he found he ought to
have been cabinet minister.
Ny own delusion was that I came
into this world for the sole purpose Of
/ showing its inhabitants something
, startling in the detective line.
My opportunity came at last. ! was
walking down the Strand in that calm,
thoughtful manner peculiar to people
of great brain power when passerby
looked searchingly into my face. It
was only glance. and he passed on al
most Immediately, apparently satisfied
with his inspection.
literally jumped with eagerness and
delight. The man, although outwardly
refined and gentlemanly, had a very
striking face.
, s"That man." said I to myself, ''has
evsyy indication of being a villain :"
Then thrill of excitement ran through
me. As he waited ahead noticed that
ms ear tapered to point at the top;
-.-it 4<stssys in fact aplandid oHanplo Of
+ what is known in physiogonomy as
the criminal ear.
'sThat man is villain.'' said I.
Having come to this rather impor-
tant conclusion, Immediately formed
the idea of following him. First of all.
/ turned up my coat collar. A detective
must not on any account be conspicu-
GUS. Now my linen is always white as
snow, and therefore necessarily conspic-
uous- r.r|
then followed my man in SLOUGH
ing, shutting way, in order to show
people that had no object in follow
ing him. rounded my shoulders,
bowed my head, looked up under my
eyebrows with the most approved ferret
expressions and followed my quarry
with the pertinacity Of bloodhound.
"His general appearance and de-
meanor," soliloquized, s'are indica-
tive of refinement. He Is therefore
gentleman. Being gentleman. it can
not be his object to perpetrate q COM
mon burglary. He has the aspect Of a
foreigner. Being a foreigner, he may
be Russian. and. being Russian, he
must be nihilist. Good heavensi The
yelfare Of the populace. the very fate
Of the dynasty, may be at stake. Per-
haps this man carries an internal ma
chine concealed upon his person. But
what is the life of one man to the safety
Of thousandsf will risk my life for
the''- e3 l9 go .CEaEa 3si VI !
Here collided violently with q lamp
post This delayed me for some time,
bnt when again caught up to my man
was rewarded BY peroeiying unmis-
taxable signs Of criminal communities
tion. SAstSafs5 8 ,qts,s3,f.a
Two or three times I had noticed an
individual on the opposite side Of the
road almost keeping pace with the one
was following Twas rather suspi-
6ous Of him at first. but when saw
him go into q public house I naturally
came to the conclusion that he had
dropped ont Of the chase. .,.s
was wrong, however. A little far
Their on my man turned back and went
into the same house. Now. thought /,
as ! followed him. the plot thickens
found my particular villain sitting
at table reading u newspaper.
For nearly quarter Of an hour
furtively watched them. Then my pa
thence was rewarded. The man who
was reading took out a pencil and be-
gan scribbling something on the margin
of the newspaper.
Presently the man threw the news
paper down by the side Of his accom-
ffice and walked out. I did not follow
him this time felt convinced that he
had left behind all wanted.
!. Thought Of walking over and taking
tdp the paper. but, as / anticipated, be-
fore could do SO the other man pounced |
on 1t like hawk. For few minutes
be pretended to read the news, then I |
saw his eyes sneak to the side of the
page and devour the pencil note.
Now this iswhers I displayed my
genfuz When the man had read tha /
note. he deliberately tore of the piece.
folded II up, stuck IL into the gas and |
lighted his cigarette with it Like
dMh took out cigarette, and, walk
ing over to him. said the uGsal "Aftes