Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-07-27
My Vocation.

My name is Arthur Clarence Fitz-
gerald Mackenzie. l am 25, tall, good
looking and a clerk. | am not absO
lutely miserable, but am nevertheless
far from happy.
The cause of my own unhappiness is
that | cannot alight upon the particu.
lar walk in life in which my abilities
are destined to make me famous.
1t was my fathers great principle
that every man is a genius in a partic-
ular department, but the chances are a
million to one that he never finds that
department.
For so years he had worked at the
trade of bootmaking without becoming
a penny piece the richer, and it was
only on his death bed that he found
that he ought to have been a cabinet
minister.
My own delusion was that | came in
to this world for the sole purpose of
showing it's 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 a passerby
looked searchingly into my face, and he
passed on almost Immediately, appar-
emily satisfied with his inspection.
| literally jumped with eagerness and
delight. The man, although outwardly
refined and gentlemanly, had a very
striking face.
I cot To al hoe
every indication of being a william"
Then a thrill of excitement ran
through me- AS he walked ahead | no.
ticed that his ear tapered to point ut
the top; it was, in fact, splendid ex-
ample of what is known in physiog-
nomy as criminal ear.
THAT man is villian!" said |.
Having come to this rather import
ant conclusion, Immediately formed
the idea of following him. First Of all,
/ turned up my coat collar A detec-
tive must not not on any account be
conspicuous. Now my linen is always
as white as snow, and therefore neces-
Sarily conspicuous.
| then followed my man in SLOUGH
ing, shuflling 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 fer
ret expressions and followed my quarry
with the pertinacity of bloodhound
His general appearance and demean-
or | solilOquiZed, are indicative of re-
finement. He is therefore a gentleman
Being gentleman it cannot be his OBJ
ject to perpetrate common burglary
He has the aspect of foreigner. Be-
ing a foreigner, he may be a Russian
and being a Russian he must be q
nihilist. Good heavens The welfare
of the populace, the very fate Of tho
dynasty, may be at stake. Perhaps
this man carries an internal machine
concealed upon his person. But wha
is the life Of one man to the safety q
thousands? l will risk my life fol
the"
Here | collided violently with {
lamp-poSt. This delayed me for some
time, but when | again caught up tC
my man | was rewarded by seeing I'M
mistakable signs Of criminal commune
cation.
Two or three times l had noticed az
individual on the opposite side of thu
road almost keeping pace with the on
| was following. l was rather sus
picious of him at first, but when l say
him go into public house l NATURAL,
came to the conclusion that he hal
dropped out of the chase.
| was wrong, however, A littl
farther on my man turned back and
went into the same house. Now
thought |, as l followed him, the plo
thickenS.
| found my particular william sitting
at a table reading a newspaper.
For nearly a quarter of an hour fur
lively watched them. Then my pa
thence was rewarded. The man VIII
was reading took out a pencil and be
gan scribbling something on the mar
gin of the newspaper.
Presently the man threw the news
paper down by the side of his accom-
plice and walked out. I felt convince
tnaC ne naQ leIl uenlnu all ne Wdul6i
I thought of walking over and takin
up the paper, but, as | anticipated, be
fore l could do so the other ma
bounced on it like a hawk. For a fe
minutes he pretended to read the new
then | saw his eyes seek the side of th
page and devour the pencil note.
Now, this is where I displayed N
genius. When the man had read Ii
note he deliberately tore off the piec
folded it up, stuck it into the gas an
lighted cigarette with it. Like
flash l took out cigarette and walkir
over to him said the usual, after yo
please" in the most natural manner.
Apparently he was satisfied with b
scrutiny, for he handed me the slip.
lighted my own cigarette, put out tt