Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1899-06-08
My Vocation.


NY Htui4S p AEtDuI NHlobSe Iitn
gerald Mackenzie ! am 20, ,alL good
looking fpd clerF. am not absolute
II misem bic, but am nevertheless far
from happy
The cause Of my own gnlnppiness n
thai ycapnoej alight upon the particu-
lar walk in life ip which my abilities
are destined to make me famous.
1t was my fathers great principle
that everR ,uah is a genius in partie-
ular Department. but the chances are n
million 90 one that he never finds that
departLyent.
For 30 years be worked at the trah'
of boutmaking without becoming pen
ny piece the richer, and it was only IN
bis dearsa]ed that he found he ought TO
have been cabinet minister.
My own delusiQn was that caIQe
into this world for the sose purpose OF
startling In the detective line.
Ny opportunity came at last. was
walking d9wp the Strand in that calrh
thoughtful manner peculiar to people
Of great brain power when passerby
looked sparchingly into my face II
was only glance, and he passed on al
most immediately, apparently satisfied
with his inspection.
liteEafiy jumped with eagerneas and
delight The man, although outwardly
refined aud gentlemanly. had a very
striking tac5.
THAT rnAp." said ] to myself "lne
every Indication Of being a>villain.
Then a. thrill oS ezcitementran through
me ,;As ~ waited ahead 1 noticed that
his eartapered b. q point at the tops
it was. III fact, 9 splendid example Of
what is 1znowp IN physiogonomy rs
the. criminal ear
THAT mar is a villain, said
Having come to this father impor
tant conclusion. Immediately formed
the Idea 81 following him. First of all
/ turped. np my coat collar. A detective
must not on any account be conspicu-
Gus. Now my linen is always white Rs
snow and therefore QeoessarilS tonspio
ious
tirhn fpIt~ed my tnat IN q shucfs
ing, slnhling way. in order 90 show
people tbss had no OBJECT IN follow
ing him. rounded my, shoulders.
bowed my head, looked mp under my
eyebrows with tbe most approved'feffet
expressions and followed my quauY
with the pe4tinacity of bloodhound
His General appearancs and d.
meanor. soliloguized, -are irrfRr-
tive Of tefipGpient He Is therefre n
gentleIJhn, Being,a gentleman. tt Gao
not be big Object 10 perpetrate cop-
mon tHrglgry. lie has the aspect Of a
foreigner. Being u foreigner, no may
be a Busss,n. and, being Russian. in
must ba nihilist. Good heavensi The
welfare df J.he populace, the very fate
Of the dynasty. may DO at stake Pep
haps this man n'carries nm infernal ma
chine concealed upon his person But
what Is the jife Of one man to the safety
Of thQuganiss | with rish my life for
the
. Here collided violently with lamp
post; This delayed me for somc time.
but when I again caught UP to my man
| was rewarded by perceiting unml4
taxable eisnsOf criminal communfc1-
ton,
Two or three times brd noticed .np
individual on the opposite side Of the
road almost keeping pacewith the one
l waa following / was rather. suspt
cioqs of him at first, but when ( sa2
him 90 'f9to0 public hodse,1 naturally
came TO Tho CONCLUSION that he had
droppeti-out OF the chase
was spnong, however 3 litt1e faS,
ther on my man TUNED bach, and went
into the Same -hdfAe. Now ,ythQught L
NJ | followed him.. the plotthickepa
I found my particular villain sittfpg
ut q table~fedding q newspapeL
For nearly a quarter OF an hour
furtiyely watched them. Then my pa
tience Mas rewarded The man who
was roadine took out, q pencil and be-
gan ecribbling something on the margin
of the newspaper.
Presently the man threw, the news,
paper down by the side Of his accom-
plice and walked out 1 didinQt follow
him this time I felt convinced that he
had left behind all wanted.
1 thought of walking over sani taking
mp the paper, but, as I anticipated, be-
fore | could do SO tho other man pounced
on ii like hawk. For Il fdw minutes
he pretended to read tho news, then
saw his eyes sneak to the side Of the
page and devour the pencil note.
Now this is where displayed my
genius. When the man had read tho
note, he deliberately tore off the piece,
folded it up stuck it into the gas and
lighted his cigarette with 1t. Like
6ash / took out "a cigarette, and, walk
Ing over to him, said the usual, after
you. please. in the most natural man.
ner.
Apparently he was satisfied with his
scrutiny, for hc handed mo the slip ]
lighted my cigarette, put out the paper
and threw It on the floor 10 that it went
well under my chair. I then resumed
my sent and awaited developments.
A few minutes later tho man left.
and with my heart III my mouth ] pick
ed up the paper and spread it ont Part
Of the writing was burned, but what
remained almost made me yell with tri-
umph It ran thus:
Atlompt will Doe rnado tonight
Colouui Lewis house In
approach from lncl. garden In Carbon 1t.
Black Jake and Nod Sawyer
That was sufficient for me. 1t was
plnin that Colonel Lewis house was to
b. the scene Of desperate outrage.
Probably the colonel would be mrrdcre
and his residence blown mp by dynn-
mite shook with excitement. 1t was
plain as daylight.