El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-09-20
Told BY The Confidence Mon.

The usually handsome. mobile face oil
the confidence man wore a lugubrious
expression as he walked along the Bow
cry. 4 reflective. PARKWAY look in his
piercing eyes betokened some RETROSPECT
tive musings some inward uneasiness
of recent origin-recent because II was
but brief period since l had seen the
volatile young gentleman in excellent
spirits and basking in the sunshine OF
prosperity. 1t was manifest to me at
first glance that my usually nonchalant
and blasc friend had met with some mis-
hap of more than usual moment.
What's up?' l inquired as L stepped
mp to him. he not noticing me in his pre-
occupation. You look as il your moth
er-in-law had eloped-"
This gray bearded. prehistoric CHEST
nut evidently fell short of its purpose,
for he looked at me with n sickly smile.
After what I took TO be something of an
effort he replied:
"Oh. nothing. / suppose il must be
the weather; il affects everybody"
For the first time since i had the honor
TO he favored with the volatile young
Rentleman's acquaintance / noticed dis
position on his part to taciturnity, and.
led by n burning curiosity. 1 determined
to persevere in my interrogations-
Now, my dear boy" l continued. en-
deavoring to become facetious for the
purpose OF drawing him out. 'in the horid
and sententious language of the small
boy. come off, The weather. 1 admit,
is depressing. but it requires more than
a spell of unpleasant atmospheric condi-
tions to upset your moral equanimity."
He fidgeted. hesitated and finally said:
well. to tell the truth. I'm completely
out of sorts An unfortunate occurrence
of recent origin has upset my calcula-
tons and plunged me into the slough Of
despond."
"was it something out of the usual
rut?" / ventured to inquire. a vision OF
cops and cells suddenly looming up on
my mental horizon.
He Immediately relapsed into his for
mer condition Of preoccupation, and, aft
er staring Mt nothing particular for
awhile. he said by way OF answer to my
query:
"It was just this way: Ny pal and l
were mourning the other day over the de-
generacy of the times and the marked
paucity Of desirable suckers when a
gentleman whose appearance was strik-
ingly suggestive of pastoral associations
hove in sight. and. exclaiming simultane-
ously. There's our pie! we started for
him with the lauda BILE intention of APP
his plethoric leather"
The confidence man was rapidly regain
ing his original righteousness and volu-
bility under the stimulus of my interroga-
ions and attentive attitude.
''Our FRIEND he continued, had just
turned into Broadway from Chambers
street when I rapidly approached him,
and. with the usual counterfeit Of sur
prise and gladness, said: Well, Mr..
Hodgson. this is a surprise indeed! Glad
to see you. How are all the folks in
my verdant friend assured me that
his name was not Hodgson. but Williams.
and that his genealogical tree bloomed in
/ muttered something about
a striking resemblance and took my
leave
my pal being close at hand, 1 tipped
him the gcntlcman's proper patronymic
and place of abode and Jagged behind to
await developments. My pal. after
cordial greeting by his bucolic friend.
walked arm in arm with him toward
Park row. l follow ing closely.
AT the lower end of the postoffice an
old lady asked me to escort her across
the street. the policeman delegated for
that purpose at this spot being off his
post i was thoroughly aware ut the
time that gallantry is invariably an at
tribute of the true gentleman, and here
was n case calling for all of that article
hat possessed. But l refused to assist
the old lady. You see. my recent lack
of the needful and continued hard luck
had awakened all that was sordid and
in my nature.
Il had not gone 20 yards, however.
when / heard n scream, and, quickly
turning. i bebeld the old lady under the
wheels OF a passing wagon and n crowd
to rescue her. i. however.
Kept on, feeling some remorse of con-
science for my base conduct, and closely
watched my men,
MY pal. by personal magnetism and
rick or two known to the trade, succeed
ID in reducing the surplus in the bucolic
leather and gave him some
hing to talk about when he got back to
In the meantime he re-
,aired to n restaurant / Joined him in
lbout an hour.
"While seated in a favorite resort that
evening over our wine. the amount Dor
owed rendering such a luxury possible.
ny pal and / read an account of the at
air in the newspaper. OF course, we
aughed heartily and proceeded to scan
he menu in search of choice morsels, we
,eing connoisseurs in matters gastronom-
C when our means allow us to indulge
'ur tastes. We made our selections,
When an item in the same paper arrested
ny attention. 1t was an account of the
ccident to the old lady whom L in my
taste refused to escort across from the !,
ederal postoffice. After reading the ar !
icle over several times / hastily lefTthe
lace. or, rather. ran from it. and pro- 7,
eeded to Bellevue hospital, where she /,
vas confined. 4
~ entered the dimly lit ward where |
he surgical cases are confined, and. I'M
Ter the guidance OF n nurse. proceeded |
o the bed where the old lady lay. She !
vas breathing heavily; the car of life !,
vas evidently about to give out on its |
ugged road She opened her eyes as I