The Winslow mail., 1900-03-15
The Downfall of Brown
ONE of my recreations for many
A Physicians Demonstration OF
Social Diagnosis.
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" years has neen to discover and
classify certain mental failings which
cannot properly be diagnosed as dis
cases." said a physician at the Lotos
club, "and as the result of my deduc-
tiOns along a special line of investiga-
ton a young acquaintance of mine
worked out revenge that was unique
and married the girl of his choice. l
have been tempted several times to re-
port the case to the County Medical
society, but l don't believe that it
would be received with approval. Let
me tell you the story, and you can de-
termine for yourself the correctness
of my deductions.
business called me to San Francis
CO eight years ago and necessitated
my staying there for two years. In
my boarding house the star guest was
easily Miss Sally Gilt, the only daugh-
ter of lucky Forty-niner, and a
young woman with some beauty as
well as wealth. Her devoted admirer
was c. Knickerbocker Smith, who
wrote society news for a local paper.
Smith had come to the coast from New
York and failed IN a business venture.
He was a conceited, well-dressed, rath-
er good-looking little fellow, and the
strongest point in his favor was his
undoubted attachment for Miss Gilt
L was very much interested in watch
ing the progress of his suit with Miss
Gilt, when it was interrupted unex-
pectedly by the advent of a young
lawyer named John Fred Brown.
Brown had inherited some money, and
had worked hard at the law, but ap-
parently he had enjoyed no social adj
vantages. Probably he had been too
busy. At any rate, he was a man of
some little Importance in his way, and
when it was evident that he also ad-
mired Miss Gilt the other boarders
said: Poor Mr.. Smith! He is out of
it now. Mr.. Brown has lots of money
Miss Gilt was just an average girl, and
she was mercenary and ambitious.
half-suspected that Smith first at
tracted favorable attention by rum
ming In her name in the list of among
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cepticp.
"She became very kind to Brown
and correspondingly chilly to Smith.
The affair interested me- l had con-
Guided that Brown was a cold-blooded
selfish chap, when one fine morning
he announced to Us his engagement to
Miss Gilt. Smith came to my room
that night very Inuch broken up.
If Brown were a more decent fell
low, doctor, | wouldn't mind it so
much,' he said, but 1 know that ne
has made careful inquiries about Miss
GIlt's fortune before proposing. am
very fond of that girl and l had rea-
son to believe chat she was fon of
me until Brown arrived. don't know
what l am going to do.
Perhaps 1 can help you out and
at the same time demonstrate one of
my pet theories said 1.
81 don't see how it is possible he
said.
If you wanted to, could you make
Browns name well known in the fash
ionable list without exciting his sus-
picion or that of your creditor?' l
asked.
THAT would be easy he replied. 4
have been on the paper so long that
my lists go as 1 write them. | don't
like his name, though. John Fred
Brown would look queer. Anyway,
such notoriety as that would simply
please the beast. What are you driv-
ing at?'
Il explained my theory and after
some debate, Smith said that he was
inclined to believe in it.
1T sounds all right he said. and
it is worth trying. If Brown isn't sus-
ceptible we can give it up. I'll change
his name after it has been published
two or three times to j. Fred Brown.
That was the way the plot was
planned and two nights later Mr..
Brown announced that he was going to
take Miss Gilt to the opening perform
ance of New York theatrical COM
pany. The night after this perform
ance Brown turned up for dinner look
ing just a little bit naughty. His
haughtiness was increased when two
or three of the boarders said that they
knew by their papers that Mr. Brown
had been at the theater the night be-
fore. 1t was the first time that his
name had ever been published in the
fashionable list ard he passed it off by
saying carelessly that it was impossi-
BILE to avoid the reporter3 in these days.
- Happened toknow that he bought every
paper in town and cut out the para
graph of names which included his
own. Smith had asked every other So
ciety reporter in town 10 run in the
name of John Fred Brown. and that
was how the deed was accomplish ed
| studied Brown closely during dinner,
and when Smith came TO my room was
able to assure him that, in my opinion.
he could not fail. Brown was so pleased
with the notice from the news papers
that he decided to court il again. He
attended another performance. ard the
peFnins after ris name Was printed