Idaho Springs siftings., 1902-08-16
Zone shining light"

Artemus assumed a look of extreme
gravity, although Charlie was sure he
heard a chuckle.
You have met the father of the
young lady of the Steen dungeons. The
hotel clerk has been entertaining me
with wonderful story of his return to
life and civilization. 1t reads like
romance, and would find a worthy
niche in my notebook, only, my dear
boy, it is SO very ancient, veritable
stage chestnut, as it were.
But let that pass. l imagine this
Captain Brand is character worth
knowing, something unique. l could
hear him out yonder, and the dulcet
tones of his voice were soothing
enough to conjure with"
+ Yes" remarked Charlie, ''he is
wonderful man, and could charm most
speech"
Artemus again bent forward.
Beware OF Captain Brandt" he
whispered, and then sprang back to
note the stunning effect of his an
nouncement.
But Charlie, though interested, re-
fused to be stunned
Why, what has he done?"
He is a bold, bad mani"
Charlie was inclined to say "Amen!"
to that, but he kept his own counsel
as yet, seeking more light
See here! You have known this
wonderful modern Baron Munchausen
at some past date?" he said.
Artemus nodded.
1T would be impossible that two
such men could ever exist. Yes, l
knew him"
"Where?"
'In New York"
''When?"
LET me see," scratching his head,
as a comedian must always do when
desirous of arousing memory. "Ah!
yes, just little more than two years
ago."
But at that time he swears he was
in the heart of Africa, a prisoner at
Dahomey."
'Well-he lies," coolly.
Charlie liked that.
1t was so fresh and original, at the
same time so very emphatic.
Who was he when you knew him?"
he asked, determined to get down to
the facts now.
"A fourth-rate actor, on his uppers
half of the time. One of these howl
ing transformers, a heavy villain of
the piece. at home in Uncle Toms
Cabin or Ten Nights in a Barroom.'
He was the joke of the season on the
Rialto. in Gotham. | even thought Sc
riously of utilizing him in my great
play as the seedy actor who carries
the mysterious secret with him
through five acts, but when he found
there was a chance of him being i'm
mortalized, his price for sittings went
away up. and | discovered something
better than Hamfatter"
Good Heavens! was that his
name?"
Certainly not That's what they
call all heavy tragedians of the barn
storming variety. Let me see," plac-
ing a finger alongside his nose, a la
Irving. now l have it-bend your
head lower, for that fellow has keen
ears-it was Frederick Davenport Ma
cauley"
Indeed Very suggestive, consider
ing his occupation in life. What a
man he is, to be sure capable of hav-
ing so many names, and filing such
various stations in life. Why, when 1
knew him, four or five years ago, he
was called Captain Nathaniel Hedge"
What! you knew him, them"
81 saw him-that is, | am almost
dead certain it is the same man; and
expect to prove it presently"
Where was this?"
I'm South America
"In Valparaiso?"
Come. what makes you ask that?"
in surprise.
81 remember him talking of being
concerned in a little war scare that oc-
Cured down there-he has always
been the same boaster, you know"
well, that seems to prove the iden-
tity. / never in all my life heard of
so stupendous a rascal"
Say what was he doing down in
Santiago, or was it Valparaiso"
The latter, on the coast, the most
enterprising city along the Pacific,
south of San Francisco. What was he
doing? Well, about the last saw of
him, he was dancing a Scottish horn
pipe"