The Colfax chronicle., 1903-07-25
''see here" I said. sharply. where


I'll shake you out of your clothes" l
threatened, hoarse with rage.
The imp darted away. Turning, / OBJ
served that all the people in the room
were eyeing me with evident distrust
and disapproval. What had occurred
to change their pleasant smiles to
these lowering glances l could not i'm
agine. Still fuming with rage l stepped
to the counter and addressedthec clerk.
II wish you would see that my hat
is produced Immediately" said, an
grily. IL don't propose to be made
fool Of"
Il never saw your hat" be replied,
sharply. what are you talking
about?"
This angered me beyond bounds.
Turning half about, so as to face both
the clerk and the people in the room
who were regarding me so unfavor-
ably, / shrieked:
Evidently this is q den of thieves.
You can keep the hat, and be id to
you"
No sooner had 1 spoken than was
seized by burly negro-a porter
thought from the momentary glance
l got at him before l shot through
the door, across the sidewalk and into
the street, after receiving two stupen-
dous blows in the face from black
fist. As / sailed through the door l
caught fragmentary glimpse OF q
grinning imp with red eyes full OF
malice.
/ lay stunned, the blood streaming
from my face and an unbearable pain
in my left eye. Apoliceman rushed up,
and heard dimly, as in dream, some
body explaining to the officer that /
was drunk and quarrelsome. Present
ly l was bundled into patrol wagon
and taken to station house, where my
injuries were examined by a surgeon,
who announced that the sight in my
left eye had been permanently de-
stroyed and my face otherwise badly
disfigured for life. On the following
day j was taken before magistrate
and after brief trial, during which
sat in a dHze, was sentenced to 80 days
IN Jail for being drunk and disorder
ly." Iattempted to make some sort of
defense, and to enter protest at the
injustice, but the blows dealt me by
the negro had left me so fnudd1ed that
/ was incoherent, and injured rather
than helped my cause.
The next day my head cleared some
what, and during the day came into
possession of newspaper. With what
horror and amazemcnt you may imag-
inc saw displayed in big black type
sensational and horribly false account
of my arrest and what purported to be
the incidents that led up to it. It
stated that ! had been drunk and fight
ing in a hotel of doubtful reputation,
that the police had been long trying
to break up the gang of toughs that
frequented the place, and the magis-
trate had decided to make an example
of me, having caught me red-handed.
1t gave my full name and ad-
dress and occupation, secured from
cards and letters found in my
pocket. There were plenty of sa-
lacious details that never had the
slightest foundation in fact, among
other things saying that was a regular
habitue of the place, and that i had evil
IDENTIFY had been leading dual life,
posing in one city as respectable
business man, and in another in
dulging in wild orgies and consorting
with the most disreputable characters.
I had no sooner finished reading the
account than a telegram was handed
me. 1t was from my employer dis
charging me and bitterly reproaching
me for having abused his confidence
and cast discredit upon his house. The
story had been telegraphed broadcast.
While / was rereading the telegram,
aghast, another was handed me. 1t
was from my uncle, who upbraided
me in >unmeasured terms, not only for
my disgraceful escapade, but also for
my long years of deception, winding
up by announcing that was disinher-
tied, and that the family wealth would
60 to my cousin Tom.
] could not believe the situation. It
must be some terrible nightmare. 1
pinched myself viciously. No., there
was no such luck. It was grim reality.
In frenzy of terror l called for pa
per and wrote my sweetheart relating
the circumstances, and begging her to
withhold judgment until 1 could see
her and tell her all myself. In answer
1 Ireceived cold letter from her father
in which he expressed surprise that !
should presume to address his daugh-
ter; that she desired never to see me
or hear from me again, and adding
that should ever appear at his house
the dog would be set upon me.
This is the sum of my dreadful story.
1t is the plain. simple truth. Ipray
that it may reach the eye of some per-
son to whom it will carry the con-
viction of truth. If it does, beg that
person to extend me sympathy and ad-
vice and help me to dissipate the ter
rible cloud l am under. Otherwise 7
am fearful that am hopelessly lost,
beca4se always before my minds eve
there floats the vision of that mali
cious imp with the. .red-encircled eyes,
and fear that will leave this place,
only to return to it murderer, and
pass on to the gallows.
Usually They Are.