The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1903-12-04
Smith and His Counterpart
ksk;k;kseessss;:k:l.:E;K,K;.. X J. X
BY CLARA AUGUSTA.

HON and were liable 10 be taken
by this other mortals
friends for their friend, and TO receive
treatment accordingly?
A little awkward sometimes, though
there are pleasant features about it,
as an experience Of mine last fall leads
me TO believe. Having nothing better
10 do, suppose j give IL 10 you.
smith, my boy" said old Harland
10 me, one day-Harand was my em-
plOyer, and | was head clerk in his
great importing housc-"how would
you like to 20 West, TO Chicago, St
Paul and Omaha, az our agent? I'm
portant business relations in these
localities viii oblige some cmplOye Of
the house TO go, and Hendricks is
down with the rheumatism, and ] had
as lief be shot as sleep in any bed but
my own What do you sayY
was delighted. and told the old fel-
low so at once ! had been in New
York five years, without taking any
other holiday than the law prescribcs,
Fourth Of July, Christmas, etc, and
the prospect OF journey made me as
happy as the prospective first pair of
trousers makes four-year-old boy.
In few days il was all settled. ]
packed my satchel, received my in
structons, and said goodby 10 my land
lady, who, as | always paid my bills
promptly, shed q tear or two on the
corner Of her apron in honor of my
exodus.
Everything went on swimmingly.
The day was lovely, the car Il new one,
nobody in il was scented with musk,
the conductor was Il model, and there
was such pretty young lady seat or
two ahead of me- with ravishing hat
and feather, neatly arranged hair, and
eyes rs bright rs diamonds
And she had such coquettish way
of cutting the pages of her book, and
presenting her railroad ticket to the
conductor, and asking him in a swcetly
imploring voice "if we were almost
there" that she quite took my fancy,
and ] resolved that il one OF those
inevitable smashes took place such as
we are regaled with i'm first class nov
els, ! would throw all personal consid-
crations aside and "go for her.
We had nearly reached Rochester,
when two strangers entered the car.
They acted like men who were hunting
for something They took seats just
before me and turned around back 90
back, and read their newspapers and
looked at me over the tops of them.
Now. men generally do not look over
Che tops OF their newspapers at any.
body but handsome women, and their
perSistenCy made me nervous.
changed my seat, but did not get out of
range.
| went TO the smoking car ana my
shadows suddenly developed taste
FOR smoking. | returned to the car
had left. and they followed me. and as
I was about to take my seat, one of
them laid his hand on my shoulder,
"Mr. smith said he, you are my
prisoner"
] exhibited q specimen of the clear
grit" which President Roosevelt speaks
of. and knocked him down.
Then the other one. and half dozen
OF the passengers, pouuced upon me
ana l was handcufIcd. and done fol
generally.
Then everybody fockcd around me
20 remark on what desperate looking
criminal | was.
Might have known 10y his face tha
ne was a rascalr' said n short gentle
man. with n bald head. Got reguIal
hangdog expression. Was II murder
sir?' to the constable.
NO, il was embczzlemCnt. said tina
gentleman.
Got his employers money. eh?"
Exactly One of the most DARN:
cases we've had on our hands foy
long time But we've worked il u,
successfully. and now we've got him.
"Shockingw said an elderly woman
in a pink bonnet THANK Heaven
never was tied 20 man. They're al
ways turning out bad"
"a sad thing" said n sleek looking
individual.
win it he State prison?' asked
solemn-faced old lady, with bundl
OF papers under her arm. Because.
IL is. young man, | will give thee
tract to read, and profit by"
And She handed me leaf OF papC
with the somewhat startling title. "Th
Road TO Hellw
| remarked that ! had no wish {
learn anything in regard to that rout,
and that brought up n clerical gentl,
man I'm n white choker. who inquired:
Young friend. hast thou n mother
II hastw said ]: likewise gran,
mother. two aunts, sixteen cousins. an
father-in-law.'
Beware" said he. "of sitting in IL
scat of the scornfulr'
He was just going to read me his la
sermon on total depravity. when we n
rived at Rochester. and I was take
10 the lookup
i did not like my quarters. IL W:
impossible for any decent white ms
60 like them. Dirty and ill-smellin
and would have been glad to chanl
the bed for any clean pine plank.
II seemed that was charged wi
sppropriating the funds Of one NJ
Junius B. streeter. Of Syracuse. wi