Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-06-26
THE TRUTH ABOUT TOMPKINS,
(Ec'ry Month }


Mr.. De Jones Ito Mrs. De Jones).
i met Tompkins downtown today,
but he did not see me.
Mrs. De Jones Ito Mrs. Meddle).
John met Mr.. Tompkins in the
city yesterday aud he passed him
without word. Pm afraid
he has something on his mind.
Mrs. Meddle Ito Mr.. Meddle).-I
met Mrs De jones this afternoon,
and what do you think she told me
about that Tompkins of yours?
No, | don't suppose you do
/ call it uncbristian to
take no interest in ones neighbors.
y. What has he done? Oh,
what hasn't he! When a mali can't
face his friends and has to stink by
them in the streets Don't
talk to me about your club. Birds
Of featheil
Mr.. Meddie Ito Mr. Storier) Seen
Tompkins? No. / can't say that
Pm particularly anxious to, either.
he had plenty of friends,
but a good many pass him without
speaking now. Quite so.
You never know. -. When
you come to think of it, it's appalling
how little we do know of the people
that We know! One may be intimate
for years with man who's robbed a
bank, or deserted his wife, or any
thing; and never suspect it.
You're right. One can't be too care
full.
Mr.. Storier Ito Mrs. Storier).-Six,
and ourselves, too, that's eight.
Much the best number for
dinner. Whom did you
think of, my dear? The
Owens and the Newburys? Certainly.
Miss Auld? Very well.
Tompkinsp Umphl /
don't think she'd care about meeting
him.
Miud you don't say it's true; but
there are queer stories about him.
They say he was dismissed from
bank for embezzlement. and he's
deserted his wife, and his friends
have cut him adrift and won't speak
to him. Exactly. One never
hears the whole of these things, they
hush them up. Miss Auld
wanted to meet himp Did she? Per.
haps that's all the more reason why
she shouldn't. You won't
repeat what I've said, of course, my
dear. Certainly not.
Mrs. Storier Ito Mrs. Chatterleigh).
=. Haven't you? Why every
body is talking about it.
He has been dismissed from the bank
for embezzlement What
bank? Oh-er-one of those down
town. Yes, and he has deserted his
wife and children. You didn't know
he was married? =. Nor did
anybody else. He took good care of
that! A man of his kind wouldn't
stop at bigamy. Anyhow, he's been
paying a lot of attention to Miss
Auld. / was going to ask them to
dinner together, but Charles wouldn't
hear of it. That was how ! came to
find out. His family won't have
anything to do with him, of course;
and everybody is dropping him.
7. Yes, expect we shall hear
more of it in the courts.
Somehow couldn't take to him my.
self. lie never said ANYTHING for
anybody. Must you 90?
Remember me to Mr.. Chatterleigh.
Mrs. Chatterleigh Ito Mr.. Chatter
leigh).-Tompkins? A nice man to
quote, / mast say. Oh,
nothing muchl He's been dismissed
from the city bank for robbery, and
deserted his first wife and children
poor little things. What
do mean by "his fret wife?" Why.
they sny that there's an action for
bigamy. Well. l know he's
been carrying on with Miss Auld. /
hopes she'll have him up for breach
of promise, the wretch!
/ never could stand the man N.Y.
self. As Mrs. Storier says, he was
always running people down; and
don't suppose his people were any
thing. You heard he had
a rich uncle? He'll get
nothing from him now, anyhow.
He's cut him adrift and so have all
his people. No decent person will
speak to him in the street. wonder
that you tolerate him in your club.
It's the only one that does, I'll be
bound.
Mr.. Chatterleigh Ito Mr.. Fusby).
Look here, old man, you're on the
committee. What are you going to
do about Tompkins? -. You
mast have heard. It's all over the
place. He's been up to all sorts of
things.
So far as can make out the rights
of il, he was in the City Bank, and
they dismissed him for embezzle.
ment. His uncle, who is million
aire. paid up to avoid any scandal, 80
that won't come into court. But, in
addition, he has deserted k..s wife
and chiIdren-quite lars family
and married someone else. Now
thov a 90 l.ofh b.sc a.. - A.