The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1904-01-01
CHAPTER 7.
HAVE known Donald Dona,dso,
THE PROBLEM

Jr., ever since he was born; In.
oeeu, may say, much longer.
There Is an entry about him In
q my diary under date Of March 10. 1877,
and that Is about four years before he
saw the light and nearly two years be-
fore I first heard of either of his par.
spts or they of each other. In plain
words, he was an ideal OF mine. sub.
5ect OF speculation and study. n dweller
an my brain before he had an actual
existence, 30 that he might be a tenant
OF my heart.
- Is singular that two romances,
many mysteries and a very startling
tragedy should hang upon SO small and
commonplace q peg rs this which
shall show you. Twenty odd years ago
i made an appointment with Stephen
Hackett, then my partner and since
deceased. 10 meet him in Il New York
bookstore. choosing the plaoe simply
because II was convenient was ahead
OF him and Of the hour, indeed, and
while waiting l took up volume en-
titled Psychic Marvels," by an Eng
hsh writer whom l now perceive to
have been both 'credulous and menda-
cious, a man to believe good lie and
Improve it in the telling. In those days,
however. had read little. and the book
appealed to me as scientific presenta-
ton Of a subject Of great interest and
Importance too often Stunned by prac-
tical men and left to be the sport Of i'm
posters.
When Hackett arrived. ! was sitting
on top Of small stepladdcr on rollers,
n device common in bookShOps, while
two polite clerks were vainly endcavOr-
Ing to gain my attention for the pur-
pose of telling me that the business OF
the establishment was suffering for
lack OF that ladder. bought psychic
Marveis." and we devoted the evening
to II, Hackett and J. in the library OF
my house in Tunbridge. N. J.
Now. II you please. that was the
cause Of Donald Donaldson, Jr. If |
had not suggested the bookstore rs q
place Of meeting. If that particular vol.
ume had not caught my eye, perhaps
even II the stcpladdcr had not been
placed handily for me to sit upon.
there would be no story for me to tell.
But some one built the store. and some
one wrote the book, and some one else
was the father OF the author. and an.
other was his grandfather. and SO on
back to the monkey who was the an.
cestor Of them all. not to so further.
Tracing causes is n famous old amusc.
ment Of our race. though we know al.
ready that the whole past Of the uni
verse Is the cause Of every blade OF
grass. even as that blade itself Is an
essential prop of the whole future. II
IL q worthy effort. however. to see az
much OF this vast sScin rs we can
and he Is wisest who secs most. pro
vided that he does not fancy that ht
sees all which exists even In the small
portion that Is under his eye.
TO resume my story. Hackett and
spent studous evening with "Psy
chic Marvels," sitting up so late thn
neither Of us was fit for business ol
the following day, and we were led f
read many other books and to engaS
at last in q practical, common sens
investigation Of an interesting subject
The firm Of Hackett & Harrington
manufactured carpets-still docs so. Il
fnct-nnd keeps the name. though m
partner long since closed his carthl
account and went to meet anothe
which could not have been one
shame him. hope my own may b
as good, for 1t must soon be CLOSED
Tunbridgc people began to call m
''old" John Harrington a matter Of te
years ago. However, in the days c
which am now writing was youn
man Of forty-two. and Hackett was NJ
much older. We hard made good b
Of money I'm our business, and both {
rs had been fortunate In outside II
vestments, 80 that we felt very secur
The time had COME when we mig