New-York tribune., 1904-09-11

town hall after the crowd had gone
In dark corner with his bruised head between his
hands trying clear the tangle in his brain and plan
his way back public esteem he found his heretofore
respected neghbor, Joachim Todd He had just
bound Todd over a charge of swndling women.
Joachim said the burgess this is beyond me-
! couldn't believe it it not for the evidence"
The prisoner groaned
Il am surprised indeed am continued the burgess
No wonder" answered Todd dolefuly. No one
understands cept Scott and he ought to be here
in place of me.
The burgess clapped his hand on his knee. There
tis!" he exclaimed Il knew there some
tenuating circumstances Why in the name of justice
didn't YOU say something in your deense' You Just
hung against the rail like scarecrow Joachim
"I-I-couldnt' he suffered, Il knowed was
innocent; but | couldn't face em. never dreamed
wimmen could be so ferocious He drew his fingers
gingerly over the abrasions I've been dooped
than any of them he added signing
w is this Scott questioned the burgess.
How does he figure in It ~
Todd shook his head IF ever a man deserved
be ducked in a horse trough it's him. l know l
couldn't myself to meet him. He's got me
worked an awful pitch. | can't forget him.
The burgess seated himself beside the detected man
How did il happen, anyway he asked
For a full minute Todd sat without budgIn6. lie
was smokin the hotel verandy, he began at last
when he took up with me by askin how 1t was that
all smart men die poor said it wasn't so, as was
an example. and he got sociabe with me No one
knowed him here. but he cut hgger with his Alpeen
hat and gray Eoatcc- lie dltin l seem anxious 10
take up with other folks. and when walked down
Main-st. and he took hold of me arm | was foolish
enough feel proud, for could the folks starln
1t was days before he took into his confidence
and when / think how | slid with my head down
and eyes shut | kin hardly sit still
After hestatn' a long while he said he a
botanst and had discovered secret worth millions
His discovery was to wipe the muskeeter from the
face of the globe and particularly from New Jersey
When his exterminator got TO workin he said the
poor pests wouldn't have any place to lay their heads
His discovery, ne told me- plant that growed
from a small bean imported from island IN the
Bav of Biscav The leaves throwed off an odor that
would kill a muskeeter a square away, yet It was
nvigoratin' to humans-it made folks fat, he said
There was limited quantity of the beans in the
United States where they used as ornaments
he explained, but Cept himself had realized
their destroyn force. So that one else would
make the discovery and compete he bought up all
there was in the country-that's what he told me.
He showed of the beans. They were
speckled like a mockn' birds egg but very small
| think he said they growed the size of crab-appe-
trees and sprouted in from ten to eleven days. He
told the truth about the sproutin part burgess.
Mr. Todd he said | doZin' in my room III
the Astoria one night last summer when swarm of
muskeeters came in the window and attacked me in
bed | almost went mad and had to climb out on
small verandy to save mesef In box there found
a small bush which l afterwards discovered was
Riscav bean plant | didn't know its qualities then
no more than YOU: but the sight of it gave a
idea and broke the stalk off short and rushed back
into the room lashing right and left. Pretty soon,
70 NV surprise the buzzin' stopped and | went to
bed and slept sound. Next morning the dust-pan
would not hold the dead muskeeters that was swept