The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1904-01-07

X Y strange things might nap
O o pen to you If you looked
Il ~ Y Just like somebody else,
FOR and were liable to be taken
by this other mortal's
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
to do, suppose give It to you.
"smlth, my boy" said old Harland
to me, one day-Harland was my pm-
ployer, and was head clerk in his
great importing house-"how would
you like to go West, to Chicago, st.
Paul and Omaha, as our agent? I'm
portant business relations in these
localities will oblige some employee of
the house to 60, and Hendricks is
down with the rheumatism, and l had
as lief be shot as sleep in any bed but
my own. What do you sayY'
was delighted, and told the old fell
low so at once. l had been in New
York FIVE years, without taking any
other holiday than the law prescribes,
Fourth of July, Christmas, etc, and
the prospect Of journey made me as
happy as the prospective first pair Of
trousers makes a four.year-old boy.
In few days it was all settled. 1
packed my satchel, received my in
structions, and said goodby to my land
lady, who, as always paid my bills
promptly, shed tear or two on the
corner Of her apron in honor Of my
exodus.
Everything went on swlmmingly.
The day was lovely, the car new one,
nobody I'm 1t was scented with musk,
the conductor was a model, and there
was such pretty young lady seat or
two ahead Of ME, with a rayishing hat
and feather, neatly arranged hair, and
eyes as bright as diamonds,
And she had such a coquettish way
Of cutting the pages of her book, and
presenting her railroad ticket TO the
conductor, and asking him in a sweetly
impl0ring 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 RECALLED with in first class nov
els, would throw all personal consid-
eratlons 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 to
back, and read their newspapers and
looked at me over the tops of them.
Now, men generally do not look over
the 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.
I went to the smoking car, and my
shadows suddenly developed a taste
for smoking, returned to the car /
had left and they followed me, and as
was about to take my seat, one of
them laid his hand on my shoulder.
"Nir. Smith," said he, you are my
prisoner"
exhibited a specimen of the "clear
grit" which President Roosevelt speaks
of, and knocked him down.
Then the other one, and half dozen
of the passengers, bounced upon me,
and l was handcuffed, and done for
generally.
Then everybody focked around me
to remark on what desperate-looklng
criminal l was.
might have known by his face that
he was a rascalp said a short gentle
man, with bald head. Got a regular
hangdOg expression. Was 1t murder,
sir?" to the constable.
mo, it was embezzlement," said that
gentleman.
SCOT his employers money, eh?"
Exactly! One Of the most daring
cases we've bad on our hands for
long time. But we've worked It up
successfully, and now we've got him."
"Shocking" said an elderly woman
in a pink bonnet. "Thank Heaven l
never was tied to man. They're al
ways turning out bad"
"a sad thing" said a sleek-looking
Individual. l.-.c....s----..'----'----44--'---