Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-09
CITY DISCOYERER
FINDS UBIQUITY

| For fifteen minutes the City Discoverer
| had been sitting on his favorite bench in
| Rock Creek Park watching with anxiety
and curiosity a dilapidated melancholy
| looking stranger who was seated on an
| other bench not far away
II wonder what ails the poor manT' said
| the City Discoverer half aloud. as for the
seventeenth time the melancholy stranger
buried his face I'm his hands and sighed
sudibly. Il beg your pardon, sir" the Dis
coverer remarked at length. his mild blue
eyes shining with sympathy behind his
god-rimmed glasses. but you seem to be
in trouble Is there anything I can do for
your"
Where am To- inquired the melancholy
stranger. he lifted his head and glanced
around.
I'm Rock Creek Park" replied the city
Discoverer. in some establishment.
That's new one on me-. muttered tho
stranger, with shake of his head.
| Where in the world is it?''
Just outside OF Washington" replied the
Discoverer. more astonished than ever
That's another one muttered the
| stranger. YEARLY. Sir" he continued.
| turning to the City Discoverer. II viii con-
| fide in you. for my case IS a sad one and
| need sympathy. At present am willing TO
wager that / am not only here. but some
where else; that | am at present engaged
| in serious offenses against society In New
/ York New Orleans. San Francisco. Denver,
Chicago and Butler Pa"
'Goodnessr' calculated the City Discov-
| erer, as he gazed at the melancholy stran-
| ger with doubt and alarm.
YES" continued the melancholy stranger,
| with another gusty sigh. and that isn't
| the worst of IL. Tomorrow or the next day
| after l will be engaged In such pleasant
| pursuits bank burglary. kidnapping and
| housebreaking in Cleveland. Ohio; Way
| cross. Ga; Philadelphia, Pa, and Olney,
Md"
| Heavens cried the City Discoverer.
| he picked up his cane and made ready to
depart in a hurry.
And by Monday of next week." con-
| tinued the melancholy stranger, as his emo
| ton overcame him once more. Il Will be
| selling gold bricks holding up street cars
| and drugging unsophistcated strangers in
! Boston. Mass; Memphis. Tenn; Halifax,
! Nova Scotia. and Alexandria, Va. tell
| you it is hard
| Mercy" cried the City Discoverer
breathlessly, but your statements are
| most remarkable. How I'm the world can
| you te in all those places at the same
| timer"
II can't" replied the stranger with
| scowl but that doesn't make any differ
! ence. l have here in this envelope cir
| pings from sixteen leading newspapers OF
| sixteen different cities. all bearing the
same date and all containing frst-hand ac-
| counts of my operations in those munici-
palities on the same day. In one city
| kidnapped three children of wealthy parents,
| in another held up two street cars. Killed
| the motormen and conductors and escaped
| with all the available cash, estimated 1t
| S269. and in another town 1 burglarized
| bank and eloped with the safe. Eaon or
| these sixteen articles from sixteen papt RS
| of sixteen different cities contains an ac-
| curate description of my person. from ac-
| counts given by spectators of the sixte' n
| different crimes.
| he niScnyera~
| II simply can't understand how
| Neither can l." replied the melancholy
| stranger. once upon time knew where
| make any difference. While l am sitting
| here talking to you I am probably violat-
! ing a big assortment of United States stat
| utes in from six to eighteen cities OF the
| country / told you l needed sympathy.
| You certainly appear worthy OF II, re-
| piled the Discoverer. after a pause.
! Il am, If ever man was. answered me
| stranger, "Once upon time | knew where
| | was at any time of the night or day. AT
| present | have no idea. You say am in
| Washington, but a matter OF fact
| don't know. Only yesterday j was arrested
| in Mobile. Ala, and Hackensack n. J., at
almost the same hour, and I will probably
| be released in three of four cities this
morning and arrested again In several
others this afternoon. Now what do you
| think of my case?'
| .Well-er-re really" replied the city
Discoverer in embarrassment, Il don't
know what to think. Your tale Is most
| strange ana IS ef--soi!leWhat ouu' ~"
| If you would tell me your name | might be
| better able to Judge"
| IF | do said the melancholy stranger.
| bitterly II shall probably find that | have
| violated most of the laws of Washington
| over night. But l am getting used to that
| sort of thing and l don't mind. My name
| is Pat Grove"
| The City Discoverer departed with con-
| siderable alacrity.
| who would have thought it?'' he muir
| mered as he trudged homeward, glancing
| backward at every other step.