The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1907-08-23
The Lunacy Of Simon Lane
By John '. Mulaney

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one of the men, speaking in a sooth.
ing voice, rs II to a child. You must
stay here for a while, sir. and enjoy
a little vacation"
What kind Of a plot is this, gentle
men? l am a clerk in the employ of
Marburg & Company. Let me go!"
he cried, beginning to struggle help.
lessly.
Softly. sir, we know all about you.
Mr.. Marburg has asked that you be
given this little vacation. Your wife
asked It for you"
my wife! But / have no wife! l
don't believe you. You are all In
some plot to ruin mel" and Simon,
instead of trying to be cool and ration
al, grew more excited, more confused
and more violent In his resistance. At
last he was forced down a corridor
and placed in a solitary cell. where he
passed a sleepless night.
On the afternoon Of the next day
DR.. Cheslea, head of the Cheslea SAM
tarium, sat reading in his private Of
fee. AS his eye moved over the front
page of the Herald" 1t was attracted
by the following item:
Faithful Clerk Absconds from the
Marburg Store. Simon Lane, for
ten years a trusted employer of Mar
burg and Company disappeared from
the city yesterday taking with him a
check for ,$1,100 dollars paid him by
a wealthy customer. No news Of his
whereabount has been obtained"
DIR. Cheslea re-read the item with
a puzzled expression, then sat for
several moments staring before him
in silence. AS If on sudden thought,
he then picked up a directory from
his desk and looked through 1t hnr-
riedly. Then taking down the receiv-
err of his desk telephone he called the
number of Marburg's private office.
Hello" a little excitedly, Il want
to talk with Mr., Marburg at once
This is Marburg right here" re
turned a gruff voice, what can I do
for you?"
"This is DR.. Cheslea of the Cheslea
Sanitarium. l read of the disappear
ance of your clerk, Simon Lane, and
wish to say that he is here at the
sanitarium. He was placed here yes
terday at the request of his wife and
at the advice of his physician"
His wife? Simon Lane, my clerk,
had no wifet You must be mistaken"
DR.. Cheslea saw in a fash the depth
of his deception. He dropped the tele-
phone and pressed a button on his
desk.
Go" he said calmly to the attend
ant who appeared, land show Mr..
Lane to my ofice-Mr. Lane, the gen
tleman in number 81"
AS Simon Lane, detected and woe
begone, appeared in the doorway of
the office DR.. Cheslea arose to meet
him and shook his hand warmly.
MIR. Lane" he said, this institu-
tion has done you a great wrong. As
head of this institution | am RESPONSE
BILE for 1t and I offer most humble apol-
ogy. 1t Is plain that we both have
been much deceived"
The two talked earnestly together
for ten minutes. In the midst of the
discussion a cab drove hurriedly up
the drive. Old Marburg alighted and
hastily mounted the steps and entered
the Office.
"Simon!" he cried, hating between
his old time confidence in his clerk
and his new, suddenly grounded sus-
picion.
"Mr. Marburg," said DR.. Cheslea,
''be seated. | am afraid, all uncon-
sciously, we have been parties to n
of the cleverest %swindling tricks of
which | have ever heard. A woman
called here at my office the day before
yesterday with two gentlemen, n
Of whom she introduced as her broth.
er, the other of whom bore the card
of a prominent north side doctor, a
gentleman for whom | have the great
est esteem professionally, but whom
unfortunately. l had never met. This
woman stated that her husband was
insane, to which fact the two gentle
men testified. She declared that his
insane hobby was selling furs, and
that he imagined himself a clerk in
the employ of Marburg and Company.
She spoke Of him In terms Of great
affection and seemed much moved.
expressed the hope that we might
be able to benefit him by a few
months treatment. She then explain
ed that he was very suspicious and
wary, also that he was very violent
when crossed In his wishes or other
wise disturbed in temper. but that
she would try, under some p%retence,
to bring him quietly to the Office here.
where we might take him In charge.
Well, as you see, she brought Mr..
Lane, who answered exactly to her
description and who, you will pardon
me-, sir, certainly did exhibit the
symptoms she mentioned"
Where is this woman now?" cried
old Marburg, very red and excited.
starting from his seat.
But even the best city detectives
failed to answer his question.
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