The Washington times., 1907-08-11

NE Of the most extraordinary
cases that ever came under
I the observation OF DR.. Fur
nival. and which, as it turn
ed out. could In all probability never
have been solved in any other way than
through his peculiar method Of hypno-
usm. was what is known in police
circles as The wetchen Job" The
truths Of this unique crime as brought
put by him arc as follows;
In large. barnlike old house OF
three stories. of brick. painted yellow
hitting in a yard OF its own. surround
I'd by high board fences, amidst new
tenement buildings filled with an ele-
ment utterly incongruous with It's air
OF oId-fashioned respectability, lived
Miss Wetchell She chung to tho an
cient homestead as to her one FRIEND
IN earth. to the everlasting disturbance
OF the clamorOus neighbors, who, in
their congested quarters, resented In
six languages the occupation OF
whole house OF fourteen rooms by one
person. and that one an elderly.
single female of oily manners and
good income. who pretended to be
what she was not. For this woman.
BY her smile. which was OstentatiOusly
gentle; by her voice, which was os-
tentatiously tender and by her os-
tentatious acts and allowing the chill
dren Of the tenements to play in her
great back yard one hour week
this woman. by all these signs adver-
tised herself as a person Of good na-
ture and benevolence. when she was
very far from being that 1t did not
require many days Of observation on
the part OF any one OF the Interested
observers 10 force the conclusion on
them that all this. while done by the
lady with the view Of eXalting her
reputation, was IN reality the express
sion of cowardice. In fact. this be-
nevolent woman was afraid. She
wished to conciliate these rude ones;
she wished to be on good terms with
her neighbors for fear OF them. Too
misery. they said. to sell her properly
at the low price which It was now
worth, on account of its location, so
near the heart Of the slums. she held
on with q grim comparable to that OF
death alone, fawning anI smiling
lovingly when she felt only dread and
hate. in order to save the few dollars
she would be obliged 70 sacrifice from
her plenty in selling out and going
70 more congenial quarters The bases
Of this opinion were many. spread over
q large area OF observation by the
onlookers, who were shrewder than she
thought, but one Of these bases fiared
out like a beacon light from among
all the others and was observable,
once a day for every twenty-four
hours OF the year.
1t was the distinction she made be-
tween the value Of men and that OF
cats. and upon this distinction as she
made It rests the story Of her strange
misfortune.
Up the street, toward this lady. who
was sweeping the steps OF her domi-
cile IN the morning, a man advanced.
BE was not a nice-appearing person.
His 'clothes were greasy and ragged,
his nose was blooded, his gait was
halt, as II there were sores on his
heels. and his skin was exceedingly
1irty and grown over with thick, black
hairs. He saw the busy sweeper all
nt once, and Immediately began his
preparations. These consisted in a
smoothing down OF the heavy beard.
a pull at the brim OF his old slouch
hat. a Strengthening Of the shoulders.
Siding movement OF the body, and
q deprecatory eye. He coughed. and
with his hand on the gate post spoke:
HMM! Lady, cd yer help a poor
man that lighted fer yer in the WARP
She turned upon him like a tlgress.
She was not handsome. and the dis
tortion Of her coarse features. the
no go ho- >
her sudden raging at him, took him
completely aback
''You!' she Kissed You. a man six
feet tall, and healthy, asking helpl
You ought to be ashamed OF yourself.
Why don't you go to work? There is
plenty 10 do. You are lazy Don't
you dare ask me for assistance. YOU
you-ugh!'
In a fever OF virtuous wrath. she
gave an extra swish OF her broom.
stamped her foot. threw a last indIg-
nant glace toward the abased mendi-
cant. flew into the house, and slammed
the door
Hobus leaned on the fence YEARLY.
He had not been IN the war. and he
wondered II she. by some occult power
known only TO the higher classes. had
found him out IN his lie. Was that the
reason why she was so fierce? He
believed so. He did not know how II
was, but the world was down on him
The whole world He looked up at
the house wonderingly. smoothed his
beard with a trembling hand. and tried
10 think. Where should he go next
He was hungry, he was wretched. ne
was impotent, and he could not see
that all this was his fault 1t ap-
peared to him that he had been born
so-hungry, and wretched. and In
capable. and never could be anything
else.
ListIeSsly ne moved away across the
street 20 the scant shade OF a straggly
tree. and considered. Presently an
other man. with the soil Of several
States on his person. hardly distin-
grsh.d in appearance from Hobus
l."selg though he was smaller and
you~ee-. and his beard was OF fort
r'-I's growth only. slouched around
t.s corner. examined the Wetchel
i.gee "a moment. and then crept into
600 ward Eobus began to grin. and
rr. bling hurriedly 10 a position OF ad-
t+ ns, behind the great square fence
Trrj. pr.cEed up his ears 10 listen.
Lady said the young tramp tc