The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-03-21
JAMES PARSONS. JR.
(Ey NJ. Ouadl.


stranger can find out and no habitant
of the street can tell. The three blocks
are devoted to rooms and offices and
studios, most of them to be rented
with furniture already in. No. 81 has
twelve rooms in all, and to this num-
beg there came one day a poor devil
of an artist named James Parsons, Jr.
When he had paid the quarters rent
in advance, he didn't have $40 left to
his name. He took room 4. on the
ground floor. AS there were no sky
lights in 81 he took ground floor
room SO as to have the benefit of a
large window looking out on a rear
yard.
Two days later James Parsons. Jr.,
NO. =, arrived and took room 8, on the
second. floor. He was a dramatist and
an actor and when his rent had been
paid he wondered how he was, to live
through The next week Two days af-
ter No. , came No. g. He took room
man who thought that all the kings
and queens and rich men of earth
ought to be blown sky high. and he
took the room for the purpose of car
ryIng; on the making of bombs and in.
fernal machines. AS to. his state of
finance when his rent had been paid
there is no record, but it was known
that he ate in the cheapest restaur-
ants for the next two weeks.
One would think that the agent who
three different men of the same name
in the same building in the same week
would have remarked to at least one
of the Parsons on the singular coinci-
dence, but the receipts were made out
and nothing was said. For two weeks
the three men were ignorant of each
others identity. Then something hap
pened that led to much trouble for all
of them. One day as the artist was
painting away the agent of an express
walked info his made
him Identify himself by his rent re-
ceipt and left him a package contain
ing $4,000. With him it was an every
day matter, and after getting the sig
nature he went off whistling. With
the artist it was matter to make him
gasp and turn pale and wonder if a
house had fallen on him. On the en-
velope it was recorded that the pack
age was sent by Thomas Parsons of
Oxford. The artist had never been in
the town or heard of the sender. He
hadn't a relative on earth to send him
that amount of cash, but in his heart
he felt that here must be, a mistake
somewhere.
The artist waited three days for a
letter, but none came. His first thought
was to communicate with the sender.
His second was to keep and enjoy
what the gods had sent him. He
cleaned his brushes, put away his
easel and walked out and locked the
uOOI DeHlIQ HILL linen he went u the
BARRIERS and had his mustache shaved
off. to the clothier's and INDUCED in
the purchase of a new suit and when
he took lodgings it was in a street four
miles from Tryon row. He had va
Gated just in time. He had not been
gone an hour when the expressman,
accompanied by a policeman, knocked
at his door. In hunting for the man
who had walked out the others of the
same name ware discovered. What
,1o 49,
was for him and began to
buster and threaten. Neither could
saw that he knew Thomas Parsons of
Oxford. but they were so insistent on
the other points that Scotland Yard
lost no time in getting to work on the
case.
The artist had always figured that if
he found himself rich he would paint
4 painting to astonish the world. His
figuring went to pieces in the face of
facts. He quit the brush forever, as
ne hoped. and went to the country to
oaf and fish and pass for million
aire. While the police were looking
,or him in London and having all the
seaports watched. the man of paints
was only thirty miles away and paying
eft public house. Within a month
he proposed marriage and was accept
3D. and the newly-wedded pair went
IN a bridal tour through France and
Switzerland.
Meanwhile, as a matter of course,
Thomas Parsons of Oxford had been
with. He was a mer-
,hant and had sent the money to his
brother in the city for a special OBJ
ect. The brother was named James
Parsons, Jr. He was not at 81 Tryon
-oW, but at 81 Chester street, which
vas the same thing, with a difference.
That made four James Parsonses who
we're mixed up in the affair, with
Thomas Parsons on the outside. When
he artist did not return to his rooms
t was realized that he was taking ad-
of the mistake. A reward was
,ffered, and the best detective talent
vas put on the case, but weeks
md weeks went past and there was no
Jews. 1t was believed that Parsons
lad got away to North or South Amer |
ca, and the case had been practically |
lropped when he was taken into Gus
edy in a curious manner. The news |
10Y who had brought his evening pa |
ger to the studio had been much inter |
'sted in the paintings lying about II !
hey were daubs to others, they were |
he height of art to him. Having seen
md. t7lked with Parsons five or six |
lines. it was not at all wonderful that |
lie should remember him. With other
,oys of his class he went down to the !
Derby when the yearly event came off |
BY that time Parsons and his bride |
lad returned from the wedding trip, |
snQ ne WAS DloMlIS III the last OF MS |
ortune. Nothing had been too good |
or the couple while abroad.
1t was while he was seeking to place |
small bet that the newsboy spotted !
he artist. He was a keen little chap |
nd followed Parsons home. Upon his |
eturn to the city he went to the ex-
ress company. which had meanwhile |
een forced to make good to the right |
arty. and offered to give the artist |
way for $500 in cash. He was at once |
urned over to the detectives and |
ocked up. They worked every sort of |
cheme to get his information for moth /
1g, but at the end of three weeks they |
ave up in despair and advised the ex-
ress company to pay the money. Not |
ntil it was put in the hands of his IA
her would the boy locate the much