The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-05-16
Stranger
A Story Illustrating How Persons
viii Hang on to
Theory
By William I. Chew
Copyright by American Press Asso
citation. 1911.


ley was one of those villages that
spring up mushroom-like upon the dis
covery of gold Newcomers were ar
irving from the east and from the
west. Among those from the west was
man who seemed to have stamped
on his countenance 81 have expert
enced grief" He had no sooner en-
tered the town than he walked through
the street-there was only one street
looking at every one he met as though
he were searching for some one. He
kept this up until he seemed to be sat
isfied that he had seen every one in
the town. then discontinued it.
He was very communicative
man and made no friends. His name
was not forthcoming. so he soon &C
quired the soubriquet of Stranger. He
entered claim and went to work with
pick and shovel like the rest Of the
men In the town. When the daily
coach arrived from the east he was al
ways on hand. He scrutinized every
person who alighted, and when the
coach had been emptied walked away.
who is he and who's he lookin'
for?" asked one of knot of men one
evening as Stranger walked away from
the coach with his usual look of disap-
pointment.
Want L know who he Is and who
he's lookin' for, do y'Y' said Bill
Stubs. We'll. I'll tell y. He's one
o them fellers who's life has been
wrecked by woman and another man.
He's been married and another Teller
has taken his wife from him. It's my
opinion that Strangers expectin' the
Teller that robbed him of his wife, and
when he comes you'll see shootin'
match"
Il don't think much of that expla-
nation" put in Andy Jones. II reckon
Strangers been dom somep'n to git
himself wanted somewheres. When
he fust come yere TUX notice he salts
fed himself afore he settled down that
there wasn't no one yere as knowed
him; then he entered his claim an
went to work. He amt tellin' nothin'
about himself. He amt a-goin to fur
nish nobody who's huntin' him with
information about where he is"
These are but few of the reasons
conjured up for Strangers presence in
the town and his singular actions. The
only person who was not interested
in them was Stranger himself, but be
was the only person who didn't hear
any of them. He pursued the even
tenor of his way. digging In bis hole
IN the ground and going every evening
to the coach to inspect the incoming
passengers
One day Stranger was missing from
his hole His absence at once set ev-
cry tongue wagging with accelerated
vigor. Every one wondered where be
had gone and If be would ever come
back.
Where has he goner excaimed Bill
Stubs. Why. he's got wind Of th.
Teller he's looSin' for AS To his com
In back. thar depends which man gifts
the drop on t'other one. Ii Stranger
gifts it-and | hope he will-he'lI come
back. reckon. and he'll feel better
satisfied with himself Like enough
he may take another holt on matrimo
ny"
'Oh. rats Bill Stubbs!" exclaimed
Andy Jones. When you git a notion
into your head you make everything
ct it Stranger has got wind of an
enemy, shore enough but not the enc
my you mean He's heered that sher-
in has got wind of him. aud Strangers
jist lit out TO give him the slip That's
the most reasonable view to take of it,
Seems to me- suggested Enoeh
Nudge. ''thHt both you fellers is fittin'
Strangers goin' away to your expana-
tons. I've aIlus tux notice that when
a man gifts an idee into his head he
makes all his other idees run that
way Did you ever hear Of out and
out Demmyerat turnin into Repub-
ncan or opposite way?"
The remark did not change the views
of Bill Stubs or Andy Jones. who
both declared that they were ready to
listen to any other reasonable theory
concerning Strangers abuse than their
own. but when Nudge advanced one
they both attacked it vigorously. He
skunk away. leaving the two men ar
guing with each other.
Then came information that added
volume to the flame OF conjecture.
Stranger returned looking happy.
"What did tell your said Stubs.
Hes met his man and got the drop
on him."
Hes lodged the sheriff" Andy
Jones claimed.
At this point small boy spoke up.
81 seen Stranger go into his cabin
when he came back. The fust thing
he done was to take piece o. paper
from between two logs and tear 1t
into little bits"
How you goin' to account for that.
Bill Stubbs? asked Andy Jones.
How you goin' to account for itT'
Since both needed time to make the
incident accord with their pet theories
no explanation was brought forth.
But the mystery Of the bit of paper
pat a quietus upon most Of the theo-
ries held by Strangers fellow citizens
and was the only event that had &C.
Cured during his residence among
them that tended to check the forma-
ton Of new ones.
One day after the distribution Of the
mail the postmaster gave out that a
letter had come for Edward Trues-
dale and Stranger had claimed it.
81 watched him when he read It,"
added the informant. land seen him
scowl and give his revolver hitch"
Reckon he's gone to meet his man
this time Shore" said Bill Stubs.
81 thort you said he'd killed bis man
when be went away. You bet some IN
has given him tip that the sheriff's
comm for him"
"Huhl" retorted Stubbs. THAT sher
if o. yourn has been comm for Stran
ger ever since he's been in this yert
town"
SOS your man that Strangers look
in for"
A month passed. and the excitement
over the mystery was subsiding wheI
Stranger received another letter. Thil
time the postmaster reported that tn,
recipient had left the room before open
ing his letter. so that it was impossible,
to tell how. whatever intelligence
contained. it affected him. Great dis
satisfaction greeted this announce
ment. and plan for putting In wo
man postmaster that had failed wal
revived However. nothing could b,
done to acquire information In tn,
present instance. and the necessit.
might not arise again. On this &C
count the movement lost force and wa
finally dropped.
A few days after the arrival o
Strangers last letter boy rode int