The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-10-03


your neighbor is a doctor" said
he, nodding at the brass plate.
Yes; he bought a practice as I
did"
An old-established one?"
Just the same as mine. Both a
built"
All: then you got hold of the best
It think 1 did. But how do you
know"
by the steps, my boy. Yours are
worn three inches deeper than his.
But h i gentleman in the cab is my
client, Mr.. Hall Pycroft. ALLOW me
to you to him. Whip your
horse up, cabby, for We have only
just time to catch our train"
The man whom 1 found myse..
facing was a well-built, fresh-com-
D'eXloned young fellow, with a frank,
ho>est face and a slight, crisp, yellow
mo1Stache. He wore a very shiny
top hat and a neat suit Of sober black,
which made him look what he was
a smart young city man, of the class
who have been labelled cockneys. but
who give us our crack volunteer regi-
ments, and who turn out more fine
athletes and sportsmen than any body
of men in these islands. His round.
rudy face was naturally full of
cheeriness, but the corners of his
mouth seemed to me to be pulled
down in a half-comical distress. It
was not, however, until We We're all
ir a first-class carriage and we'll start
ed upon our journey to Birmin~ ham
that l was able to learn what the
trouble was which had driven him to
Sherlock Holmes.
w have a clear run here Of seven
ty minutes Holmes remarked. 81
want you, Mr.. Hall Pycroft, to tell my
friend your very interesting experience
exactly as you have told it to me, or
with more detail if possible. It will
be of use to me to near the sue
cession Of events again. It is a case,
something in it, or may prove to have
nothing, but which, at least, presents
hose unusual and outre features
which are as dear to you as they are
to me. Now, Mr.. Pycroft, I shall not
interrupt you again
Our young companion looked at me
with a twinkle in his EYE
The worst Of the story is, said he,
that I show myself up as such a con-
founded fool. OF course it may work
out all right. and I don't see that |
could have done otherwise; but if I
hav lost my crib and get nothing
in exchange I shall feel what a soft
Johnnie I have been. I'm not very
good at telling a story. DR.. Watson,
but it is like this with me:
1 used to have a billet at x &
Woodhouse's. Of Diapers Gardens,
but they were let in early in the spring
through the Venezuelan loan, as no
doubt you remember, n came a
nasty hopper. I had been with them
five years. and old Coxon gave me a
ripping good testimonial when the
smash came, but Of course We clerks
were all turned adrift, the twenty
saven of us. I tried here and tried
fhere, but there We're lots of other
chaps on the same lay as myself, and
it was a perfect frost for a long time.
/ had been taking three pounds a
week at Coxon's, n | had saved
about seventy Of them, but l soon
worked my way through that and out
at the other end. 1 was fairly at the
end of my tether at last, and could
hardly find the stamps to answer the
advertisements or the envelopes to
stick them to. / a worn out my
boots padding up office stairs, and |
seemed Just as far from getting a
billet as ever.
At last I saw a a at Mawson
& Williams's, the great st~ock-broking
firm in Lombard Street. I dare say
e. G. il not much in your line, but l
can tell you that this is about the
richest house in London. The adVer-
tiSemeDt was to be answered py ietleI
only. / sent in my ana
application. but without the least nope
of getting it. Back came an answer
by return. saying that if [ would ap-
near next Monday I might take over
my new duties at once provided n a
my appearance was satisfactory. NO
one knows how these things are work
ed. Some people say that the man
'aser just plunses his hand into the
bean and takes the first that comes.
ANYHOW it was my innings that time.
and do,.t ever wish to feel better
p,eased. The screw was a pound q
week rise. and the duties just about
I he same as at Coxon's.
And now / come to the queer part
of toe business. I was IN digslnss out
uamnstead way. Il Potter'S Terrace.
Well was sitting doing a smoke that
very evening after I had been prom
- the annnintment when up came