Year: 1873

ton was employed TO investigate the mat
ter, aDd test the accuracy Of their suspi-
cions. For the execution Of this delicate
service he selected a sufficient number Of
bis best men to furnish four for every car
in train, one to be seated at each door
and two in the centre Of the car, the lat
ter facing to the front and rear, so as to
see every person who went in or out,
These men wero directed not to recognize
each other, but to pay their fares, and
otherwise deport themselves like ordinary
travellers. Each one was provided with
pencil and paper and Instructed to keep
an accurate record Of every person tbat
entered person that entered or left the
cars, noting the stations to and from which
they Travelled, etc.. so that if at the end
of the trip their notes were in accord, it
would be good evidence of accuracy. In
this manner the major was enabled ia tho
course Of a few days, to make detailed
report which showed conclusiyely that
nearly every conductor upon the section
OF road under surveillance had been guilty
OF swindling. He also ascertalned that
one of these doln4uents owned property
to large amount in Philadelphia.
Whereupon was Informed, Colonel
$, the ice-president sent for the
man, and the following dialogue ensned


Mr.. -, how long have you been
employed on our road p


About seven years, Sir.


And what pay have you received dar-
ing that time p


Eight hundred dollars a year


DO you own the house No. upon
-Stroet?'


Il do, Sir


Have you other property III this city q


Il have


What is its value?


well, Sir, | can't tell precisely bar j,
10 CONSIDERABLE


What estimate do you placa uqoa gv-.
entire assets? p


Something like forty thousand DOL
lars


Were you the owner of any portion Of
this property when you entered our sur
vice p


Not dollars WORTH Sir.


you have a family to support uo.
derstanlH


Il have II wife and three children


'NiI you do me the favor to inorm
me how you have been able ia scyen
years to support your family ard acaum.
ulate fortune OF forty thousand dollars
upon salary Of eight hundred %


L have not the slightest objection 20
answer your question, Colonel S-,pro-
vided you will suffer inc first to PROFOUND
few pertinent interrogatorios to YOU


Very well, Sir, I've no objections
What are they?


will you then, be so kind as to inicr.u
me how long you have been CONNECTED
with the - Railroad p


Something like ten years.


What, allow me to ask, has been your
salary during that time?


Il supposed it may have averaged
about $4,000 Il year


You have a family to support, If attn
not mistaken -


If it is not an improper question,
Colonel s, will you suffer me TO ask
what is the amount Of your fortuue2


We'll, Sir, | don't know precisely, ba.
it is something handsome


Would you estimate it at half a mil
lion dollars, colonel p


Yes. l dare say it is


That being the fact, Sir, if you viii
do me the favor to disclose to me the Sc.
cret Of the process by which you in ten
years. have been able TO transmute s5O.-
600 into ten times that amount, without
any visible means outside your salary,
will most cheerfully tell you how l have
managed, by turning an honest penny now
and then, to amass the comparatively i1-
significant amount | have named.


That is all very we'll replied the i'm
perturbable vice.president, but you seem
to have forgotten that there is SLIGHT
difference between your status and mine
upon the Railroad, in that yol are
responsible to me for stealing the eompa.
ny's money, whereas am not accouuta.
BILE to you for my transactions. In view
of this fact, it now becomes my duty to
inform you that your services are no long
er required upon our road


The facetious conductor probably an
ticipated this result, aad with his chagac-
teristic GOODNESS remarked In that
event, Sir, it may at some future time
become necessary for me to seek employ.
ment upon another road. Would it be
asking too much for you to give me
letter setting forth your estimate Of my
ability to perform the duties Of couluc-
tor p


'lfyou desire it, l certainly have u3
objections to giving you testimonial to
the effect that | look upon you as the
most INSCRIPTIONS and unblushing knaye
that has ever disgraced the catalogue OF
our employees, and that any company
having anything to do with you will be
morally certain to be robbed


The GREAT MYsTERY.-Tbe body IL
to die. No one who passes that bounda-
ry comes back to tell. The imagination
visits the land of shadows. sent out from