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i& tA !Pmt Qf Mr. Overall By HOWARD FIELDING CfurtffM, . by Chariet tr..HooM WILDE la a man of treat wealth and restless energy, and tie owns a newspaper called the Citizen, Which la an organ of the common people. A .fiery and errat ic genius named Henry Bond was ed itor of the Sunday Issue, and I waa his 'assistant when the. events here chroni cled occurred. 4 ;"' t'X'-i'Vj ? f i Pardon me one moment while I In tro." v.c injbdf. 1 rm n mild eyed, melancholy, lazy and p.'i:'-vllj Incom petent fellow, having no uijpetlte for a strenuous life and very little for any other sort Upon the editorial staff of the hustling Citizen and assistant to Henry Bond I was as much misplaced as a Quaker in a swearing mutch. A spurious reputation for well, I scarcely know what procured nie the position, and I took it because I needed the money. Bond, whose geese were al ways swans, declared to Wilde that I was the greatest man In the two Amer icas. One day an item of news drifted into , the office to the effect that a horny handed son of toil had been refused admittance to the Museum of Art be cause he presented himself at its portal clad In his overalls. By the best of our Information It was purely a question of dress. There was no claim that the man had been Intoxicated or that his conduct bad been open to objection. "We've got to get bold of that man,' said Bond, running his hand backward over his hair, which was so full of elec tricity that It always stood up straight and crackled every time it was touched. "There's a peach of a story in this case." ' ' "Out of sight."" I responded, with en thusiasm. ' "Take it right in nand," said Bond, making a movement as if he were pass ing the matter to me on a large1 platter. "It's our first page yarn for next Sun day.H-'t':-V,,' yy y, I had no appreciation of the story nor any power of guessing what my chief desired, but I knew better than to ask questions. 1 1 sent for a reporter, and when he had come I laid the facta be fore him. ' :. $f .... '; ,.. ,. . ;. . - "Find this man and interview him," said I. "Get a photograph of him and of his wife and children, if he has any also a view of the interior of his bum ble home, showing books on the table and some good pictures on the wail. He's a manJtyou understand, who ap preciates art Here's a card to a friend , of mine who runs an art store. He'll lend you the pictures. ni can get the books anywhere.' Telpjilioiie me when you've found the man, and I'll send up a photographer." It was earlyin the day when the re porter went upon this errand. About noon be telephoned that he was having trouble-in his search, that all the pn pers in town were after the story and . that some of them bad as many as four or five men out on it This was bad hick. We bad supposed that our infor mation was exclusive. I sent all the available reporters by way of re-en forcemeats and authorized the general of this little army to pay Mr, Overalls $10 If he would agree not fo give his story to anybody else. , , . Mr. Overalls was not found that day, The next morning's papers bad the sto ry, bat not the, man. . There was vnot 'even a description of hiia that savored of authenticity. He remained nothing but a suit of overalls, to which some of the papers added a decoration of ma chine oil or of whitewash. This mysterious individual became the snbject of a newspaper rivalry so "YOU OUGHT TO BB ABLB TO DO THIS JOB 1 TOCKSEiF." . . , keen that if I were to tell the simple truth about it here I should not be be lieved. Naturally I am not fully in formed as fo wfcatme ottrer papers did, but the Citizen employed three private detective agencies and at one time had more than fifty trained men at work oa the case in addition to its own staff. ; "It's as much as our Jobs are worth to get beaten cn this story," said Bond to me upon the third day- while we were at dinner. "We've got to find this man, and we've got to find Lim before anybody else does. This thing is cont Ipjj us at least f."t'0." I.:-: "!, rs I piivsvs (' ) (-.t t' n;'n i t i ' " . . r r (,'hlcb , lamed I until Ui c-oT t wo served. Then he ahsentmlndvdly tight - ed two cigarettes and, holding one in his extended right hand and the other In his mouth, he said earnestly: ' .' "You ought to. be able to do tU'.s Job yourself.? Yoo've written more Caiee ,tlve stories, than there have been crimes committed since Cain killed Abel. You've been thinking about ,tlU sort of thing all your life and yon onght to knor Just what te do. f ! The man wbo writes a detective sto ry has the great advantage of knowing wbo did the deed, but I would not make such' an observation to Bond. A lack , of confidence is the unpardonable sin In his eyes." I began to speak In an assured tope, with the air of an expert This sort of thing is hot lying with me. It IS mere weakness aud exhaustion. ' Bond was impressed. He saw a great triumph. .-. ; "It's not my fault" said, he, "that all these men have been put 'on to J the case. I said that I could do 'it wttti my own staff, and here Is where I prove it. You get right out ou this fellow's trail, and if you catch him I'll add $50 to your salary this week." As I rode uptown In a car I .triedrtg think of this man bnnt as a soliei; tiicV INTBODCCINO WILLIAM WASHINGTON. k even tried to picture one of my myth ical detectives engaged In the search for Mr. Overalls. In vain. I merely fell Into that dreamland which is the limbo of such faculties of. mine aa might have, been practical under better con ditlons. . : ? ' With no cleat idea of "what I -hoped to accomplish I 'eft the. ibar and wept Into the business office of a newspaper, where I arranged for the Insertion of a small advertiseiufnt offering a reward of $25 for the man who. had been'ex-' eluded from the Museum of Art I had It put among -the washfrvn men In the two (;l.'isM(lH4 am "'Ilplp AVautwF' and "Siulirfibhiv VVitn.'eti" on iU 'vgm' the ory that ififctr.f kiiirtv tilt Hews nid tell it: th-rt i'.i-y. ,ar? s'-iv-rir to see t ebui:ct: tflrii a ilSll,-: ttuit Jlr. Orci4 Ils .was j:roI)ni.;y ou ,f work and hlf ivlf.vt.iki!!- iip vrlihii j ( . : -i ,, ; JI:5 vlrj; j'cwi))-;;h1:jk1. ihij kiw!st, rij d.;c!tA:rfci. I Vi4i;'lriiiefcid r.o.' k Io;;k till l: vran tliiie to go to' bed. Ou the way down to the office the fol lowing afternoon I tallied fof.'answers to my advertisement and was amazrd to find that one bud been received. It Was a brief and somewhat, illiterate production signed "Mrs;' Mary Collins, 8 flure, back," and It contained the in formation that the writer bad "sus- btshuned" for two days that her Jant tor's brother was the man In question. I TTaMi1A it ' mMoil Mn T'nlltiia taking considerable trouble with her z, but it's him." , . i ; t t cauea a messenger oy, io wnom i kave $9 and.MrS, Collins' address; with . 'w 1 ...... .4 ' k , a brieft statement of the f Sets in, the case and a command to bring the Jani tor's brother to the office of the Citizen. "guppose be ;won't, come?'J -said) the boy.. The same Idea bad occurred to me. would. haVe fbe Jaf week's payjth be Spuiuj noijifomej iot my asaingi ;n ese messenger boys are smart 1 ' 'Don't talk nonsense," said I. "Bring blm." , ii.. iriMi.i , . At the office I found Bond and Wilde togetner in tne laner s private room. Bond seemed to be considerably 'excit ed. Wilde was laughing in that silent and secret fashion which Is peculiar to bimj j i ; ' , t f , "Have you got him J" asked Bond. "I've sent for blm," I replied. t "Good!" said Wilde. ."That will make the round dozen." ; -' This statement was presently eluci dated, and I perceived an extraordinary condition of affairs. It appeared that Wilde,-seeing the offer of $25 reward in the morning paper and supposing It to be the work of a rival, had offered $100 in an .afternoon addition. Eight men had responded. Every one of them de clared that he was the original and on ly genuine Mr. Overalls. As the circum stances of the case had been fully de tailed iii the newspapers, there was no difficulty in telling a perfectly straight story. But there was a very great dif ficulty upon our side of the matter in determining who. was telling the truth. In addition to the eight who had an swered the advertisement the three pri vate detective agencies presented one candidate apiece, and. as Wilde had expressed it my man .would make the round dozen. We must have the fellow Identifled,' said Bond, "and the doorkeeper must come down here to do It. " There were seven! I objections to this ropotiition. It' WiiS .not the regitlar doorkeeper who had lieen on duty when this crime against the liberties of the lain people hud been committed.-but an asist.'i!it n.-nr-t V!!'i- in Wanhinj: ton. T! i-.:"si ! 1 I :i K l oiit of the IE To this reporter : Mr. Washington had J declared that be could not remember Mr. Overalls; that b didn't even know whether he was white or black. Un doubtedly this was a falsehood,-yet It was likely that he would stick to It. Certainly he bated all newspapers aft-; er the "roasting" to which he bad been subjected, and a yoke of oxen couldn't Jrag him to the Citizen office for the purposes of this investigation. Never theless Bond said to me cheerfully: ' "Go out and get this man Washington and hate him here within two hours.". I 'felt a falntness succeeded by an agreeable desperation. "Surer said I and stalked out of the room. ' A desperate man can accomplish much. In exactly fifty-five minutes I re-entered that room and Introduced Mr. William Washington to Wilde aud Bond. He was a tall colored man .with a very magnificent air and a shrewd, piercing eye; a man of very distinctive I bad almost said distinguished ap pearance. , . . . . "I -have come entirely as a mattT of friendship for this gentleman," said he, waving his hand toward me. As a mau ter of fact I had given him $10. We began Immediately tg admit oat candidates, wild had been detained here and there in the building upon various pretexts, and with considerable diiUetil ty, for some of them were getting scared. We tried first the men whnm the detectives had . discovered. ,Mr. Washington looked at each of ihiin with close attention and courteously i!e clared that he had never had the pVnn ure-of seeing them before.. -They, lied like men experienced in the art. Iut Mr. Washington was entirely un shaken. Then we began upon the fellows who had - answerea tne advertisement, ana they filed through the room ope by one. Some of them, gave up the game when informed of the presence of the door keeper, while others protested even to the point of violence Toward the close of the examination Wilde took me aside. - -- "This man is throwing us,'1 he said. "In my opinion the first fellow we had n here was the real article, and Wash ington knew it." i . , : I -ventured to differ in a respectful manner, and Just then the last of the lot was led through the room. When Be had vanished In a smoke of sulphurous language, Jim, the.office assistant; Mho had been busy with the formalities of admitting and sending away the candi dates, whispered Xp me: V "Theres another one with a tuessen ger loy,"s :- 'r' t ' - . . "Send' him ii'' said 1, and 'then to Boo4;,Tib(s Ii my tna'n.' Wilde overheard the remark fn.hol;WCpN'Pr conimjl-i glanced uneasily at i . WashWgtpn: , I( waa biS-last chance to sorve us. If be offer. WashliiKtoh rentalried dignifletl p and impassive as Mrs. t Mary , C'pllins'J tanttorlk.-' hrafhpv ' Was l'.' Into thel . .a..- ... ..... . "ii .Am' i room..- ?-. " - frf, f. wfv WvWiwnrairWWw pianiea in 2 He -was1 a slofid s et- cti honest? bfek Ing fellow, which wa more than fotild be said for he others. , ' : , . r'- ryi "'See nere. gi iitlcmen.'4' saki helool. ing from one t thejoith; r of us, J'l come down here because' this boy told me you wanted to see me, but I don't want, no publicity In this case... I don't care 4 ray about their old museum anyway. i -was just goln' In there to see a plumber who was at work Inside, but they fired me but before I could say what I wanted." V ' , . , William Washington shook his head. Just as be bad dona eleveu times be fore. ' ; " ' ,... : "This is not the man," said he." ' "Wnat the blankety 'blank blank do yoo know about It?" demanded the Jan itor's brother. "You wa'n't there." , . "I was not there!" echoed Mr. Wash ington. "No; you wa'n't within nine miles of the place, so far as I know." was the warm response. "I wa'n't put out by no coon. It wos a white man that trun me put a square built fellert shorter'n you." '.-;.' -.'y-) "This Is the real identification," said t. "It is true that" our friend here is riot William Washington and that he was not present when the affair oc curred, and becanse this fellow knows It be is the original and onlyVenulne Mr. Overalls. 1 couldn't get Washing ton, and so 1 did a -more Conclusive thing and hired the Janitor of ' th. building where I ttve to play his part" I did not consider it necessary to say thai my scheme had been pure impos ture in the beginning and that 1 hod bad no Ilea of Ihe excellence of the trick until after It had worked. It cer tainly looked as if I had foreseen all from the le?Innin. Hairy Bund threw his arm aero" my sliouMi i and d.vlared that 1 was : ti,? o " f i: y 1 '; 1 ever lTti Sj. jji , Trolloc Ulaascrrrd. Although Anthony Ti-ollope nevet smoked, he liked being with those who did. It soothed his nerves, be said, and sent him to sleep. Ou one occasion, when he had Just returned to I.ondon from South Africa, he was talking at the Cosmopolitan club to Lord Cams von. Lord lerby, Froude, the historian. Lord Wolsoley and oue or two others eiually favtous on the future of that country. In the midst of the discussion Trollppe fell asleep, and after a quar ter of an hour's dose he awoke, shaking himself together (ike the faithful, growling Newfoundland dog'Jie so much reserabledt Dissentient even In his unconsciousness, he spluttered forth: "I utterly disagree with every ene of you. What Is it you said?" Hmlm .mm Plants. Many persons must have noticed that the most diligent sprinkling of lawns and flower beds fails to Impart to the grass aud plants a vital stimulus equal to that which comes from a good show er of rain. A correspondent reminds us of the reason for the difference. It Is because rain, falling from a great height through the air, brings with It n considerable quantity of carbonic add, of nitrogenous particles and of other elements uutrltious to plants which it has washed out of the atinos phere. So a sprinkler used from the top of a tall buildltig might be slightly more effective than when employed at the surface of the ground. Hoiirit He Mlftht Improve. Husband (vltuperatively.) I was idiot when I married you, Mary. , Wife (quietly) Yes, Tom, I know you were. But what could I do? You seemed iny only chance,' and 1 thought then that you might Improve a little with time. Washington Times. , ' ' Hit Jabllee. I Judge Are you aware of any niiti gating circumstances In your case? . Criminal Yes, your honor; this Is the fiftieth time I have been arrested tor vagrancy, and 1 thought that per haps we might get up a little Jubilee. Irate (Author What did you do with that article of mine on the American forests? , ...... i ? . Editor--Well, sir, to make a Jong story; short, I x:ut It down.-BaltImore :' .fhtmmumJ Ckmmm H , ; -V The Chinese have a singular instru ment called cheng, or mouth organ. Jit is alJrcUlar ' bundle of small reeds of diffcwet;iIeli!rtii nlercod" 'with1, fiinrer n Icrtf iiig wrth a 'common a ir chamber beneath. The notes are produced by nopyiuK lit- ivoiob wiih lue uugers. V t'f.: tS:, Cuba's Cora Crops, f Fdur croj u of corn a 10, produced ear- I.. 1 . .rf-iKi. u..,' 1..'.' ,1. 'A.L. J . jrtM . a, J J' . jJ....M . 'PeccmlW, nnd) the fourth crop ig bar- vestc! In December. - l i " x,. Poist fm tew, . . An agreement by an applicant for life itnsurance 'thai; the,, niedicili examiner ppoirfted irid paid by the Insurer shall "n tlft ilireiit at tfit flntmeniif Irtfrtwirri. lag the niettkil Examination Is veld in tenviman versus Metropolitan Life ' Insurance company (N Y. 57 L. K. A. ,?8l8,tobe prohibited by public policy. -oooooo0'rooooo4-o I CAPUDINE 1 Cures' o Sick Headache, X Nervousness, and v . Feverlshness, ' .' ' 1 Ho Efft On th Hft. o . 4 ' Sold by all OvuggUts. ooooooooooooo- Just a Few Xmas Goods Left Over1, .i Now going aJEA'yalso sell MillmerCHEAP MISS MEACHAf.1 k CO t t NAMC OM CVCNY MCCC Chocolates FRESH TODAY Somebody at home will be waiting tonight for a box. Tie "Name on Every Piece" a tlte guanntce. - :. roil SALS BY . dark .lewborn, A Secret Disease Of all human di-senscs, that known contagious blood poison, or the Bad PiHcam, has caused more misery atwl suf fering end ruined more lives than all othe: combined. It not only wrecks the hopes and aspirations of the one who jntracts it but oiten the innocent are Made to share the humiliation and dis grace of this most loathsome and hateful form of blood poison. Children inherit it from parents, and thousands of the Surest men and women have been con uninated and ruined simply through handling the clothing of one infected with this awful malady, or drink ing from the same vessel and using the same THE INNOCENT SUFFER WITH THE GUILTY. toilet articles. And when the real nature of the trouble is known, many prefer to suffer in silence or leave the disease to do its worst rather than make known their condition. Through our Medical Department we offer advice and help. Write us freelv about your case, aa. nothing you say will ever k beyond our office. Let us help you to get rid of this fearful disease, for which some one else no doubt is to blame. It matters not how long the poison basTi oecn lurKingm your system, &. s. t; will purify and" hiuld up vour blood, and eliiu :i:ite every atom of the deadly virus from the sysnm and make a Complete and permanent cure. ., S. tt. S. is the only antidote for Conta gious Blood Poison and has been curing it for fifty years. It contains no mercury, potash or other harm ful mineral mftrexli ret, but is a purely 1 f!,euble remedy vliut cures without leavinr' any bad after effects. Our special Home Treatment book, fjves all the symptoms of this disease. C'e will mail you a copy free. The Swift Specific Co., Atlanta, fit. Hotter and Mini ..-;. 1 i........; t Will give competent service to all v unfortunate as to need such service. Jolt simply give me notice and aD details will be attended to. - Caskets of all qaalities carried Inttoel, and by patronising my establishment yon will get competent services at sslov prices' as from anyone. - 4 '' I respectfully solicit a contlnoancs oi the patronage of tbe people, in this sec tlon. Vsry truly, , , ' GEO. 8. CCIBB&, HINTING TO LEASE ARTICULAR ECPLE t he kiQH turned 13 ou' at) THE FREE, PRESS office. , Splendid;-' equip ment and competent workmen. COOKING and ; HEATING , , s- .'.... , . STOVES ' ; Cheaper tjian any V else In town. one I ;. Roofing, Guttering and IJumbing work done on f you 10 give us a trial. '1 X llOOKE & PAllltOTT. I 4 Everything : that the appetite calls for v in the way of seasonable Table : . " ... Delicacies; ...... . i . . J , -f t at our place. : A stock of Fancy : Groceries D -that, is complete in, every " detail. - Call or ' 'phone ' for an) thing you want to eat and it will be quickly delivered, for v V f 'PROMPTNESS'- 5 OUR AIOTTO: W. T. PARROrT, Phi Xi i M. D PHY8iaak ANDBU6UEOS. Kinhtok, N. C, -, OrrtcK Houus: Vw 10 a. m. and I to 9 p. no. Telephone call; Bones 34. 00W 78. ISOTICB I Nolict it bftb ! itwl poficniia win "niMumtt Aw Biy, di i ita .aranna, i th mwioii oi 19WI, for chagm ia ifr Ckartar of lh 1 eB of Kinuon, N C ; . By m dor of th Vooiil o4 AUioracS. Dec. i6tfc, toot. GEO.- . WEBB. Mayor, L, J. MEWH01IMS.Ctuk, .. WANTED You to write as for prices 00 Flre proof Safes, Burglar Proof Safes" Time Locks, Vault Doors, Deposit Boxes, etc. We will save you money. O. B. Barnes Safe Co., Box 22. areensboro, N. C PAY C TOWN TJ1X YOUR before January 1st, and 5ave the 1903, Costs ! Pay -l jr. Your Taxes Jdre lcjue i and it will -be bc(ter to settle up quick, t : , I rRespectCuliy!;;, ; iDAL R. wpoTEIV;;; triii We Have Just Recieved A Nice Lot of, ; ; NEW WHEELS. It would 5tirprise you- to knor how low we are f illing ( thetti come and'exkmlcd them and get our pi Ices ," It will surprise, you. th tt such . a ; Bicycle. coul4 be ' bought at such a low -price, aud while you are here examine otr ' stock of Guns. We have a com. plete line and we do all7 'kind, of , Gun and PistoJ reialrs atl short notice , t ,'-' , KiHSTOB CYCLE CO; C. E. SPEAR, Manner. I, pioui ; BREAD IS THE STAfF- -01' LITE and judgment should be used iu b lying the flour to make the bread. What is more pleasant to life than wholesome biscuit ? REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD USE U A1B3BN It costs no more than inferior flour. Goes farther in cooling because it requires less lard. It is the most economical - and you ""know you have the . best can be made from' selected Michigan Wheat. Ask your grocer for Ann Arbor and tak no substitute.- , 13-EVERY BARREL GUARAN TEED To Give SATISFACTION SULIRELL Your Taxes Wholea'e Grotr-, C -.tv' ?n ?trftt, T
The Kinston Free Press (Kinston, N.C.)
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Jan. 8, 1903, edition 1
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