I went over where he was
sitting and while shaking hands with him said, "Say, that was the
grandest act you ever did when you gave that man your coat. What did you
do it for? You don't seem to have any too much of this world's goods.
How did it happen? Are you a Christian? Who are you?" He looked at me a
moment and said, "Mr. Ranney, if I can go into your office I'll tell you
all about it."
We went into the office, and he said, "How did you find me out?" Well,
the question was a queer one to me. How did I find him out? I didn't
know what he meant, but I didn't tell him so; I just smiled.
Well, he said he was a French Count (which was true), over here writing
a book about the charitable institutions in the United States. He had
been in Chicago, San Francisco, and in fact, all over the States, for
points for his book. He told me what he had and hadn't done. He had
worked in wood-yards for charity organizations; had given himself up and
gone to the Island; stood in bread-lines; in fact, he had done
everything the tramp does when he is "down and out."
I took quite a fancy to him. He took me up to his room in Eighteenth
Street, showed me his credentials, and we became quite chummy.
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