“Distressing.

“Left his lodgings, some time since, and has not since been heard of, a small elderly gentleman, dressed in an old black coat and cocked hat, by the name of Knickerbocker.  As there are some reasons for believing he is not entirely in his right mind, and as great anxiety is entertained about him, any information concerning him left either at the Columbian Hotel, Mulberry street, or at the office of this paper, will be thankfully received.

“P.S.  Printers of newspapers will be aiding the cause of humanity in giving an insertion to the above.”

Two weeks later a letter was printed in the Evening Post, signed “A Traveler,” saying that such a gentleman as the one described had been seen a little above King’s Bridge, north of New York, “resting himself by the side of the road.”

Ten days after this the following letter was printed: 

“To the Editor of the Evening Post: 

“Sir,—­You have been good enough to publish in your paper a paragraph about Mr. Diedrich Knickerbocker, who was missing so strangely some time since; but a very curious kind of a written book has been found in his room, in his own handwriting.  Now I wish to notice[+] him, if he is still alive, that if he does not return and pay off his bill for boarding and lodging, I shall have to dispose of his book to satisfy me for the same.

[Footnote +:  Legal term, meaning “to give notice to.”]

“I am, sir, your obedient servant,

“Seth Handaside,

“Landlord of the Independent Columbian Hotel, Mulberry Street.”

On November 28th there appeared in the advertising columns the announcement of “A History of New York,” in two volumes, price three dollars.

The advertisement says, “This work was found in the chamber of Mr. Diedrich Knickerbocker, the old gentleman whose sudden and mysterious disappearance has been noticed.  It is published in order to discharge certain debts he has left behind.”

When the book was published the people took it up, expecting to find a grave and learned history of New York.  It was dedicated to the New York Historical Society, and began with an account of the supposed author, Mr. Diedrich Knickerbocker.  “He was a small, brisk-looking old gentleman, dressed in a rusty black coat, a pair of olive velvet breeches, and a small cocked hat.  He had a few gray hairs plaited and clubbed behind....  The only piece of finery which he bore about him was a bright pair of square silver shoe-buckles.”  The landlord of the inn, who writes this description, adds:  “My wife at once set him down for some eminent country schoolmaster.”