Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutWingham Times, 1891-09-25, Page 1t1es/ice-et x. y(R , lief thought when I suddenly heard a C e'u r t . 1, • .x,.11 t voice say, Good evening;, officer. I turned ribarixlyloaud. It was ale most dusk, aticl my lamp Was. not lighted. For all that, 1 could see clearly enough, a ratan who was sitting on a chest of drawers that stood bo - tweed the door and wiudbw, I1hs of;air stood between the drawers and the door, and J. concluded that bo bad entered my room and seated himself before addressing. me. Good evening, i replied, I didn't hear you come ie. He laughed ,whon he said that -- a low, chuckling,nrather sly laugh. tNo he said, I dare sae not, eflicer, I'tu a very quiet sort of'xerson. You might say, in fact—noisel&ss. Just so. • I looked at himnarrowly, feeling considerably surprisrl and astonished at his p"reeebee. tie whoa thickly built, Man, with a square face and' heavy chin, His nose was small but ag- gressive; his eyes were little and 'overshadowed by heavy eyebrows ; 1 could see them twinkle when he spoke.. As for his dress it was in keeping witli his face. He wore a rough suit of wuollen or frieze; a thick-gaily.colored Belcher neckerchief encircling, his bull, like throat , and in his big hands he This is alt very well; but Ws very ire continually twirled and twisted a fur regular, 'You must just tell me who cap, made apparently out of the skin you are, and how you come to be in of some favorite dog. As he sat there Liplit-toed Jim secrets, and 1'I1 put it smiling at we and saying nothing, it down in black and white, made me feel uncomfortable. 1 I turned away from him to get my What do you want with me' I'l writing !materials. I was riot a half - asked, , w I minute with my back to him,but When Jut a matter o' htts'iness, he an- ;1 turned around he was1,gone ? The swered, r door was shut, . but I tad heard no You should have gone to this office, ' sound from it either opening or shut - I said. i ,e're nbt supposed to do i ting. .Quick as thought I rlitrted to it, Up by the glebe into the town, business at home, • Some sun -glints still about her hair. tore it open, gild looped down the rear• —Century. Right you are, gudner, he replied.row staircase. There 'was no one there. But I want to see pat. It's yon that's, I ran hastily down stairs: into the got to do my job. Ift I'd ha' seen the passage and found ivy landlady at the superintendent, he ' might Iia' put ,open door with a female.friend. 3, Mrs, somebody else on it. That wouldn't itlarriner, I said, breaking in upon ha' suited me. You see, officer;yoo're their conversation, which way did yat young, and nat'ralIy eager -like for agar go who came downstairs just promotion. Eh ? 'now. What is it you ttaant i I enquired 1 « Mrs. Marriner•looked at the strang;e- again..• q' '1'y. There ain't been no man comp Ain't you eager to he promoted? Ile " reiterated. Ain't you itow, oilier. dotsnstairs, Mr Parker, said she, leash . 1 saw no reason why\I should con, ways.. not this' good three-quarters of an hour,. with me and Missis Higgins ceal the fact, even from this strange ,ere, as ,ova come out to take an airing, visitor. I admitted that.I was eager for promotionh her having been ironing all this blessed Alt 1 he said with a satirical' smile ; day, 'as been standin' here all the time I'm glad of that. It'll make you all and ain't 'never see asoul. thekeener, Now, officer, you listen ' Nonsense 1 • I said. A man canoe to lire. Pm a going to put you on to a down from trey, room just ttow—the nice little job; 'Ah 1 I daresay, you'll , man you sent tip twenty minutes since. bit a sergeant before long, you will.' lairs, Marr.iner looked at rhe with an You'll be eompiiuiented and praised for expression betokening the most pro - nature. however, 1 was once under your clever conduct in this 'ere affair. found astoniehuxent, 'Mrs. Higgins the firm convietton that I had ,been Mark my words if you ain't, sighed deeply.. largely helped, up.t.he ladder of life by Out with it, I said, fancying I saw ' 141r. Parker, said Mrs. •1liarriner, the ghost of mutate well-known burglar. have tplti the story to many, and going to split on some of you pals, 1 either intoxicated or else you're a•sick• have bard tl.o story conuuexxted upon suppose; and you'll want a reward 7 ening for brain fever, sir. There ain't I in various fashions.. Whether the He hook his head. '.A reward, he no person entered this door, in or out, ^onxtnents were satirical or practieei,it said, wouldn't be no use t3 meat ail— for nigh on to an hour, as me and de no ditferenee to rue; T bad a no, not if it was a thousand pound. No 141.iiesis Higgins 'ere will take ottr bible faith at that tine in ilio truth of it ain't nothing to do with reward.. But oaths on. now, officer, officer, did you ever hear of I went, up stairs and looked in the ghtetnen.lteate .ago 1 was a plain- I Light -toed Jinx, y, rooms on either <side, of mine The, ed o±1iet t at Watiix,rd. I was Light -tied Jim1 1 should', be a potxr ; man was not there. i. looked under twenty+.three years of 0.,e, and i detective if I had not, 61�hy the man; nxy bed,and of course he was not there. anxious about two 'natters. First! know under that sobriquet *as one of He must have gone downstairs. But j foremost 1 desired promotion; ; the cleverest burglars and t'iiieves in ' then the woven must 'have seen him. nd 1 wished to he married; Of ;England, and had enjoyed such a fa There was only .one door to the house. rse 1' was more eager about the mous career that his name was a' I gave up in despair, and began to f ,:end than the fir;yt,,,£because my! household word. At that moment melte my pipe. By the time I had veetheart, Ali�e Moore, was one of Mere was an additional interest attach , drawn the last whii41 had deeixled that: e prettiest and cic,ve rest girls in the ; ed to him. He had been convietecl of if any one, was it.toxicated, it was town ; but l put promotion' first for burglary at the Northnlinster Assizes' probably lairs. iilarrixxer and Mrs. ; the simple reason that wii lr irne pro- in. 1871, and sentenced tb ten years i Big;g ins, and that my strange visitor ' ntotiou must coarse before marriage, ; penal serviturle.---After serving' nearly lead departed'by the door. I was not Knowing thisc 1 was nlw„ys on the two years of his tient,, he had escaped going tri believe that, he had anything; lookt,ttt for a chance of ,listinguishiug from Portland, getting away in such! supernatural about him, o thyself, and 1 peicl ettelr attention to tlevrr fashiotx that til: had never been I lead no duty that ,fright; and as� my duties that xny sueeti„rs began to beard of sinee.—Whe a lie was no one; the Lours wore on 1 fund thyself notice ine, and foretold a successful' could twat' ; but lately there had been !stern in my resolver to go up to Miss Career for rue in tiler'futore, a sarong suspicion among the police!” Singleton's house and 800 whattcould One evening in the last ween in i that Light.toed Jim twits at his old t make out ot; ixiy inforwalntts story. It, September, 1873, 1 was sitting in my tricks gain, b i was my opinion that ivy late visitor lodgings wondering what 1 could do to Ligl. t'.toerl Jim, 1 )repeated. 1 •� was a whilonl pal of Ligltt•toe Jjm,atid earn the promotion colli,;h 1 so earnest ;should think so. Why what do you i dietlxuving; become aware of the late ly wished f'or. Things wet quiet just know of hire' ? ter's plot) he hod, for some rettsoit of thea its Watford, and 1 inn .half atraicl Ile smiled and noclde his Bead,— Ibis own, decided to split on his old 1 half wished that something dreadful Light toed Jiln, said he;'is in West. ohum, Thieves' disagreement is an might occur if only 1 ,souhd have a terd at, this 'ere liidentieal moment. I honest untu'a opportunity, and I daa there in it. 1 wile pursuuxg this train Listen to'ni, cfllcri'. Liglit'tocd Jinx terrnined to solve the troth of the story r1ZIDA� . 0.+1;1'1'1; ;1 li It :15, VOL ,5't7DGx". ;ytis:rca: Mal 04 a =mama '.:©W11. wix,x.t,l. rt i* tt;i: cttlwrl:A: When I hal l;cnxa tl highway down, 1 mot sweet M%rtii -:s N lney there, With bonne;; quaint, end-lannty gown, And sunlight glints about her hair ; Sieh silken hosen, dainty feet That should not e ling the mountain ` Buellondroushair,liltoshe:li med, *heat All bursting from its golden bands, c"Sweet i'lietress,i' 1 made bold to say, "May 1 g down the glebe with yon? I heard at bird sing yesterday, 'I wish, me what it sang were true ; A, robin bird," (my knees did shake To see that she did me so view,) "A robin bird," (I•diel so quake,) -"I wish rue what it sir_ g were true." 'tete, Reuben Poster"' quoth tho lass, What ails the lad that he's gone wrong? • Best get thee to thy looking glass — What is it of the robin's song ? 'l'Il warrant axe the birch did ,`lee Bre thou dids't learn its piping lay, :Alt, Reuben, man; art fooling mo ? . And is it naught thou hast to say." •'•'Sweet Mistress Nance of Milburn town, I ata a loutish country lad ; In bonnet quaint and jaunty gown , Yon quite distract and make me mad." And all this time the bonnet tints Grew gintintxhr still, I do declare, ..And .all iiis.time the sundown glints "iia'?,e merry with the unheaved hair. "What riddle talk ye, Reuben man ?" Aud tosses iter wondrous mane along ; "To it again, where ye began— What is it of the robin's song ? I'll warrant me in all the throng Along the green there's none so rare As would not tell a robin's song," And tossed again her wondrous hair. And all this Lime we passed along The lass did so undo my brain I durst not toll the robin's sting— I wish that we night walk again ; And all this. time the highway down I wont with Miss Ntincy fair, • is agoing to crack a crib tosuight. Said crib is the mansion of Miss Singleton, that 'ere rich old lady as lives out on the Nfapleton, ltoad, You know her—awfully rich, with nought but women servante and animals about the place. There's some valuable plate there, That's what night -.tool Jim's after.---lle'llg et hi through the scullery win:low about one a, tn. ; then he'lI pass through the back and front kitchens and into the butler's pantry --.-only it's the butleress, 'cos. there , ain't 00 men at all—and there he'll sec to work on, the safe, Some of his late pals in Portfaud gave Him the tip about this 'ere jolt. How did you come to hear of it, I asked, Never mind guv'ner. Yon wouldn't understated. • Now, 1 wants you to be up there to'•night, and to nab Light - teed Jim,redehanded, so to speak. It'll mean promotion for you, and it'll suit ine down to the ground. You wants tp be about and to watch him enter, Then follow hire and dog him. And be armed, officer, for Jiln'll fight like a tiger if you dont draw his teeth first. Now, look here, my man, said I. TERI BURGL_&1:'s GI3o:_T. I ant not an imaginative man, and ° no one who knows roc eau say that I have ever iudulged in sentimental ideas upon any subject. I am rather predisposed, in fact, to look at tiny- thing from a purely practical stand- point,and this duality has been further develciped in me by the foot that for 'twenty years I have been an active member yf the detective police force at Watford, a large twain one,of our most • important manufacturing dis- tricts. 'A pollee, as most people bo-' Neve, has to dle'al ' with se much praetical lite that he has small oppor- tunity for developing other than • practical qualities, and ht, is more apt to Lelieve in tangible things than in ideas of a eemewbat superstiteous through the man's meautug*. You're softy am I to say it, sir, tet you're be tolyl. me, Lost it should conte to nothing I decided not to report the matter to my ehhef. 111 could really capture Light -toed Jiro, my sue. cess would bo all the tnoro brilliant by being suddenly sprung upon the authorities, I made my plan of action rapidly. I took a revolver with me, and went up to Miss Singleton's house. Fortu- nately. 1 knew the Housekeeper there —a middle-aged, strong rniuded wo- man, not easily frightened, which was a good tiling. To lx'er 1 communicated. snob information as''.I considered ne- 000551:7.. She consented to conceal me in the room where the safe stood. There was a cupboard close by the safe from which. I could commaud a full view of the burglar's operations, and pounce upon him 4 the right moment. If only trey information was to be relied Upon, there 'e as evctry chance of me capturing the burglar. Soon after midnight,w lien the Itouee was all quiet, I went to the pantry and got into the cupboard, locking myself in. There 1:0 two openings •in the panel, through tither• of which I was able to commapd a full view of the room. My potion was somewhat cramped, but the time soon passed away. 111y mind'. was principally °c-, copied in wondering if I was really' about to have a chance of distinguish ing myself. Somehow there was an air of unreality about the events of the evening which puzzled tae. Sud- denly I heard a sound which} put me on the alert at 'once, It was nothing more than the creaking of a board or opeining of a door wpuld make in a quiet house ; but it sounded 'intensified to my expectant ears..e'I drew myself tip against the, board 4 the cupboard and ,placed my eye to th opening in the panel. I had oiled t , key of the door, a.nd"kept my finger upon• it, in readiness to spring upon the burglar at the proper' moment. After, what seemed some time 1 saw a `glt'ai4 of light through the keyhole of the d opening .into th; pantry. Then it opened, and a nal, carrying a small lantern; atone gently into the room. At first, 1 could sea nothing of his face ; but when my ©yes grew aeeus• towed to the hazy lig ,lt, 1 eaw that 1 had been rightly informed, and that the burglar was no other than the fa- mous Light -toed Jim. ' . As 1 .stood there watching him I could not help admiringtho cool way ° he went to work. He went over to the window and- examined it.. He tried the door of the euiff)oarct in which I stood concealed. Then ho locked the door of the paxktry and turned his attention to 'the ' safp. He set histlamp on a chair before the lock and took from his pocket as neat and pretty a collection of :tools as I ever saw. With these he went quietly and swiftly to work. Light•toed Jim was a somewhat slimly built fellow, with little muscu- lar development about lxixn, while 1 ata a, big man with plenty of bone and sinew. If matters had come to a fight between. us I could have done what 1 pleased with Jilin ; but 1s knew that Jim would not chance a fight. Some- where ,about him I felt sure there was a revolver, which he would use on the least provocation, My plan, therefore, was to wait until his •back was hent over Or look of the safe, then to open the cupboard -door noidelessly4and fall bodily upon him, pinning him to pie ,;round beneath me. Before long the inomtxhtx cane. Be was working steadily away at the lock hie whole attention concentrated on the job. Tl.e,slight noise,of his drill was sufficient to drown the faint click of the key in the cupboard door. I turned it quickly and tuxnhled fight upon him, driving, the tool out of his hands and tumbling him upon a heap at the foot of the safe. He, uttered an exclamation of rage and astonish• tient as lie went down, aria, itnincl• diately began to.wriggto underme like an eel, As I kept him down with one hand, I tried to pull out the bmiiiacu&. with the other. This Somewha% nine barrassed'lne, and the burg fc1F by it to pull out. a sharp he IIe had worked himself round .n bis back anti before I. realized, what lie was after, he was hacking furiously at mo with. his keen dagger, Thou 1 realized that we were going to have a fight for it, and prepared myself, He tried to run the knife into my side. I warded it aff; but the blade eatugltt the fleshy part of my left arm, and I felt a warm stream of blocid spurt out,. That Maddened me, and"I Oozed one. of the steel drills lying neat at hand and bit my man such a blow over the temples that lie collapsed at once, and lay as if dead. '1 put the handcuffs on him instantly, and to make certain, I secured his ankles. Then 1 rose and looked at my arm, Thb knife had made a nasty gash, and the blood wits flowing freely ; hut it was not serious ; and when the housekeeper, who just then appeared on the scone, bandaged it, I went out and secured the help of the policeman 1 first meet in conveying Light -toed Jim to the office. I felt a proud man when I made my report to the inspector. Light'taod. Jim ? said he. What! James Bland ? Nonsense, Parker 1 But I tool: him to the cells,wllere Jinx . was being attended to,by the doctor. You're right, Parker, he said. That is the man, Well, this is will boa fide thing for you. ' After n time, feeling; it bit exhausted, 1 went home to try and get some sleep. The surgeon had attended to my arm, and told me it was but a superficial • wound. It felt sore enough in spite of that. I had no sooner reached my lodgings than 1 saw, sitting in my easy chair, the strange man who had called upon axe earlier in the evening. He rose to his feet when I entered. I stared at hien in utter astonishn)1nt. Well, gnv'n°r, said he, I sec you've done it. You've got him square end fair, I re3kon ? Yes, I said. Ah, he said with a kgh et' complete - satisfaction. Then I'M satisfied. Yes, I don't know as how there's aught ' more I could say. I reckon w how I htetoed Jim and ieisgtilts. tl St n , my coat et am went over to the bed to lay it clown. Now, then, I begen, and looked round at him, I said no more, being literally struck dumb. The r enev'as gone. I began to feel uncomfortable, I ran hastily downstairs, only to find tee outer door locked end bolted as I had left it a few minutes before, I went back, utterly nonpinssed. For an hour, I pondered the matter over, but could find neither 'head nor tail to. it. When I went down to the office next morning, I was informed .that the burglar wanted to dee me: I went to his coll,where he watt lying in bed with his head bandaged.. 1 had hit giro pretty hard as it turned out, and it was probable he would have to lie on the sick, list for some da'ye. Well, guv'iior,«saici he, you'd the: best of me last night. You hit me rather hercl that time; I was sorry co have to do it, my .man, I answered, You would have stabbed the if you caul& Yes, he said, I should.r 13ut 1 say, guv'nor, comet a bit closer ; I want to I ask you a question. Bow did you knoW I was on that little ,job last night ? For, s'elp tae, there was not a soul knew a breath about it but niy. self. I hadn't no pals, never talked tit anyone about it, never 'thought aloud 1 about it, as I know on. How' came Iyou to spot it, guv'nor 1 There was no °lie else hi the cell with us, and I thought I .ret=blit find Ont something about pry mysterious Visitor of the night before. It was a pal of yours who gave me tlttt ' ifor'. nration, I said Can't be, guv'nor. No use telling ow that, ita`in% rho cls— leas w it t ays • ti coal, a ou Uta 1lca� Vltat are tit: si hon tha rain e' grog traes, ,end on leaf and r Wbhoolo,athe rain /Tho globules trio These aro tho sr When the rain c g;reon trees, A.nd troutobondugh ut loaf a neral `T110diadro .r 1 he n Tho wilTiendtgrowraier goad, Where the wet 1 While the cowsl c Some suphare of th When the rain And the lambs dark stetnmc With ears low cis lane, While there by t. ing rill The dot; •tooth vii Of tlxp rain t trees. And the kingbi Whilarrecl wings e out in the And the robin's bright rim, jt. On the sward th! skim, While the rai trees, And here,in the i An oriole slippint Whose swift win; pped A something hall Elinnio, bloom While the rai trees. Such are the sigh „ While the rain cc " green trees, And hill and vall Are wrapped in tl ing fold . Of the rain tht trees. fff TEMPERA: . costume') T 0: A distinguish! ing to his own Study of Ampri befit) asked wit most unlike Eng Winelee5 dinner ntiddie clubs, Every saloon otosed,tho result decision that:liq * ages cannot ho s I{a'asas,o with than T'xms,oltas wits% 908 pristine Toxas,witli less r traffic, has two 8,000 couvicts. Of the 30,000 prtsons,14,000 w made under tie ing drinks. Ani asserted that be degrade the Get " Coffee houses]: in England by b ness e principles. restaurants aro along the docks than 30,000 mei daily, to the just overeopen -saloon. to $150,000 aye; dividend to the a Talking of paten the old prejudice some of Thom are They would like y mired thousands 1 believe in patent 1 profess to cure ove theexperimentso periments of pate! sold only because in the "stuff," you And, you can't a tion • that cures by papers. So, perh way to sell a rem, truth about it, ane doing just what it That's the way 1 Medical Assoohatic with Dr Pierce's C cry and Dr Piero, tion. If they don't do it they'll do—you go Caller—Is lure Servant --Yes' ne , ', all the evening, De Oanter—Is t0 tell the age of —Yes. Ask the by ono°half. Etch, lltant o and 'Sc liUman or animals, Ours Bard's Sanitary Lotion,