II HftHtli If 1 1
iiiif
"mJLVSL"' AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY NEWSPAPER. T'iL?'t,
Vol. V. tPfoW Bloomllold, Pn., Tuesday, April 11, 1871. TVo. ltf.
Is rubllahetl Weekly,
At New Bloomfleld, Penn'a.
BY
FRANK MORTIMER.
SUBSCRIPTION TE11M8.
ONE DOLL All PEIt YEAR!
CO Cent for 6 Months ; 40 Cents
for 3 Months,
IN ADVANC11.
THE MISSING WATCH.
ON a cold, wet evening in the month of
December, not many years ago, tho
streets of London were still thronged with
passers by, hurrying to and fro through the
pouring rain. Tho gaslights iu shop win
dows and street lamps shone brightly on
the floodod pavement, giving a brilliancy
to the crowded thoroughfares in spite of the
dreary weather.
At the comer of Charring-cross, near
the post office, stood one of the more re
spectable looking omnibuses that ply be
tween London and the distant Buburbs.
The driver and conductor were encased
in oil-skin wrappers the horses as sleek
as satin with the rain running off them the
vehicle and its attendants were made up for
the journey, which promised to be unusual
ly uncomfortable. "Time up?" asked tho
driver gruffly of a man standing beneath
the portico of the post office. " Another
two minutes" replied the time-keeper look
ing at his watch.
During the short colloquy two passengers
took their places in the omnibus one a
well-dressed man, who growled audibly
to himself about the weather ; the other a
widow in deep mourning. As the latter
raised a thick crape veil sho displayed a
set of features that attracted the attention
of her fellow-traveller. He stopped his
growling andendcavored to make room for
her on the opposite side, away from the
open window.
At tho foot of Westminster Bridge two
shabbily attired women hailed tlio conduc
tor, and the omnibus was drawn up to the
pavement to receive thorn. , They made
much confusion in getting in, and com
plained of there being no lamp inside,talk
ing loudly. Tho journey continued, and
then talking gradually ceased. "'
"The rain must surely inconvenience
you," said the first passenger, resuming
his attack upon the widow?" He lacned for
ward and endeavored to persuade her to do
as he suggested. Tho offer was politely
declined. "I prefer this position, thank
you," replied the little black figure. Some
ten minutes passed wearily away, when one
of the two last comers showed signs of un
easiness. She rose, and sought something
on the floor and upon the seat. She touch
ed the black figure roughly.
"You are annoying that lady," said the
man. "What have you lost?"
The woman continued her search. She
emptied her pockets, bringing forth a mis
cellaneous collection of coppers, koys, old
gloves, and other things ; her anxiety in
creased every moment.
" I have been robbed," sho at last ex
claimed. Her friend tried to pacify her in
vain.
"Conductor," she cried in an excited
toue, "Conductor, my watch has boen
stolen, and these people have got it."
The conductor descended from his foot
board, and stood at tho door of the omul
bus. "My w.-ftch has been stolen, and this
womau has taken it."
"I know this lady well," said the man
" Bhe is one of my regular customers ; you
must be mistaken."
" I am not mistaken," replied the female.
"She took it, and passed it to her friend
here. I know their tricks."
"You dare accuse ino, madam!" le
plied the latter furiously.
" Yes, you and your accomplice here who
looks so Innocent."
A violent altercation took place. The
woman declared she had hor watch in her
possession a few minutes since, and could
not now find it.
The widow was greatly agitnted.
" You are very wrong," she said meekly
speaking through her veil.
"No, I am not," replied the accuser
fiercely, "and you know well euough I'm
not."
Maybe you dropped it while getting In,"
suggested the conductor.
"No such thing, it was too well fastened
I felt her touch me as I passed her. I'm
positive about it, and quite as positive she
or her companion shall give it up."
The widow uncovered her face, now
palor than evor, and hardly able to speak,
declared her innocence of such a charge.
" Look for it again, ma'am," said the
conductor persuasivoly, "maybe you loft it
at home."
Again tho woman looked all over tho om
nibus and through hor pockets the watch
was not forthcoming.
"Give it up," she exclaimed, almost
breathless with rage," "give it up, and I'll
let you off." No one roplied.
"Call a policeman," sho then cried.
" Stop the 'bus and call a policeman. We'll
see who is to rob me, indeed."
The first passenger expostulated with tho
infuriated woman ; offored his card and ad
dress,. and to be responsible for the loss.
" Your card and address, of course they're
false. Call a policeman, conductor."
Resistance was useless. The omnibus
was stopped, and a policeman came up.
"I give this person into custody for
stealing my watch."
The constable asked a few questions, and
then said it would be necessary for all pres
ent to go with him to tho police-station.
" Will you have a cab and go quietly ?"
ho said, turning his lantern on tho widow,
who was paralyzed with fright.
' We pass your quarters," said the con
ductor. " I know this lady, and am sure
it's a mistake."
Tho policeman looked incredulous, and
uttered something about suspicious charac
ters. "Do your duty, air, and make no re
marks," exclaimed the passenger who had
been accused as an accomplice in the rob
bery. The policeman entered the omnibus,
seating himself next the widow, who be
came hysterical and speechless.
Fortunately no- other passengers were
mot with on the road. , In duo time the
police station was reached, when all alight
ed, the constable loading the way to the
room whore the officer who received the
night charges was on duty.
The circumstances of hor loss wore re
lated with much volubility by the shabbily
attired woman, to whom tho officer listonod
with attention, taking notes of what was
said.
" You must be searched," ho said to the
widow, and directed her to be taken up
stairs for that purpose.
The passenger protested loudly against
this indignity.
"My name is Williamson. I am staying
at Morley's Hotel, and will give you any
reference you please. Let me be responsi
ble for this lady, or let me pay you the value
of the watch," he said earnostly, addressing
the lass request to the woman, who made
no reply.
" The matter is now in our hands," said
tho officer, " and must be proceeded with
in the regular way." He then repeated his
orders for the search to bo made.
The widow was led, or rather carried,
into a room on the first floor, and there
submitted to the tender mercies of two of
the female police.
Hor bonnet and veil were torn rudely
from her head, the long brown hair ruth
lessly disheveled, and her dress was taken
off. As the black gown fell upon the
ground something in tho pocket struck
heavily against the floor.
"Ah ! there it is," exclaimed ono of the
searchers with a malicious grin, " I thought
we shouldn't have far to go."
The pocket was opened, and to the dis
appointment of the fomalo police a large
door-key, but no watch was found therein,
"You can dress yourself," said the women
one of whom more charitable than the
other, assisted the widow who, in a sad
condition, and still speechless, presently de
scended the staircase and reappeared iu
the police Station.
"Nothing found on her?" inquired the
officer. "Nothing," was tho answer.
The officer proceeded to enter the de
tails of the cose upon tho police sheet.
" What name does tho prisoner give ?"
No teply.
" She has some cards with her," said one
of the searchers.
" Hand them here." The name on the
cards was tukon. Mr. Williamson again
repeated his request to be accepted as bail
for the accused.
" You're not a householder, and it's too
late now," replied the officer, who then
ordered the widow to be removed to the
prisoner's cell, a dimly lightly room, fur
nished only with a few benches against the
walls, and containing some twenty ocou
pants of both sexes, and all classes. She
was thrust in among tho wretched group,
and the door locked upon her.
" Sorry to see you horo, my dear," said
a gaily dressed woman coming up to her,
as she stood bewildered in the middlo of
tho cell.
'Egad though, I'm not, continued a
drunken fellow, attempting to embrace
hor.
" Leave hor alone," exclaimed tho woman
thru sting the man away, and knocking him
down without much effort.
The rest now gathered around the widow
and her newly-found defender ; they offered
no interference, but gazed with sheepish
wondermont at what was going on.
" You're a nice one to protect the luuo-
cont, Pol!, you are," said one of the prison
ers, joeringly, to the woman who held the
widow in her arms.
" I shall protect who I pleaso," was the
reply, accompanied with an oath, "she's
out of place among us and will soon be re
leased."
" No, no, let her stop here," stammered
the drunkard, lying where ho had fallen,
"let us all stop hero, it's very comfortable,
I'm sure."
Tho woman tried to soothe the widow,
and succeeded in preventing the others
from molesting her. It would indeed have
boen useless for any of them to dispute the
authority of such a protector, whose power
ful arm kept them all at bay.
An hour two hours elapsed In this ter
rible position the prisoners, those to whom
the locality and circumstances were fa
milliar, had settlod themselves for the
night ; some stretching upon the floor,
others upon the benches. One or two nov
ices continued to pace the cell, occasionally
disturbing the sloepers, who protested
loudly and coarsely against tho intrusion.
The widow regained hor speech and con
sciousness, and was still clinging to her
protector, when the door opened, and her
name was called.
Being led out, sho was received at the
entrance by an old friend who had been
desired to come to hor assistance by an
unknown visitor.
Without waiting to inquire into what
had happened, he offored to become secu
rity for her.
"You are a housoholdor ?" said the con
stable, interrogatively.
" I am not, but I live iu a house belong-
ing to my family, and am a medical man
well-known in this neighborhood."
" Useless, sir, quite useless. If you are
a professional man, you, perhaps, know
our regulations in these cases, and how
strict they are."
The doctor endeavored to overrule the ob
jections, but unsuccessfully the police in
sisted upon the accused returning to the
cell, and wore about removing her, when
Mr. Williamson arrived, accompanied by
several other friends, to find whom, he had
been driving about town? Two responsible
householders satisfied the requirements of
the police, bail was accepted, and the
widow taken to her home, overcome with
excitement and distress of mind.
" I told them it was a mistake," said the
conductor, as he opened the door of the om
nibus, but that old vixen wouldn't have it."
Having escorted the widow to her home,
Mr. Williamson and those with him left
her to the care of the doctor and a servant.
It was five o'clock in the morning before
the omnibus was dismisBed,having boon cm
ployed all night by Mr. Williamson in his
endeavor to gather the widow's friends to
gether.
According to the directions given by tho
police, all concerned in the strange occur
rence assembled at the police court, at elev
en o'clock the following day.
The night charges being disposed of, a
short delay occurred before the more Im
portant cases were called on. The buzz of
conversation in the crowded court was sud
denly interrupted by a constable making
his way towards the widow and her friends
and conducting them with much ceremony
to the magistrate's room.
What could have happened? Was the
dousoly packed audience to bo disappointed
by the case being heard in private? Curl
osity was still more cruelly excited when
the magistrate, returning to his scat on tho
bench, desired the clerk to proceed with
caso number two on the list, and passed
over that of the widow and tho watch with
out a remark.
In the meantime, a strange sceuo had
beon going on behind the legal curtain.
Upon entering the room, the widow was
met by her accuser who, in the most abjoct
manner, Implored forgiveness for what had
happened she had come to confess her
error the watch had boen found.
"And where was It found?" asked Mr
Williamson of the woman who was on her
knees.
"Not half an hour ago, in my table
drawor," gasped the virago, who was now
as humble as she had been violont.
" And you had not the prudonce to look
there for it last night?" said the rector.
" I was so sure she had it."
"You still persist in taking this lady for
a thief !" exclaimed Mr. Williamson indig
nantly. The widow requosted the penitent to rise,
and declared she readily forgave her.
" But tho matter cannot be allowed to
rost thus," said Mr. Williamson ; "a pub
lic apology is necessary, and some atone
ment must be made for all tho misery that
has been caused."
Hereupon tho magistrate, who had been
a silent spectator of what hod passed, sug
gested that legal advice should be taken
on the subject, and an apology drawn up
in due form ; he then left the room to re
sumo his official duties in the crowded court
house.
Mr. Williamson obtained permission to
continue an acquaintance so strangely com
menced. Ho was a man of prepossessing
manners and appearance, fond of children,
and delighting especially in those belonging
to the widow.
Some months after the omnibus incident
ho had in the meantime availed himself
of the permission, and had made himself a
great favorite with tho children his visits
to the house became more frequent.
" Do you remember, he said on one of
these occasions, to the widow, "how per-
severingly I tried to make you talk when
we first met?"
The widow blushed, and declared she
had forgotten the circumstances.
" You may forget it, but I never can ;
the impression you mado upon me nothing
will ever efface" and Mr. Williamson
continued a most oloquont speech, one
which probably he had studied and often
waited for an opportunity to deliver. Tho
opportunity presented itself, and not long
aftorwards tho widow was his wife.
TAMING A ROWDY.
XT IS about a dozen years since business
JL not pleasure, took mejto New Jericho
the terminus of civilization and theWham
niolover Railroad. And " a hard road to
travel" that was. It had steeper grades,
sharper curves, and more of them than it
is to be hoped, ever periled the public life
and limb before or since.
It was Saturday afternoon, and we wore
to reach Jericho at some indefinite hour
that evening, " time not being of the es
sence of the contract."
At a place called Blueruin we stopped
fifteen minutes to "liquor." There bod
been a cock-fight, and several other fights
and a big crowd there that day, and every
body was in high glee.
The Now Jericho delegation returned by
our train, and rougher looking samples of
rustlo rowdydom it would have been diffi
cult to find, even in that favored region.
Among them was a strapping six-footer, a
very Hercules in proportions, with a cock.
o'-the walk sort of swagger about him, who
took possession of two seats, depositing his
body on one and deadheading his legs on
tho othor. One chook was puffed out by an
underlying quid, while ever and anon, with
a back-action jerk, he would send near a gill
of tobacco juice over his shoulder, which
those withiu range had the privilege of
dodging or taking the consequences of as
they liked. As for his conversation, the
eurso of Ernulphus, or the table-talk of
a Flanders mess-room in Uncle Toby's
time, in point of maledictory power, was
weak in comparison. At tho next station
a young lady came on board, beautiful as
Venus and modest as Diana .How so rare a
flower camo to bloom in such a wild, was a
question to puzzle over. But there was no
time to settle it. Tho lady was standing
and all the seats were occupied. I was on
the point of o fl'oring mine, when a youthful
looking gentleman, of prepossessing man
ners and appearance, stepped forward and
addressed the couchant Hercules :
" Allow mo," he said, politely, " to turn
over the back of this seat.
" Hoy ?" tho other grunted.
The request was repoated. m
"See you dod darned first!" was the
gruff response.
"But, sir" the goulleniau began to ex
postulate.
"Lookce here you !" blustered tho bully,
" don't you offer to go for to rile me I
that's my advice, an' I gives it free gratis,"
cause I feel a trust in you." -
" But this lady is entitled to a seat," the
stranger persisted.
" Give hor your own then, dod drot you I
an' stop your chin-music, or by Hoky, you
will rile me!"
As a last resort, the gentleman appealed
to tho conductor, who happened to be pass
ing. But the latter declined to interfere.
3uch things must be left to couitesy. Be
sides it wasn't his place to take part in the
disputes of passengers. So saying, he went
his way, punching tickets, and taking no
further heed.
"Dod blast you, you hee riled mo!'
shouted the bully, springing to his feet and
striding up to the young man, who didn't
seem quite sonsiblo of his danger ; "you've
gone an' stuck your nose into other people's
business, an' I'm goin' to pull it 1"
An attempt was made to suit the action
to the word ; but before the metaphorically
offending member had been so much as
touched, something it moved so swiftly I
couldn't be positive it was tho gentleman's
fist took Hercules directly between the
eyes, and sent him sprawling to the other
end of the car. He didn't got up immedi
ately, and when he did, ho seemed a little
bewildered as to whether he had been
knockod down, or the train had run off the
track. He had had enough, at all events,
wherever it came from, as was manifest
from the subdued air with which he took
his departure for the smoking car, whither
his companions soon followed, no doubt
secretly chuckling at the result, as usually
do the chums of a whipped bully.
Pap Eildorkin, the proprietor of the New
Jericho Rest, was the most communicative
of hosts. Before bedtime that night, I was
thoroughly and accurately "up" in all the ,
gOBsip of tho place, and had its scandalous
statistics at my fingers' ends.
Among other things, I learned that "sta
ted preaching" had hitherto been among
the wants of the community, but that a
"supply" had been at length obtained, and
the new minister was expected to enter on
his duties on the morrow.
" Anil fl rAfrARli'n flAiisAn IiaMI lmv nf t
' " " " '"I
said rap. , s
" Why so ?" I asked. - '
"Oh! Bill Grinky an' t'other chaps go-
in, to break him iu termorrer ; an' ef you
want to see fun, I'd edwise youtogothar."
And I did go not " to see fun," as Pap
Kilderkin suggested, but, I trust, from bet-
ter motives. Pap went too by what
prompted, I prefer not judging.
When we reached the church, the minister
had not yet mado his appearance, though
a goouiy numuer oi nearers naa aneaay as-
sembled. A few minutes later, yesterday's
delegation to the Blueruin cock-fight, head
ed by the vanquished bully with both his
eyes in full mourning, sauntered in and '
walked noisily down the aislo.
"That's Bill Grinkey,". whispered Pap,
"an them's t'other chaps."
"Make way for the mourners I" sang out
Bill,-crowdiug, with his companions, into
a front seat, where a boisterous conversation
was struck up, mingled with an inoessant
cracking of peanuts.
" I kin tell you tliar progranny,'' Pap
continued ; "a pack of shootin' -crackers
'11 be tetched off doorin' the fust hymn, an'
a pair o' game chickens as a couple o' them
chaps' got in their pockets, 'ill be sot fight
in' as soon as tho tex's gin out, arter which
gen'ral Ned 'ill be in order."
A sudden silence fell upon the congrega
tion. Not a murmur was heard, and the
peanuts ceased to crack. Looking up, I
saw the minister in tho pulpit ; and guess
my surprise at recognizing him as the
young man that had struck out so deftly
from his shoulder the day before.
With a clear, manly voice, he gave out u
hymn, which was sung through without iu
tetruption. A prayer was offored hp amid
profound aud decorous silence. Another
hyniu followed, and theu a sermon, earnest,
plain practical, without a word of cant in
it. From the beginning to the end of the
exercisos, not an unseemly sound was heard
save a single incipient crow, promptly
choked off, from one of the invisible chick
ens. " I say, Bill, I overheard said from one o f
t'other chaps," as thoy made their way out
" that parson's a trump ; be preaches a
downright good lick, on' fights fair, without
bitin' or goughin'."
It was easy to see the new minister's sta
tus was settled. I have since heard that
Bill Grinkey hoi become an exemplary
member of the church, and the parson the
happy husband of the young lady
whose champion he first achieved popu
larity. t" "What time is it, Tom?" 'Just
lime to pay that little acoount you owe me."
"Oh, indeod I well, I didn't think it was,
half so late." i