Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1851-07-02

and the panes above his head were all shiv-
cred into atoms. He looked suddenly a.
round in the creates, conslerna.lon. The
Iroom was full OF smoke, the blunderbuss on
the floor Just discharged, the door closed,
and no human being but himself discovera-
BILE in the apartment! II ibis had happen
ed 10 his rural retreat, it could readily have
been reconcilel through the medium ol
some offended -piri, of The village myth olo-
Igy; but. as 1t was, he was in a poPulous
town, in civilized family, among Christian
doctrines, W here The FAIRIES had no power,
and their gambols no currency; and 10
crown all, poor cobbler, into whose stall
on the opposite side Of the street the slugs
had penetrated, hined in no vety equlvocal
terms tina, the whole affair was a conspra-
cy aggns, his life. II was by no means a
pleasant addition 10 the chances of assassl-
nation to be loudly declamed against by a
craZed mechanic as an assassin hImseii.-
Day after day passed away without any
solution Of The mystery when one even
ing, as the servants Of the family were con-
versing round the fire on so miraculous an
escape. lillle urchin no, len years old, was
heard so to wonder how such an aim was
missed. that universal suspicion was lm-
medialely excited. He wss alternately Rog-
ged and coaxed into a confession, which dis
closed as much precocious and malignant
premedtalinn as perhaps ever marked The
snnals of juvenile depravi'y. The little
miscrean, had received box on the ear from
Mr.. Curran for some alleged misconduct
few days before the Moor's blow did not
sink into mind more furious for revenge,
or mare predisposed by nature for such
deadly Impressions. He was in the bedroom
by mere chance when Mr.. Curran entered
he immedislely hid himself IN the curtains
till he observed him too busy with his port
maneau for observation; he then eveed at
him lhe blunderbuss, which lay charged in
The corner, the stiffness Of whose trigger,
TOO strong for bis infant fingers, alone pre-
| vented The aim which he confessed he had
taken, and which so nearly terminated The
occupations of the cobbler. The door was
siar, and, mid The smoke and terror, he ca
silly slipped out without discovery. had
the story verbatim few months ago from
Mr. Curran's lips, whose impressions on The
subject il was no wonder ih.s forty years
had no, obliteraled.
CURRAN AS A CRoSsEXANIHER.
AtcEoss-e s-exsmination, the N osl difficult and
by far the most hazardous part Of a barrs-
lers profession, Curran was quite inimisble.
There was no plan which he did not detect,
no web which he did no! dsen;arg!e; and
The unfortunate wretch, who commenced
with all The confidence Of pteconceried per-
Jury. never failed to retreat before him in all
the confusion Of exposure. Indeed it was
almos, impossible for the guilty TO offer
successful resistance. He argued, he cajoled,
he ridiculed, he mimicked, he played off The
various artillery of his talent upon the wit
ness; he would affect earneslness upon trl-
fes, and levity upon subjects Of the most Sc
rious impotl, until at length he succeeded
in creating security that was fatal, or a
sulenness that produced all the consequences
of prevarics,ion. No matter how unfair the
topic, he never failed 10 avail himself Of il
acting upon the principle that, in law as well
as in war, every straisgem was admissible.
If he was hard pressed, there was no pecu-
Iiarliy Of person: no singuarlsy OF reme, no
Ieccen,rici,y Of profession q, which he would
not grasp. trying 10 con(ound the seli-pos
session OF. lhe witness by the no matter how
excited ridicue of the audience. To Wit
ness by the Ha!fpenny he once began :
Hslfpenny, see you're rap and for that
reason you shall be nailed 10 the counter"
"HaIfpenny is sterling," exclaimed the op-
pos,e counsel. mo, no." said be, she's
exactly like his own conscience-only cop
per acashed." This phrase alluded to an
expression previously used on the Trial.
To Lundy Fool, the celebrated lobaccon-
ist, once hesIlating on the table: ''Lundy,
Lundy-shas's poser-a devil Of pinch"
This genleman once applied to Curran for
a motto when he first established his car.
risge. "Glve me one, my dear Curran,"
said he, 'of serious cast, because ] am
ffaid the people will laugh at tobacco onist
setting up carrisge, and, for The scholar
ships sake, lei i! be in Latin" II have Jus.
hit on i',' said Curvsn 81. is only ,wo
words. and il will q, once explain your pro-
! fesson, your elevation and your contemp,
for their tIdicuie, and i. has the advantage
Of being in two languages, Latin or English,
JdW as the reader chooses. Pu, up 'Quid
Rioes' upon your carriage.
lnquiring his masters age from horse
Jockeys servant, he found it almost impos-
sible 10 extract an answer "Come, come.
friend, has he not lost his teeth ?" DO
you think" retor'ed the fellow, :'.hat know
his age, as be does his horse's, by the mark
of mouth 2" The laugh was sgains. Cur
ran, bu, he instantly recovered: You were
very right not to try, friend, for you know
your masters great bite"
Having one day a violent argument with
a county schoolmasler on some classical
subject. the pedsgogue who had the worst
of il. said, in towering passion, that he
" ould lose no more time, and must go ba ok