Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-03-16

We all hurried out and took our places
the, English gentleman getting up on the
scat behind, the ,coachman. Dempsey
"threw the silk" into the horses the guard
blew an impatient blast on his! horn, and of
we went at slapping pace, the host bow
ing humbly to us until we were out of sight
%rm driving on this road these ten years,
said Dempsey, 'when'he slackened his pace
up hill ;"and ] never knew such thing
as that happen before. ."to -.
"Very likely" said,the. Englishman qul'
etly. "and never will again
II always thought Tom Reilley was as
honest a fellow, man and boy, as any in the
parish" qo :. 8. = s." :.
II make no doubt he he is" replied the
other; che has very honest countenance. e."
II thought sir,," said the captain, "you
said you didn't like his look ?"
"Maybe did say so,"was the reply.
"And pray, Sir, do you still think twas
he hid the spoons !"
"Not bit of it."
"Then who the ID did !" =, :.
81 did. Do you think I'm green enough
to travel so cold morning as this without
having a comfortable breakfast -.
WELL" said Dempsey, "that''s the know
INCEST trick ever heard Of in my life."
''Not bad,' replied the gentleman, with
great sang Jroid, "but it won't do to be re-
peated."
When we arrived at Portarllngton, the
gentleman-who, by the way, turned out
to be very pleasant fellow, and up to all
sorts Of life-got off the coach, and older-
ed his travelling case to be taken into the
inn., ,. D.
'"Do you stop here, sir :" asked the coach
man.
"Yes, for the present. I have little
business to do here as we'll as at Noun
trath." ~.r
The gentleman, having given the usual
gratuty to the guard and coachman,' and
also a.slip of paper to Dempsey, which he
directed him to give to the host at Mount
rath, passed into the inn; the coach drove
on, and never saw him again.
Dempsey having pocketed the shilling,
looked at the paper with some curiosity,
in which, to say the truth, we all shared.
"There's no harm in reading it, as it is
open," said the Captain, taking it from
Dempsey. ..,.H
They were few lines, written in pencil,
on the leaf of pocket-book, and the Cap
tain read them out remember them to
this day = ~
This is to certify that Tom Reilly put
nothing into the teapot this morning ex-
cept hot water and sloe-leaves, and that
the other ingredients the spoons, were ad-
ded by me, for the purpose of giving the
composition some strength. further GER
tify that the aforesaid spoons are capital Tor
making 'stir,''
"GiYen under my hand,
. "ELKANAH, SMTHERs, Jr."
You may be sure we ,ail enjoyed this fin
ish to the Joke, and Dempsey forwarded
the paper by the down.coach, that poor
Tom Reilly's character might be cleared
with the least possible delay. Tom was
fully reinstated in the confidence of his
employers. but the landlady had got such
a frig ht that she determined her silver
spoons should never again be placed at the
mercy of any traveller. Accordingly, she
transferred them TO the private part of the
establishment, substituting for them in the
public room a set of very neat pewter altl-
cles-there was no German silver, or alba
ia, or sach. things in those daysvwhich,
when cleaned, looked nearly as well as
silver. Many time stirred my tea at
breakfast with one of them, and thought
Of .'Elkanah Snithers, Jr.'
-. :. - - --s.--l-t--.Y, = -
itII,nrn TILE RnSr n-[A hnatinr nara.