Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1854-12-30
THE EnlGHWAYNlN'S BRIIsL.
A STORY OF THE LAST crxr,,p D :,


Mine were the days for gallant robbers
whose fine clothes, high bearing. reckles,
hardlhood, and (rrequcntly good birlJ
took away from the superfdal obsen,r
much Of The darkness of crime ac,nols
surrounding their deeds and lives. Yn
weie divestcd of your rings Ind purss.
often with demeanor SO p,ished. ual.
really II resembled paying qoll 10 god
manners more than submllip 10 a Dbl
bery-a robbery it is true, yesnl il VI $
more soothing 10 the feelings Il the tine,
than being knocked down with the ,uuI
end Of a pistol, or bulied as ell as pun
dored. Fashion, too, capricio,s in lhi, as
in all else, affected some knights Of The
road above oIhors, and fnc LADIES' inleesi.
ed Themselves amazingly aboa The deeds
ofhighwsymen, conspicuous lothandsome
person and brave conduct, or raher daring
vlIany. These fair danes, also we're much
concerned in their heroes inalinca'cero.
tons and executions at the latalirce of Ty-
burn. Bot highwaymen had, asevery ybody
knows, been still more popular in the pre-
ceding reign ; yet ever and aion, IS the
profession seemed TO be on tie verge Of
decay, and likely 10 dwindle down into
mere commonplace theft and muder some
new candidate was sure 10 slanup and re-
vivo the dying embers ofthc rod chRalry.
One in particular was notOrou'enough in
his brief day, for most of The qualrles |
have described, as sometimes attributed o
these knights Of the road. HeIwas well
connected, too, his uncle bein. clergy.
man in high church appointment. His
person was elegant, his names courly,
and he was rash IN an extraordinary de.
gree. Mingling freely in fashionable So.
cieiy in his real name, his deeds d robbery
were the talk of the Town undd his as.
sumed one. His proper designation was
Richard Mowbray--that belonging TO the
road his whole source of revenue was Cap.
tain De Montmorency-a patronymic high
sounding enough. do not mean however,
TO infer that any suspected Tbs man Of
fashion and the highway ymanto te one and
the same person: that was never known
nm the event which am going 10 relate
look place.
Richard Mowbray had spent bis own
small patrimony, years before th'Penod, at
which this narrative commences IN the
Measures of the town. Ii had m,lled INTO
ridottos, playhouses, faro, horseiesh and
hazard. He had exhausted the Rlnaness
and corbearance of his relations, irap whom
he had borrowed and begged, ill borrow
inc or begging bad become lmP!riclcaOle;;
He had known most extremes oil \ ana
moreover. when debts and poverysiared
him primly in the face, he knewfot one
nser,,I ART by which he could supPf exls'
tence or pay dividends to his creslors;-
VIVA, was 10 be done 2 He eludedapl as
long as he could, and one eventll' h'sn'
r;d;1o on horseback, and medtaiins aoom,
;lv o1 his evil fortunes, he met--cSerec
by The darkness from all dlsco'oly--'
traveller we'll mouned-plcihorc
with monoy.bugs, and bearing llke're 'n'
burden Of excessive fear.
1t was sudden thoughi-actedplono .
suddenly. Resistance was not drea'isu ', "
Mowbray made off with his booty cms"l "
cradle enough torepair his exhausted tnaa
ces, and 10 pay his most pressing cTedlol'
II was literally robbing Peter TO pay ra'
And so by night, under the shelter 'i I
darkness did the ruined genilemanPe'on
The highwayman. People who kne" p
circumstances whispered their surpfh
when il became known that RIchaId Nb'
bray had paid his debts, and that he ~
.elfmade more than his customary apPe|
snce. Now his fine person was ever q
II the newest braveries of the day, and
his double character many a contest
be make--for he disburihened iaaies