The Westerly echo, & Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1854-1858, 1857-09-10
WHOLE NUMBER 321
The Lost FOrc-Fingcr.

Joe u Imalni, the famous Tng is'
clown was walking home one evening
from friends house, at Enfield, wh"n
he was stopped bp foot-pad, who, pre-:
senting a pistol to his head, demanded
in a fierce voice 8 his money or his lif'!'
Grimaldi was compelled to surrender hi1
purse, but strange to say, the robber left
him his watch, although there was qrii'
sufficient light to see the glittcring seals
at the fob. Grinaldi noticed when the
man held the pistol up, that he has l''st
his fore finger. Some three months af-
terwards, as he was sitting at the Tigers
Head, Highgatc, laboring man camc
in, and sitting down at the next table,
called for mug Of ale. The voicc az
rested Grimaldi's attention, and he came
to the conclusion that it was the robbers
he therefore watched him as he took ont
the money to pay, and sure enough the
man had no fore-6uger. As they were
the only two in the room Grimali ross
and sat down opposite 20 him. The nau
seemed uneasy and was absut rising ~
90, when Joe said -
want to say word TO you. fm
are the man who stopped me on thtrrd
lately apd robbed me. Why shout
not give you into custody
The poor fellow tremblcd and said =
For Cod sake listen fist | was
then, and am now, almost sta wing.
have a wife and three children at home
-Dothing but distress drove me to that
crime. 1t was the f. and last tim.
was ever guilty Of dishonesty.
'How 90 know that you a. not ~
ing now = said Grima'di
win you come to the end Of the VII
/ lage aDd see where i've | swarc it
will be quite s;sfc but don't cxpose ME
to my wife
'Oh, don'r fear the devil himself
replied Grilnaldi, '@hca l am prepared.
[ will 90 with you
In few minutes he entered the cot
tage There he found ponr, 6 nteei;
half-starvcd, miserable woman, and
three children. Sure enough, there
was misery.
He gave the poor fellow what fifiIe'
change he had, aud also his address, and
said, when you arc in distress, come to-
me- The man accompanied him back
to the village to buy some food, and with
Il faltering voice uttered few words Of
gratitude.
Some two or three years afterwards,
on the morning of Grimaldi's benefit, 4
gentleman called at his house when he.
was out and bought large number Of
tickets. This was repeated for several
whenever the great clown had =
benefit Grimaldi's curiosity was raised
and he resolved to watch, when his xt
benefit came. The morning passed, bus
no mysterious stranger came and Grin-
aldi was obliged to 90 oat. He had mt
been gone long ere tao stranger caSsei
bought his usual number OF tickets, anu
went away. On his return ia the after
noon, hc cross-questioned his serVant
closely, as to the personal appearance Of
the gentleman.
'Oh,' said the servant, the only
thing | noticed about him was that he
had no fore-fnger, it seemed to- have
been cut off,
This explained tho whole, and the
clown now knew who his fiiend Was.
Some years ago, GrimalG received d
letter enclosing a bank-notc for o hun
drod pounds. ltwas from the man who
robbed him. He stated that he had
prospcred, that money had b en- left him
by a relative, and that he was going ;"
America. lie thanked Grimaldi mest
/ fervently, and babe him farewell sca
letter, not daring again to. look h,~ IN
5 the face. Glmaldi ofscn quotes, thus a"
= proof of the superior cthsacy OF judge
. ;ol, oon,ly Of our G,lloy creatures.