The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-03-10
view Of any chance passers-by who might
stray into the Black Cottage

| view Of any chance passers-by who might
! stray into the Black Cottage.
poose hosss Iilss oars, whsss@w~ hsd uotlins
valuable to put under lock and key. After
running over various hiding. places III my
mind. ! thought Of my tes.caddy. n present
from Mrs. knifton, which I always kept put OF
narm's way In my own bedroom. Most un-
inckiiy-as II afterward turned out--ins tead
Of taking the pocket book to the tea caddy, /
went into my room first to take the tea -caddy
70 the pocket-book. only acted In this 70 anoa-
Don't way from sheer thoughtiessHess. ana Sc
vereiy enough l was punished for u, ~ you
will acknowledge yourself when 70" have read
page or two more of NV story.
was just getting the uniucky ea-cauay
out Of my cupboard, when l heard foot
steps In the passage, and, running out imme-
diately, saw two men walk into the kItcnen--
the room In which ! had received Mr.. and
Mrs Knifton. inquired what they wanted
sharply enough, and one Of them answered
Immediately that they wanted my father. He
turned toward me, of course, as he spoke, and
I recognized him As stone.mason, going
among his comrades by the name of Shifty
Dick. He borea very bad character for every
thing but wrestling, sport for which the
working men OF our parts were famous all
through the county. Shifty Dick was cham
piOn, and he had got his name from some
tricks in wrestling, for which he was celebra-
ted. lie was tall, h avy man, with 4 lower
ing, Scared face, and huge hairy hands--t the
last visitor in the whole world that should
HstNc Ucru Rldu 10 see uUucT any ClTCumS tsDccS
His companion was stranger, whom he adj
dressed BY the name Of Jerry--a quick. dap
per, wicked looking MAJ, who took off his cap
10 me with mock politeness and showed, In SO
doing, very bald head, with some very
ugly-looking knobs on it,, distrusted him
worse than did Shifty Dick and managed to
get between bis leering eyes and the bookcase,
AS told the two that my father was gone out
and that did not expect him back till the
next day.
The words were hardly ont of my mouth be-
lore l repented that my anxiety to get rid Of
my unwelcome visitors had made me incau-
fious enough TO acknow ledge that my father
would he away from home for the whole night.
Shifty Dick and his companion looked al
each other when l unwisely let out the truth,
but made no remark except to ask me if l
would give them a drop of cider Unanswered
sharply tina; had no cider in the house. bav-
ing no fear of the consequences Of refusing
;heH, drink, because l knew that plenty Of
men were at work within hail, II. 4 neigh boring
quarry. The two looked At each other again
when l denied having any cider to give Them
and Jerry las am obliged to call him. knowing
no other name by which to distinguish the fell
lOW,) took off his cap to me once more, and,
with Il kind of blackguard gentility upon him,
said they would have the pleasure of calling
the next day, when my father was at home
sible, and, to my great relief, they both left the
cottage Immediately afterward.
AS soon as they were well away, l watched
them from the door. They trudged off in the
direction of Moor Farm and as it was begin
ming 10 get dusk, l soon lost sight of them
Half an hour afierward l looked out again.
fro RE CONTINrpD