The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1862-02-19
A Christmas Story,

shlfe lie was Slght IN hgure with hnelY chseled ea
lures, and certain air of high-breeding which was
rendered the more remarkable by the rough and shabby
dress he wore.
The night was fine and clear the air very still and the
only sound that came up from the valley below was the
chime of bells which always rung at Bemstead on
Christmas eve Floating up through the air now diving
away into silence, swelling again at some new
turn of the road the CHEEKY song of the bells the
tsong Of the universal holiday
One hundred podnds' he said to himself Notmuch
certainly. Scarcely a weeks income to some peope
bit OF paper with water mark and asigpature and vet
how much 1t represents to me! This bank note should
read in new form; it should say-T promise to pav
the bearer hissweeheart Beatrice with cottage full Of
furniture, and much happiness as ever he can bear
For the governor and company of the bank of England
Matthew Marshall All that fora hundred ponnds Dear
little Bessy
The young man, whose name was John Digby was
pubic school teacher at low rate Of salary at which
the instructors of children are usually paid Being
an imprudent young man, he feln love with the daugh-
ter OF widow poor himself 1t then occurred to
him that he should like to get married After occupy
ing himself one evening with a number of small sums
OF compound addition and subtraction he ascerained
beyond doubt that he could not afford it, Being how
eyer OF active BRAIN he determined that money was
to be earned in England and that he was the man to
earn It, Having conceived the idea of certain i'm
provement IN machinery he gave himself up to study
and after four years OF application he had perfected an
c'IoH loF WHICH, Dehg unable to take out patent
ne had been glad to except e100 offered him by an en-
terprlslhg speculator in Bradford He had inst com
pleted the bargain and was his way home with the
money securely buttoned in inner pocket of his coat
Sh pursuing the current of this thought he reached
dense wood which shut out the beams of rising moon
and lett the road in deep shadow He did not perceye
dark object which lay concealed in the underwood be-
fore him nor did he hear the crackingof dy branches
crushed beneath a steathy footstep
lie walked steadily along and in another moment a
man jumped out from hedge and held pistol at his
head.
i want your money shouted the stranger in deep
hollow voice. Dgby started back and in an instant
two ldeas-one hundred pounds and Beatrce-fashed
through his brain. Recovering himself immediately he
struck up the pistol and closed with his assaant The
robber caught him by the collar and Digbv endeayorin
10 90 the same, grasPcd nothing but some strips of
rotten linen which came away in his hand Except these
the hghwaymans breast was bare. Digbv was not a
strong man, his adversary seemed much taller than him
sell, and though he struggled with all the force at his
command he felt the odds greatly against him What
was his surprise then to find the grasp of the robber
graduay relaxed and the man staggerand fall as though
from exhaustion, at his feet.
Dlgby caught the pistol from his hand and looked at
1t with astonlshment-twas piece of blackencd wood
y GU scopndreln he exclaimed as he stood over his
PROSTATE foe.
XII me, you like, the robber said, catching for
breath.
xiii You! NotI shall leave the law to deal with
YOU
Better knock me on the head where lie H'ud be
a kindness
What's the matter with you?
Starving, was the answer
Digby folded his arms and refected f,ro ,,o,,o,,+
Get IN said he sard wall ,;t, , ~ 49, -, -,
he pointed to where an opening in the wood admi,ed
stream of moonlight
What do you want?'
No matter; get up
The robber staggered to his feet and did as he was
ordered. Digbv then saw that he was \ man of great
height but SO extremely emacated chat the forms Of
the bones in his bare arms and chest MIGHT Mainly he
seen from under the loosely bancno skin The riobt
bitterly cold but nar of battered shoes rov,sers
and the torn shirt formed the whole of lis dress
Suddenly his mood changed; for he held ap his bands
and cried:
Spare me, sir have wife and children and sister
starving this Christmas eve
Where are they?'
AT Bemstead, SIR
show me the house I'll 90 there with YOU
me outeast's suspicious were excited in moment.
on want to send the constabies on u.s. said he.
Look at me- was the reply There was lofty bear
ing IN TINS country schooImaster, the sign Of high
, %noi was 'ot 10 De resisted ! am nota
~, ,o1 '''"''e' give you my WORD III DO you
nv ma rr'l'
"ete Uttered "'tA an emphasis which gave
'''t w IT .-'o' ! "eisuU Juan al oa'n'
'i'N iN''
o heip you and your family. Now come alongand
'etS T,o De QUICK.
.l ,H''l ",gn saio no more; out Shamong along
- In'us Geu 10 tne neart with cold, he led the way
"olrS .97. = y taIh to~atoS the town:
Lis '''" Is NOT quite IoS', SAID Dlgoy ommse he
trusts @ me-
~ IneH entered the town by narrow lane bordered on
'"oi S.ue oy cotVa6eS'
An irregular corps OF boys OF various sorts and sizes
passed down the lane, whskng punches OF Christmas
ma delshng IN the bright moonlight and sharp air.
ihey sung an OLD carol as they passed, and the
a1 hea ne twisted his arms tighter across his breast
ma huLled along the faster Leading Digby into the
1eaFt OF the town, he turned down narrow lane in
which number OF crazy old buildings-the stately
mansions OF other days-now afford shelter to number
u the poorest and most degraded inhabitants of the
llace
The robber stopped before a door which he pushed
,pen. Dgby followed up an oak staircase the steps of
which were broken and with age Higher up still
nu they seemed to be nearly level with the roof
iere the 1obber stopped, took key from hiding
lace m the floor, opened Il room and pointed within.
Digby made step forward and stopped short for the
noon shone through the broken skylght and showed
in s'8h' lor "nlcn ne was scarcely prepared
The room was low gaTret and the only thing in the
hape OF furniture it contained was strip of rug in one
orneT on winch lay shapeless heap of human forms
qdded together They were perfectly motionless, and
q Tn nm fIf ~ q H..