The Shasta courier., 1863-03-21

provided there was single chance of his es-
Gaping detection in case of willful MURDER
Very well. May now proceed?'
Yes, Monsieur
You will please answer to each statement
of mine as if a question were directly put.
On your way to Dover, afellow traveller made
your acquaintance
"Yes"
You irst saw him at Tunbridgesn
uYes.'
"You first noticed him while You were tax
ing some refreshment at a restaurant?"
"Yes."
He came up alongside of you, having q
mon. place remark about the weather ~
Yes" / continued to. answer, getting
more aud more astonished every minute
What could it all meanf Had every ac-
ton of my lifebeen noted? ? and for what pur.
pose? My strange interrogator proceeded /:
This stranger was dressed in blue coat,
with bright metal buttons, nankeen trowsers,
a buff vest, parti -colored neckerchief, q
white hat and black boots?"
Tes.n
He had reddish hair, reddish whiskers,
forid complexion, and wore a green patch
over his left eye?''
Yes"
"After some common place remarks, he
ventured to ask you which way you were
:" Yes.
ris ~
YES
He was delighted to hear it, because he
was going there also, and it vas very pleas
ant in foreign country, to have a travelling
| companion from ones native land 2"
"Yes.n
"On the whole, he made SO favorable an
impression upon your unsuspicious mind,
that you were quite pleased to have his CON-
pany 2"
- On your way to Dover, he gave you some
account Of his past life-of his trials, strug-
giles, disappointments and successes ~
lie was an inventory man of genius,
| who had lived to benefit mankind and HIM
self? England owed much to him, and So
did France, and SO, in fact, did the whole
world? ?''
His statements were to that effect.''
Very we'll, Monsieur, as have shown you
| that know the nature of your conversation,
| it is not necessary that should wear you
with detail. This man, this inventor, was
going to Paris to take out patent for a new
motive power-one that was destined to revo-
lutionize the world. He was very sorry he
| could not show it to you then; Lnt until his
papers should be filed in the proper depart
@snt, hAxoa!d not trpss bis own father with
- All correct; Monsieur"
Now, most unfortunately, as it appeared,
on reaching Dover, where you were to take
the regular steam packet for Calais, your
new acquaintance, in sume way unknown to
you, received the startling intelligence that
his father was lying at the point of death,
which would require HIM to post to London
immediately and would you, in whom he
had every confidence, do him the favor to
take charge of a small box, containing some
important papers-and on your arrival in
Paris, open it and deliver them to their pro-
per address ?''
&c Yes, Monsieu ~ said l, becoming most
intensely interested.
Curiosity, Monsieur" continued the
Frenchman, :" is not one of your failings, |
am happy to say, or you might not now be
living to hear wnat have to reveal"
Good heavens !" calculated l, g what is
coming now -
That same box, Monsieur, is an internal
machine, intended to destroy your life the
moment you opened it!
Gracious God! !" l exclaimed, with
thrill of horror, g can this be possible?'
81 will prove it. Get it, and come with
me before Commissary of Police ~
Pray, Monsieur, who are you?'
"a secret agent of Police"
FASTENED to get the box, handling it with
great care, and together we proceeded to the
nearest Commissary, when, with my permis-
sion, it was split open, and 10 / to my aston
ished and Mortified gaze was revealed a row
of small loaded pistols. so arranged that, had
l unlocked and opened the box in an ordina-
ry way, they would have been discharged in :
to my body.
Onmy subsequently asking for an explana-
ton concerning this mysterious affair-how
so much, connected with myself and others,
had become known to the police of foreign
city was gravely but politely answered:
| g 1t is not allowed me, Monsieur, to reveal
our sources of information. We are happy
to have thwarted the plans of a villain, and
saved your life."
always suspected Byerly Of having hand
again attempted-but certain it is l never
|
stranger.
On my accession to the title and estates,
| which occurred the following year, did not
forget to reward Eugene st. Medard, alias
Henri Pouget, Secret Agent of Police, as
thought he deserved to be rewarded for the
preservation of my life-and to this day
have not ceased to wonder over the perfection
of the French system of police.
With the exception of substituting fictitious
names for real ones, the foregoing may be re
garded as the authentic narrative of an Eng.
lish nobleman to an American friend.
MARRIAGE IN LAPLAND.-lt is death in
Lap and to marry maid without her pa
rents or friends consent; therefore, if one
bear affection to young maid. upon break
ing thereof to her friends. the fashion is, that
a day is appointed for their friends to meet
to behold the two young parties run a race
together. The maid is allowed in starting
the advantage of a third part in the race, SO
that it is impossible, except she will of her
self, that she should be overtaken. If the
maid overrun the suitor, the matter is ended;
he must never have her, it being penal for
the man to renew the offer of marriage. But
L r L r. ~ L