Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-02-05

much obliged to you for procuring the
Goals"
Don't name it, SIR" was the reply.
"One must do something when one has to
wait, you know"
How long do you remain here, then ?''
1 asked.
"Till $40, sir l take up the mail" "
was the reply.
80, indeed said l.
"Yes, sir. I'm on this job all this
month" And as he spoke the guard drew
pipe from his pocket, and having filled
and lit it, he began to smoke in silence.
"Have you been long on this line ?" L
asked, after a pause,
"Well, sir, about three years, and on
the mail duty, on and off about one. I'm
a reg'lar man of letters" he added, with a
grin.
| laughed, and he continued.
'I was nearly choked with capital let
ter when | was baby. | had letters on
my collar when was in the police | was
made guard all along of bit Of letter.
And now | am guard, [ look after the
letters" Having made these remarks in a
jocular tone, my companion gave me a
knowing nod, and puffed away at his pipe
with greater vigor than before. | was
much amused at his rejoindor, and asked
him what he meant by having been made a
guard "all along of bit of a letter"
" [ wasn't always a guard, sir" he said.
Il was once in the police, and it was
through being detective as | got to be
employed on this line"
i" | suppose you didn't like the police,
then ?" said |.
Well, sir, not much, though at times it
was pretty good, and we had some jolly
business. Ay," he continued, with a
good scent it's almost as excitin' as fox
huntin', is thief-catchin' for most of those
fellows is as cunnin as foxes, every bit"
. 1t was through a robbery and bit of
paper that | was made a guard, as | said
Just now"
How was that ? " said catching at
the idea of story to beguile the time.
g should like to hear a bit of your expe-
rience as Il detective"
= 1t amt much of story, sir but III
tell it to you with pleasure :" and, taking
a few rapid pulls at his pipe, the guard
commenced.
'' 1t is about two years ago, and there had
been great robbery in the city, and the
| thieves had got clear away, 50 we was all
/ obliged to keep our eyes open and our wit,
about Us, for though we had some susp-
cions, there was no real clues to 90 upon
/ it was mostly guess-work Two or three
men was arrested. but nothing was ever
proved against them, 50 they was left 90,
in course. Nothing ever tranSpired re-
/ specting the robbery. and it was almost
! forgotten except by some Of US detectives,
/ for reward OF 800 had been offered and
we was, in course, anxious to catch the
man, as we'll for the credit of the force as
/ for the money, which, sir, was not by no
means TO be despised, Well. sir, | was Mt
half satisfied about one Of the men who had
I been arrested, and whose name was Dover
I He and another was always together, and
we in the force nicknamed them Chatham
and Dover Whose real name was Byes)
up too. but nothing turned up. However,
one night after the business had blown
over bit, | thought Ia have look after
I Dover; so | goes to where | was sure TO
\ find him Or his pail in an out-ot-thc-way
1 place near Field Lane When the door
was opened. | saw that the woman was
new hand, and didn't know ne So ask
ed if Dover was in. No says she. he's
gone out of town In which direction p
says l. She pointed upwards, which meant
north. Indeed, says / Well. tell him
as Mr.. Moss wants to see him a. soon as
he returns maxim shot, sir | was at
man as | suspected was fence and
who had my eye on. All right says
She, and shuts the door.
Thinks [, Eve not done "a bad stroke of
business this evening. Mr. Moss and
will settle our little account now so went
quickly home. Next afternoon, Just after
dinner, a message comes from the --
Bank for Mr.. r, our inspector. Tell
ing me to be ready in case of bein' wanted,
off he goes, and in about an hour he came
back and said, We've got job tonight,
he say. for party has wrote another
gentlcman's name by mistake, and bolted
with large sum OF money and his young
woman, as Is supposed, to America We
had to start that evening by the nine o'clock
train for Liverpool, which we did, and
arrived there about four the next morning.
We Immediately put ourselves in communi-
cation with the local authorities and search
ed several outgoing ships, but without any
success. Just as we were leaving one of
the vessels, the captain said TO me, Its
pity you didn't know little sooner, for an
American bark sailed yesterdays tide for
New York The devil it did, says Mr.
T.
Yes" says the captain; and you may
depend upon it your man was off in that
vessel"
"We're done, them says Mr. r,
and will have to 90 back with our tails
atween our legs"
"Well," says |, g don't see that by no
means When does the mail 90 ?" | asked
the captain.
It's gone says he; /; 6 went last night"
"That's no good, then,' says Mr. r
And he was very angry at bein' done
' think, Mr. T" [ says, as we
walked away, Il think we can catch him
yet"
How - says Mr. T
"Why," said |, ''let US take the mail
steamer to Dublin this afternoon, and 90
by the mail train to Queenstown we can
catch tho steamer there and pin your man
in New York"
by Jingo! we WILL" says Mr.. T;
that's a good idea; only I'm afraid
shall have to go alone, for you will be
wanted in London, you know, next week"
| had forgotten that and was very much
disappointed at not being able to accom-
pany Mr.. T. to New York
However," says he, 'I'll not forget
you when [ come back"