The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-12-30

broueh him togrief. He had just whipped
his handkerchief out of his pocket tt
blow his nose, but the stage giving lurct
which unsettled his hat he replaced that
article of wearing apparel upon his head
and was about to resume his original inten'
ton Of slowing his noee, when his attention
was attracted by the movements Of lady
on the sidewalk. He had been watching
her all through the performance, and she
apparently had been watching him, for 81
the moment that he returned his handker'
chief she smiled, pointed downwards with
her parasol, nodded her head, and ther
hailed the driver. ;" ...ty y:ag !.
aBy~ George, here's q firtation," said
Brown, and he smiled his broadcast, but at
she was crossing to the stage door, size gave
a Ick glance upward, as much as to say
no. to smile SO much, and, in fact, to be
more discreet, and then she entered.
ga filtration, by George" said Brown
"Now, how the deuce can / manage to gel
inside ?"
"You don't want to get inside" an
swered, "You are going to make an ass Of
yourself"
: "No, no, old fellow" said Brown, conf
IDENTIFY. 81 know Irritation when see it
1 want some excuse to get down." -.'.'
And the excuse, strangely enough, came
from the driver. 47@.
"Look ahere, gentlemen" said that
worthy, two of you is too many agin' that
railing. T've been expecting to see it give
way afore now, and let both of you down
under the wheels"
We precipitately changed our position:
and Brown said "Then stop the stage and
we'll get down. 49,.
Getting down was even more dangerous
than getting up. We started wrong OF
course, but there was no way to commence
over again, and after swinging for Sc
cond over apparently illimitable space |
managed to rest on the front wheel, and
leap from thence into the mud of Broadway,
yhile Brown, not finding the wheel, was
compelled to take the fearful leap from q
greater height. We had no bones broken
nor clothes soiled, though we both expert
enced fearful strain upon our ankle
joints and tight unmentionables.
Inside we found plenty of room, Brown
taking seat next the fair unknown, and !
sitting opposite, next to a puffy, ford old
fellow. with damaged silk hat, in which /
recognized my handiwork. The lady looked
perfectly unconcerned and unknoWlngly at
Brown on his entrance, and Brown looked
in the same manner at her. She was rather
a beauty, dressed neatly and jauntily. The
stage was not full, but it filled up imme-
diately, the passengers squeezing Brown up
closely to his incognita. A richly dressed
old dowager took a seat next to the unknown,
the latter somewhat ostentatiously making
room for her by crowding towards Brown.
knew this was tickling Brown almost to
death, and for the purpose Of getting him
out of the trouble which he was soon to get
into, kept a close watch on him and his
neighbor. ......
All went on charmingly for long time,
when suddenly l saw Browns countenance
give on unmistakable look of surprise and
pleasure, and glancing cautiously down, /
saw her hands in the folds Of her dress
resting in his. She almost immediately
withdrew it, and Browns fingers closed
upon something which l could not distin-
guish.
ga note, probably" thought.
Brown himself did not dare look at it ;
but with countenance very much flushed
deposited it cautiously in his pocket. A
glance at the lady showed : countenance
as serene and calm as ever, and, If any
thing, with decided expression of piety
in it..
The old lady dowager, as we turned
Eleventh street, rose to go out, and as she
interposed between Brown and me, the
pulled old chap with the damaged hat
caught me lightly by the arm and Whis-
pered fundamentally:
Did you see that ?"
eyes, said l, with sly wink, don't
notice it."
"Notice it, SIR" said he in a louder
voice but, sir, l will notice it,
And he rose as if about to perform some
grand duty.
"Madam," he said to the dowager, >" take
your seat again. Driver" he called,
" stop the stage and hold the door fast !;
don't you let anybody get out. There's
pickpockets here"
I saw the whole thing at once, but Brown
proved binder than any bat.
Pickpockets =" he cried, Pickpock-
cts - Then turning to his incogrita he
said tenderly, MADAM, have you lost
anything ?"
aOh, mercy on me-" said the dowager,
81 have Let the stage be searched"
eyes," said Brown, let the stage be
searched; but first let me 60 and call po-
liceman." :, :,
As he rose to go the puffy old chap rolled
up his sleeves. r,,,,
"No you don't, sir, he said, "pll knock
you down if you move another step IN TINS
direction. 1 know you, sir. l saw the
transaction, sir" .-a,
Brown fell into his seat staggered. He,
too. saw the situation now, when 1t was too
late. His incognita wrung her hands, and
declared she was afraid she had been rob
he'd. But Brown dashed his hands in his
nocket and pulled out roll of bills done
M in a very thin layer, and threw them
down in her lap.
"There is your in-gotten wealth, Ma
DAME" he said. "You thought that /, too,
was q thief, did you Shame to the name
of woman !" -.
"Oh, SIR" cried the woman joyfully,
"then it was you. l thought l, felt his
hand in my dress" she said to the puffy
fellow, and then, to hide her emotion, pulled
down her veil"
eyes," said the puffy fellow to Brown,
"your pretended indignation was we'll
timed. Six months on the island is what
you want" m--
A policeman here appeared and took in
matters at o glance. After hearing the
story from Brown and the puffy chap, both
very much confused, l got in straight
story in defence of Brown. to all Of which
the policeman listened very calmly.
"He may be confederate said the
puffy chap, referring to me, "they both
came in together. And you, villain,' u
shaking his fist at Brown, "you marked