The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-12-04
Ritf,mulrd Dispatth.
,rrrpnAy DECEMBER 4, 1859.
A quaker Detective.

on the back scat, mum 1n and myself on
and a Quaker on the middle All" "
the front. have heen mother
So,,nh.er ount and niece, goNcIhcsS
ANA ANA oi,oroa or might have sustained an!
" "ther relationship which made 1t proper Ao'
I Two ladies to travel together unattenoeds.
The middle-aged gentleman o. WAS sp nn aS
a :'nu with the ladies, TOWARDS
.rboTo' IN his zeal to do, he rather osereia'
80 agreeable-bowing, smiling, ana cha.'
enr!nTe oyer his shoulders IN style PAIN
,,i,- s,1r,est;ye, at his time OF iite, OIL
" crick" In the neck. He was evidently
gay Lothario. ..,,;so-o If his scot
the Quaker wore the uniform Oh ms ST. ST.
and confined his speech, as Hans d, SSo;nr
TnentariSu would save his crealt Wy aoiIa,
- e;mnlc "veas" and nays" As iof
,nrseIf. I make II an invariable rule OF the
rnad 70 be merely a looker-on and listener.
'rn1vord evening was aroused from one
oc those reyeries into which-a young mar,
without either being q poet or iopeI, W., WI,
somet,mes fall, by the abrupt quer! iioin
The talkative gentleman
:. Are YOU armed, sir p
al am not" / answered; astonlsheu, ho
doubt visibly, at the question. ucou
-. I am sorry to hear it, he replied LOT or
,,afore reaching our stopping-place II VIII
he several hours in the night, ana We mus.
nass over portion OF the road on "hlcn
more than one robbery is reported 10 nave
been committed ..,.or
The ladies turned pale, but the stranger
did his best to reaSsure them.
Not that I think there Is the sllgntest
danger at present." he resumed; only when
one is responsible for the safety OF iadleS,
Won know, such thing as pistol IN reacn
would materially add to ones conndence.
"Your principles, my friend, ADDRESS
inc the Quaker, 81 presume, are Us tnuch
opposed to carrying as to using carnai "ea-
ponS.
..Yes'' was the response.
~ Have the villains murdered any OF their
yictims?" the elder lady nervouSiy IN
"0r have they contented themselves
with-with pluudering them!" added the
Younger, i'm q timorous voice.
L" Decidedly the latter" the amlable gen,
,lcman fastened to give assurance "and
ms we are none of us prepared TO offer re-
sistance in case Of attack, nothing worse
than robbery can befall US.
Then. after blaming his thoughtlessness
in having unnecessarily introduced q disa-
creeable subject, the gentleman quite eX-
celled himself in efforts to raise the spirits
of the company, and succeeded SO well by
the time night set in that all had quite fcr-
gotten, or only remembered their fears TO
laugh ut them.
Our genial companion fairly talked him
self hcarse-perceiyin which, he took from
his pocket 4 package Of newly-nycnted
cough CANDY" and after passing it first TO
the ladies he helped himself to the balance,
and tossed the paper out of the window.
He was in the midst of his encomiums
on the new nostrum, more than hall the
efficacy of which, he insisted, depended on
its being taken by suction, when shrill
whistle was heard, and immediately the
coach stopped, while two faces, hldeously
blackened, presented themselves, one at
each window.
"Sorry to trouble you," said the man OH
the right, acknowledging with a bow two
lady-like screams from the back seat, "but,
business is business and ours will soon
he over if things go smoothly
..Of course, gentlemen, you will spare,
Is far as NAV be consistent with your disa-
rrecabe duty, the feelings of these ladies'"
appealed the polite passenger in his blandeSt
manner.
ooh! certainly: they shall be first at
tended to, and shall not be required to leave
their places or submit to n search, unless
their conduct renders it necessary"
And now, ladies'" continued the rob-
her, the barrel of his pistol cleaning in the
light OF the coach-lamp, ''be so good as to
pass out your purses, watches, and such
49,
much trouble"
The ladies came down handsomely, and
were no further molested
One by one the rest of us were compelled
to get out, the middle-aged gcntleman's |
turn coming first. He submitted with L
winning grace, and was robbed like Ches-
terrified.
MY own affair, like the sum lost, was
scarcely worth mentioning. The Quaker |
turn came next. He quietly handed over
his pocket-book and watch, and when asked
If he had any other yaluables, said
"Nay."
4 Quaker's word is good even among
thieves so, after hasty "good night, " the
robber thrust his pistol in his pocket, and,
with his two companions, one of whom
held the reins Of the leaders, was about
taking his departure.
"StOp!" exclaimed the Quaker, in q
tone more Of command than request.
"Stop! for WHAT" returned the other,
in evident surprise.
IL" For at least two reasons,' was the re-
ply, emphasized with couple of Derrin-
gers cooked and presented.
Helpr' shouted the robber.
"Stopw the Quaker again exclaimed,
land if one of thy sinful companions ad-
yances to thy relief the spirit will surely
move me to blow thy brains out"
The robber at the opposite window and
the one at the leaders heads thought it a
good time to leave.
"Now get in, friend" said the Quaker,
still covering his man, ''and take the mid
die seat but first deliver up thy pistol"
The other hesitated.
"Thee had better not delay I feel the
spirit beginning to move my right foretin-
ger"
The robber did as he was directed, and
the Quaker took his seat by his side, giving
the newcomer the middle of the seat.
The driver, who was half frightened out
Of his wits, now set forward at rapid rate.
The lively gentleman soon recovered his
Quakel's prowess.
- You're rum Quaker, YOU are. Why,
you don't quake worth cent"
{" am not a shaking Quaker if that is
what thee means"
"Of the Hickory or rather the 'Old
Hickory stripe, should say retorted the
lively man but the Quaker relapsing into
his usual monosyllables, the conversation
Jagged.
Time sped, and sooner than we expected
the coach stopped where we were 10 have
supper and change of horses. We had
deferred redistribution of our effects till
we should reach this place, as the dim light
of the coach would have rendered the pro-
cess somewhat difficult before.
1t was now necessary, however, that 1t
should be attended to at once, as our jovial
companion had previously announced his
intention Of leaving us at that point. He
proposed postponemet till after supper,
which ne offered to go and order.
"Nay," urged the Quaker, with an ap..
proach to abruptnesS, and laying his hand
on the others arm, /" business before plea
sure, and for business there is no time like
ha