Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-08-17
Written for the PUBLIo LKDaER.l
BOOK-OF.TRAVEL SKETCH ES.
NO.
Running a Race into Limbo.
b Z Alto H .
CHAPTER III.

hOW WE GUT OUT 6F LIMBO.
Arrived at the police station no ques-
tions were prepouuded to us, but we we're
at once furnished safe though plain &C.
commodations in gloomy cell opening
on one Of the upper corridors, and the
whole quartette of us together, for il
seemed there was on this occasion an un'
usual demand for "unfurnished apart.
ments," which of course necessitated the
economizing of room.
This arrangement suited us exactly, az
we had already set on foot plan Of es-
cape from punishment, which required
that there should be a perfect under.
standing between all the members of oul
little party. We of course depended
upon being allowed the means of defense
and of that, indeed, the Captain in charge
of the place assured us, while on visil
to our doWon in the early morning. OuI
examination was set for one clock p.m.
be said, so that time would be allowed us
to communicate with our friends.
This was ell right. Soon after the
Captains departure, we were waited on
by q young Italian lad, a sort of mes
senger about the place, who was known
simply as Louis. He came to receive
any message which we might desire to
send to our friends
This, then, was the turning poi ut of our
| fortune. If the lad could be won over to
our cause, it could be made to &c well
with us yet. The sight of few bright
pieces of coin which had escaped the
sharp eyes of the police officers, produced
a very happy effect on his mind. Moth
ing else could so readily have enlisted
his interest.
With promise of liberal compensa-
tion he agreed to bear letter to the per-
son whom we should designate, in any
quarter of the city. A private letter was
therefore written by Molere, addressed
to one Professor Komstach, teacher of
rhetoric aud elocution, an amateur COM
poser of lectures, orations and sermons,
an accredited wit, a pretended critic, a
"dead-beat generally, and swindle on
humanity especially.
He had been q sort of behind the scenes
acquaintance and friend of many of our
set, and had on several occasions been
enlisted in our service, in the MANAGE
ment of private difficulties that required
the exercise of great skill and boldness.
AHd he had in every such case effected
triumphant deliverance; for which he
invariably received very liberal compen-
sation. 1t was in just this manner he
obtained livelihood.
No man, will venture to assert, ever
possessed more inhexible cheek or
greater range of resource in desperate
emergencies. To this wonderful Profess
sor il was, then, that the private letter
was written, setting forth briefly the facts
in the case, and defining the course We
desired him to pursue in an effort to lib.
crate us from that really serious difficulty.
1t would necessitate the enacting of a
very difficult and delicate role, requiring
great boldness and address; yet we were
fully confident of the Professors ability
to carry il through, and told him as much,
in order, by appealing to his vanity, or
rather conceit, to strengthen him for the
real tug of the battle. Moliere at the
same time inclosed an order for twenty
FIVE francs, as earnest of our prospective
liberality, knowing well that otherwise
the worthy Professor woald be sending
the boy back for some such installment,
and thus incur loss of time
Another letter, of an entirely different
character, was penned at the same time,
to be used as a sort Of blind. This was
addressed to the House Delphi, to Mon
sieur J. St. Clair Lstimer, and purported
to be written by his nephew and ward,
Joseph Moliere, giving gloomy account
of the difficulty himself and companions
had fallen into, in attempting foolish
and reckless piece of amusement, by con-
cocting a sham elopement of q reckless,
worthless adventurer with the only
daughter of very wealthy and respect
able citizen, and all the actors in which
were to have been the said nephew, No
liere, and his companions, with the sole
object Of "selling" boastful would-be
detective, by the name Of Joel Msppet,
BY secretly drawing him in to undertake
the defeat Of the intended elopemeni.
This letter, giving fall particulars Of
the case, and calling for immediate as
sistance, was placed in the boys pocket,
in such manDer that one end Of It might
be seen BY close scrutiny; while the
other, the real letter to Professor kom-
stach, was carefully concealed in bis shee,
where he could not, by any ungusrded
movement, betray its locality.
The lad was then dismissed, with full
instructions. and the promise Of q reward
greater than bis months wages for the
faithful execution Of his mission. On
his way out through the public office be
was stopped and recalled by one Of the
officers, just as Moliere had predicted.
This official questioned Louis closely
concerning the message entrusted TO him