The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-11-12
BY Alfred =. IIorsley.

over SUCH HlAYO1S2us us1ss<4D - eAk-0 - eAAO
jewelry, to leave my keys anywhere but
in my pockets.
ejaculsted Multagh after my second accuA-
ton. ~ 90 2SJtf Eu
"They are indeed" coincided. "Don't
let them ride you to the penitentiary
!, For minuie he regarded me with most
villainous look in his eyes.
"Ahi If my wife were only herei She
is shout your size, and could shake you
into rags in jify. Then l would laugh.
Now, I am only strong enough to be the
worst enemy you hsve- mind thati" With
one mighty sweep of his broom he then
sent me sprawling upon the floor and
darted out into the dusky labyrinthsof the
great building. 500 =
The next day we had new janitof.
ascertain the whereabouts Of Miss Hattie
Starks, many letters and advertisements
had vainly summoned her to oar presence.
At last. when our stock of patience and
hope was almost exhausted, q letter ffom
her had reached MS; in fact it had come
two DAYS before my interview with lille
Murtagh. Il said, in substance, that she
lived in Middletown, Iowa, sixty miles
from any railroad, and with cnlys semi
weekly coaches; that there was no ex-
press fine Of any kind, and that the only
way for her to obtain her little fortune in
our hands was either to send 1t by the
hands of trusty person or wait until she
could come for it. If practicable she would
like the former course to be taken. The
letter was now missing We had had i
out while discussing what action should
be taken-the decision being that should
have q play-spen and carry the jewels
there myself Il was an important, though
not a serious loss s-this letter. Our sopin-
ion about it was that it had fallen into the
waste e-paper basket and been burned. No
other idea as to the cause of its disappear
ance entered my head. -.
In view of my journey Twas a. joval
and frolicsome as school boy on the day
of nv departure. The valuable little box
was snugly slowed away in my valise,
which was never to be without my reach.
"Take care of yourself, Millsi" said
Scott, twisting my hand.
EDon't marry her, and come back with
the fortune" cried Crounse, as ! crept
carefully down the stairs.
"Not unless I'm tortured into it" /
laughed back.
Hurrying along the street to the depot,
/ encountered Mrs. Murtagh.
"Goin' to leave us?" she inquired,
planting her burly form in my way.
"Yesm." ~ sr
"Air yer goin' fur away"
"Iowa," [ jerked out.
"Yer must 60 through Chicago, then "
"Yes'm," 1 answered, wondering why
she asked.
"Well! Good-byer" holding out her
dumpy hand. Goodbye, Mr.. Mills Hus-
band and me air goin' to Bostin' to-mor-
nv and shan't come back again. By the
way, here's letter your firm lost /
guess" handing me Miss Stark's commu-
nication. Then continuing, al want ter
saw that bear We no i'll will for shakin' up
Roddrick the other night. He orter have
it oftener for his good; but I'm getting too
weak in the jints to do 1t up handsomely,
and the doctors -n "a . ,ia,t--- 80
"Never mind, Mrs. MurtAgh, IN forgive
you; but you must excuse me II leave yoQ
In order to catch the cara" She seemed
exceedingly disappointed at not being al
| lowed 10 relieve her mind Of what the
doctor said. In fact I felt little ashamed
of treating the woman with such brusque-
ness and half turned in my walk to look
back. Doing SO l saw that her husband
had Joined her, that he carried bundle in
his arms, that she was pointing toward me,
and that, finally. they suddenly separated,
going in opposite directions and at right
angles to my course.
The only marked events of my ride to
Chicago might be summed up as being
| two: One, the apparition, ON the platform
tof a miserable way station, of Mr.. Murtagh,
in the guise of q very fat man with red
moustache; second, an accident which hap
pened a little while before reaching Chi
cago. In the first case I no sooner saw
the figure than rose from my seat, and
with my carpet-bag-which Travelled be-
tween nv feet-in my hand, went out
only to realize that the phantom, if it were
such, had disappeared, unless by magic he
had been transformed into the decrepit
old apple man stealing out of the darkness
of the night to vend his stock in trade
upon the train Heartily disguised with
suspicion, went back to my seat only to
encounter, o little later, an accident
which threw a car from the track. This
DELAYED our arrival in Chicago until after
midnight. A few buses and one hack
were in waiting. As l stepped out into
the glare of the gas lights the hackman
came up to me and said: siii. s
"Pm No. 75."S ie1 TsE -
"Well, what Of itf"E -
"Pm the man you want and you're the
man want"
"Indeed!"
"Yes, sir. Old man Scott telegraphed
me TO meet and take good care OF man
of your description-e young man with
side whiskers, small valise in hand. and
! named Mills saying It with an air OF
Pm the man, then" / said, warmed at
| NV heart by the kindness of the partners.
90 delicately exhibited. "You know the
old gentleman is''a
"Guess I do was his coachman for
little while, once upon q time" 4.
I "Yes! Y-e-sr clutchmg my precious
! travelling bag closely to my side. He was
a long time-at least five minutes-in get
ting me to his vehicle. Once entered. the
door was slammed 10, the driver stuck his
head through the window and inquired
"vhere to :" in an off-hand business way,
and receiving his answer. raised the win
dows, muttering something about the
night air being very damp. Before start.
ing asked how far it was to the depot
whence my train was TO leave, and was an
swered that it was mile.
| With a whistling whirl TO his whip
and sharp "git" the driver put ms
horses 10 . quick tfot end lI~began what
proved to be one Of the most terrible rides
ever taken iA a carriage. We rattled
noisily over stone pavements; then rolled
upon the wooden Nicolson that lulled the
traveller into drowsiness. The lamps were
all out, but as we dashed along the streets
could family discern policemen. now and
then, lingering, like belated shadows, BY
saloons where roysterers were choruslng,
at corners where the night winds blew
cold and thirst into their throets, in stair.
ways where odd lights through colored
curtains fiickefed against their stars, along
past houses dfeary IN shadows. past God
1 forsaken women tramping up and down
the streets, past empty, echoing cross
ways with dogs chasing each other IKE
phantoms. But houses and policemen
and women and lights grew fewer unit
nothing was visible 70 me, watching from
the window, but great moor or pEairie
4 AT this change from the city to country
grew frightened. I had been uneasy iol
some time, thinking my journey OF . miie
from one depot 10 another was sEaneely
prolonged, yet never dreaming OF harm
and almost oblivious of the treasure be
tween my feet 20 interested had become
in watching the silent scenes Of . mid
night on the streets of . large city. A
| this realisation of my situation and OF tn.
change of localities flashed into my mind
4 subtle terror possessed me and sent tn
blood. like fire, through my veins A
that very instant the driver began TO rol
out from his stentorian lungs the inspirit
ing song of ~Bonnie Dundea" / va