The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1869-08-26


the secret. My dress, sure enough, was gray
tweed, aud | wore a Scotch cap. That to the
intelligent landlord answered nearly enough,
to the prison dress Of the escaped convict and
burglar to rouse his suspicious Then his
alarmed spirit had been further excited by
the discovery Of the supposed implements of
the burglars craft. This, in the state of the
public mind, had led to the levy of the posse
comatatus at the call of "Sammy," and to my
subsequent arrest Only that was very an
CRY at their stupid blunder, the whole affair
was SO con1ical that could have enjoyed the
Joke, and have anticipated with much pleas
ure the discontinue of the. constable when
taken before magistrate in the morning, and
honorabIy acquitted without stain upon
our character" But the situation was the
reverse of pleasant. The night was warm, so
I did not suffer from cold, but the cage was
filthy, dirty, heap Of wild straw was the
sole bed, and the building had no floor but
the earth. There was rough wooden bench
at one side, where at last seated myself and
waited through the long hours for my antlcl-
pated deliverence. AS the men came away
from the public house, where they had been
recounting their respected deeds OF valor,
they came to peep at me through the grating,
and to inhict upon me their half-tipsy insults.
At last all was STILL and the church clock
struck midnight. managed to doze away
some two or three hours, and then reused
to see the first faint dawn Of daylight. AT
ter awhile the laborers began to appear as
they turned out to their day work. But
they were sober now, and came each one in
his turn to take last look at me in silence.
About six O'Clock the constable came, bring
ing mug of milk and some bread, his assis-
tant and the apprentice mounting guard over
the door, lest / should make q bolt tor it. l
attempted to introduce hesubject of my ar
rest, and to convince him he was in error; but
he only scrowled, bid me {" shut up" and left
me again locked in. At eight | was taken
out The constable. marched first; I, the
prisoner, came next, held by two smiths, and
the landlord and two Or three women followed.
So we travelled for about mile to the resi-
dence of the rector of Esterwold, who was
also magistrate A clergyman and gentle
man, thought; now | shall soon see the end
Of this disgusting business. But, alas |
found it was not to release me, but to commit
me to the Jail of a neighboring town till the
petty session should assemble some days hence,
that 1 was deported to the rectory. My guards
detained me in the hall whilst the constable
was admitted to tell his story alone to- the rec
tor. I managed to peep in, however, and the
sight l saw did not raise my spirits. At a
table sat the reverend parsonage enjoying his
breakfast, and if he had still the faculty of
enjoying anything in this world it was, I could
see, the pleasure of the table. He was very
old, enormously fat, with a purple visage,
large, sensual features, and little eyes, that
seemed made to see nothing but q plate Of
hard boiled eggs, which one by one he Invested
Of the shell, then peeled off the white, and
swallowed the yolk as he would take bolus
He did not move his head as the uoustabie
addressed him Speaking close to his ear, for
he was very deaf, for his chin sustained a
huge cloth, on which he ever and anon wiped
his fingers as one egg after another was opened
and bolted
I was determined, if possible to be
heard, and pressing forward though held
back by my Keepers, essayed to make my
appeal. But the old man only grunted out
something that seemed to be a command fol
my removal, for the constable laid before hin
form already filed up, the magistrate scrawl
ed at the foot something that served fol
signature, and the purpose Of my coming
having been accomplished, [ was led back te
the village, and an hour later, handcutfed te
the apprentice, was driven off by the consta'
BILE to the town Off,. The same town hap
pened to possess a mayor and corporation
and had its own police-the Jail, for botE
county and borough, being in the custody o.
the superintendent. Great was my satisfact
ion when, on being handed from the cart il
which I had been brought, I recogized il
| the superintendent an old London officer
! had often badgered in the witness box, bu
who, when he had recovered from his aston
ishment, forgot old grudges, and burst into ;
torrent of abuse at the lubberly parochial OF
| fcer who had through sheer stupidity
brought about the mistake. 70 cuff the ca
of the apprentice, who was dragging mi
roughly from the cart-to push the consta
bic unceremoniously into the road-to sill
off the handcuffs-and send one of his me,
to the office Of the mayor, who was also
county magistrate, Was tHe ~ofh u ICY
moments. Parish constable Hawkins stoo'
looking on IN a state of bewilderment as h
saw the supposed convict and burglar roceiv
the most polite attention from the officer; an
a most uneasy feeling evidently crept owe
him as he began dimly to perceive that h
had made an awful blunder, for which all hi
worldly effects might fail to make atonemen'
/ In few minutes the MAYOR arrived, and afte
/ berating the humbled and terrified constable
sent him off with the assurance that neithe
he nor his rector should again. play trick
; with the liberty of the subject vow faitl
fully kept, not long after by the ignomin
Gus dismissal Of both. in due form, from Il
offices they respectively brought into Co
tempt.
Voices of Grace.
/ n ,