The Portland daily press., 1869-10-04
Terms $500 per AMMAN, in adrance.


| "Of course, gentlemen. you will spare, as
Tar as nay be consistent with your disaercea-
Die duty, the feelings of these ladies'" ap-
manner
| oh! certainly; they shall be first attended
", anu shail not be required to leave their
P''L0s VI submit TO search, unless their con-
| duet renders 1t necessary"
"And now, ladies,n continued the robher
the barrel OF his pistol cleaning in the light
of the coach lamp, "be so good as TO mass ont
YOUR purses, watches and such other trinkets
as may be accessible without too much
trouble"
The ladies clme down handsomely, and
were no further molested.
One by one, the rest OF us were compelled
to get out, the middle aged gentlemaH's turn
coming first He submitted with winning
grace, and WIS robbed like very Chester
field.
My own affair, like the sum / lost, was
scarcely worth mentioning. TIE Quakers
turn came next. He quietly handed over his
poeket-book and watch, and when asked If he
had any other valuabies, said, Nay"
Quakers 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 had
held the reins of the leaders, was about taking
his departure.
"Stopr' exclaimed the Quaker in a tone
more OF command than request.
Stop! what for?" returned the other in
evident surprise.
'For at least two good reasons" was the
reply. emphasized with a couple of Derringers
cooked and presented.
"Helpp' shouted the robber.
"Stopv' the Quaker again exclaimed. "And
if one Of thy sinful companions advances
step 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
good time to leave.
Now get in, lriend,n said the Quaker, still
covering his man, "and take the middle seat;
but first deliver up thy pistol.
The other hesilated.
'.Thee had better not delay; / feel the spir-
it beginning to move my right forefinger..'
The robber did as he was directed, and the
Quaker took his place by his side, giving the
newcomer the middle of the seat.
The driver, who was frightened half out OF
his wits, now set forward at rapid rate. 1he
lively gentleman soon recovered bis vivaeity.
He was especially facetious on the Quakers
prowess.
"You are a rum Quaker, you are. Why
you don't quake worth cent"
Il am not Shaking Quaker if that's
what thee means"
"Of the Hickory or rather of the 'Otd
Hickory stripe, should say" retorted the
lively man but the Quaker relapsiIg into his
usual monosyllables, the conversation Tagged.
Time sped, sooner than we expected, the
coach stopped where we were to have supper
and change of horses. We had deferred
redistribution of ouI effects till we should
reach this place, as the dim light OF the coach
| lamp would have rendered the process some
| what difficult before.
| 1t wa, now necessary, however, that it
should be attended to at once, as our jovial
companion had previously announced his in
tention otleaving us at this point He pro-
posed postponement till after supper, which
he offered to go and order.
"Nay urged the Quaker, with an approach
to abruptness, and laying his hand on the
others arm, business before pleasure and
for business there is no time like the present"
"Will thee be good enough to search the
prisoner?" he said to me, still keeping his hand
| in a friendly way, on the passengers arm.
did so, but not one of the stolen articles
could be Jfouad. ula afa-.l.-
HE must have gotten rid of them in the
COACH" the gay old gentleman suggested, and
| Immediately offered to go and search.
"Stopw thnndered the Quaker, tightening
| his grasp.
The man turned pale, and struggled to re-
| lease his arm. In an instant one OF the Der
ringers was levelled at his heart.
"Str hand or foot, and you are dead
mani"
The Quaker must have been awfully excited
so completely to forget both the language and
the principles of his persuasion.
Placing the other pistol in my hand, with
directions to fire ON the first of the two men
! that made suspici Gus movement, he went to
| work ON Lothario, from whose pockets, in less
| time than it takes to tell it he produced every
| item of the missing property, to the utter
| amazement of the two ladies, who had begun
| in no measured terms to demonstrate against
the shameful treatment the gentleman was
receiving.
The Quaker, 1 noed scarcely add, was no
Quaker at ALL but a shrewd detective, who
had been set ON the track of band OF des-
peradoes, of whom our middle-aged friend
| who didn't look near so mldde-aged when his
wig was off-was the chief The robbery had
been adroitly planned. The leader OF the
| gang had taken passage in the coach, and af-
ter learning, as he supposed, our defenceless
| condition, had given the signal to his compan-
| ions by throwing out the scrap OF paper al
ready mentioned. After the unexpected cap
ture of the first robber, it was attempted to
save the booty by secretly passing it to the ac-
| complice, still believed to be unsuspected, who
counted ON being able to- make oil with 1t at
the next stopping place. ..H
| The result was that both, for season, "did
| the State some service"