Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-02-18
a QUAKER DETECTIVE

We were i've passengers in all-two
ladies on the back seat, a middle aged gen
tleman and Quaker on the middle, and
myself on the front
The two ladies might have been mother
anu daughter, aunt and niece, governess
and charge, Or might have sustained any
other re relationship which made it proper
for two ladies to travel together unattend-
ed.
The middle-aged gentleman was spright-
~ and laxative. He soon struck up an
acquaintance with the ladies, towards
whom, III his zeal to do, he rather overdid,
the greeable-bowing. smiling, and chat
tering over his shoulders in a style pain
fully suggestive, at his time of life, of O.
''crick" in the neck. He was evidently a
gay Lothario.
The Quaker wore the uniform of his
sect, and confined his speech, as many q
parliamentarian would save his credit by
doing, to simple 'yeas" and mays" As
for myself, l make it an invariable rule of
the road to be merely looker-on and
listener.
Toward evening was aroused from one
of these roveries into which young man,
without either being poet or lover, will
sometimes fall by the abrupt query from
the talkative gentleman:
''Are you armed, sir?"
81 am not, answered; astonished, no
doubt visibly, at the question.
II am sorry to hear it, he replied ''for
before reaching our stopping place it will
be several hours in the night, and we must
pass over q portion of the road on which
more than one robbery Is reported to have
been committed"
The ladies turned pale, but the stranger
did his best to reassure them.
''Not that think there is the slightest
danger at present" he resumed !; only when
one is responsible for the safety of ladies.
you know, such q thing o pistol in
reach would materially add to ones con-
fidence"
Your principles. my FRIEND" address
ing the Quaker, Il presume, are as much
opposed to carrying as to using carnal
weapons"
Eyes" Was the response.
''Have the villains murdered any of
their victims ?" the elder lady nervously
inquired.
''Or have they contented themselves
with With plundering them 2" added the
younger, in a timOrous voice.
Decidedly the latter, ," the amiable gen.
tleman FASTENED to give assurance; land
as we are none of us prepared to offer re-
in case of attack, nothing worse
than robbery can befall u.s."
Then, after blaming his thoughtlessness
in having unnecessarily introduced a disa-
greeable 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 for
gotten. or only remembered their fears to
laugh at them.
Our genial companion fairly talked him
self hoarse-perceiving which. he took
from his pocket a package of newly-in
vented "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
IN the new nostrum, more than half the
efficacy of which, he insisted, depended on
is being taken by suction, when a shrill
whistle was heard, and Immediately the
,oaeh stopped, while two faces, hideously
olackened, presented themselves, one at
zach window.
''Sorry TO trouble you," said the man on
he right, acknowledging with bow two
ady-like screams from the back seat, ''but,
business is business and ours will soon
'e over if things go smoothly"
''Of course, gentlemen, you will spare,
g far as may be consistent with your dis
greeable duty, the feelings of these
aides, appealed the polite passenger in
lis blandest manner.
sob certainly; they shall be first at.
ended 10, and shall not be required to
cave their places or submit to search, I'M
ess their conduct renders it necessary.
''And now, ladies'" continued the rob- I
'er, the barrels of his pistol cleaning in s
he light OF the coach lamp, ''be so good :,
s to pass out your purses, watches and
ueh other trinkets as may be accessible
Without much trouble" c
The ladies came down handsomely, and =
FeIe no further molested. :
One bY one the rest 0f ns were c0mnel-
ID to get out, the middle-aged gentleman's 1
arm coming first. He submitted with
inning grace, and was robbed like 6
hesterfeld. :
My own affair, like the sum I lost, was
,arcely worth mentioning. The Quaker's .
arn came next. Hs quietly handed over :
s1Es1 -..Tr