Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1870-09-14

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\ round holes. BY pressing my face agains
this grating, | could see into the corrido
Yithout. But the only view obtainabl
was ground glass window opposite, il
Illuminated by the last lingering rays OF th,
setting sur. It was altogether most dc
pressing place. The favor suggested {,
me was combined one made up of tn
condemned cell In Newgate, the dungeon
of the Bastlle, and the Spanish Inquisition
Occasional gruff voices and heavy tootstep
IN the corridor deepened the impression
A mouse ia o trap was king to me-
Then [ began to think seriously of M,
sitaation. That I had committed felon,
there could not be he least doubt, though
with no feionious intention. Would th,
magistrate believe my explanation? Sure
~, my manner and appearance were NO
those of pick. Bnt my heart sank with
in me S. I remembered that the Londel
sweii-mob arc known to be the cleveres
actors in the world in fact, can initiate
to perfection any class OF society.
Ny only hope was in Sprucington. He
would be Of material assistance in clearing
mp the mystery. And yet that umbrella
I could have sworn it to belong to nons
other out he However, had dispatched
messengers to him, my employer and ny
IiiSG6iOI0, bUo CIiy 10 Dt
done was to wait patiently Until the morn
ing.
| spare you a description of that night
of horror, for such it was to one who had
never before suffered an hours. deprivation
of liberty-how the monotony of the long,
long hours was broken at intervals by the
appearance at the grating OF stern helm
eted visage, demanding whether s'ali" was
'right"-how at 4 O'Clock in the afternoon
two fellow-prisoners, in the shapes OF q
drunken scavenger and de erter from the
Royal artillery, were thrust into the cell;
or how in the morning all the cells were
emptied, and we, the occupants, with
aching bones, unWashed and unkempt,
were paraded through the streets in mel
aneholy string, to an adjacent police
court.
Fortunately my case came on early, SO
that had not long to wait among the
crowd of dirty, disreputable de'tenus, each
guarded by constable, who filled an out
er room.
At the cry of s'Charles Blank r. q shud-
dered to hear my name in such place., L
and my attendant policeman marched in
to the court. The jailor, big, burly,
baldheaded, gilt-buttoned person, placed
me in the dock. At the same moment the
prosecutor entered the witness-box to be
sworn. He was g piggish-looking man Of
about forty-five, and no more like Ned
Sprucington in front than was like the
Monument.
In few calm, well-chosen words he de-
scribed the whole occurrence. When he
had finished, I was told that 1 could put
any questions to him that / thought pro-
per. I declined TO do SO. Then, after his
evidence had been confirmed by the Con-
stable who arrested me, the magistrate :
an amiable-leoking old gentleman-asked
me, "Well, my friend, what have you 10
say to this ?"
In reply, gave the same simple, unvar-
nished statement which | had given at the
police station.
ssThat's all very well, as far as it goes,
but have you any witnesses as to char
acter ?''
Eyes, sir-Mr. Edward Sprucipgton."
ssCall Edward Sprucington.'
Then 1 could hear the crier shouting the
familiar name through the passa of the
sou1t.
After few minutes suspense the official
accompanied, to my great de-
light, by Ned. The good fellow looked so
distressed to see mo in such a predica-
ment, that felt convinced that he would
have given dozen umbrellas to have got
me out of the scrape. AS soon as be made
his appearance, | noticed that the prosecu-
tor changed color; [ also noticed that while
taking the oath, Ned kept one hand behind
his back; l could not have told You why,
but somehow [ derived encouragement
from both the. trifling circumstances.
To shorten matters, / may say, that if
had been a seraph, | could not have re-
ha4f he,
me by Ned. st last came the question,
Then you think tie prisoner Incapable of
stealing this umbrella?"
ssWell, sir, said Ned, who had recovered
his self-possession, ''if rs ! understand,
stealing means taking property from the
owner, 1t is impossible the prisoner could
have committed the theft.
What a tirst-rate advocate Ned was be-
coming.
Impossible Why?"
Because that umbrella was first stolen
from me T.
sit is an infamous falsehood r' cried the
prosecutor starting up.
sIs it?" replied Ned "'rhat person
need not be SO particular about words; for
this is all he lett me N e-.change--at the
Cigar Divan."
With that he produced, amid tbe laugh
ter of the court, what he had hitherto con-
ceaied behind his back, namely, o wooden
handled umbrella much the worse for
wear, OF silk certainly, but no more to be
compared with the glories of the onyx
handled than coster-monger' wide-awake
with the Archbishop of Canterbury's best
tsshoyel,"
An attempt at buster by the late posses
sor of his umbrella was quietly met by Ned
with request that an officer of the court
should examine the initials upon the han
die. This was conclusive. The strangers S
initials were ''T. W." and he had not had
time to take notice of the ninute ''E. S. D."
cut into the onyx stone.
OF course my immediate release follow
ed upon the discovery, accompanied by
the assurance that lett that court witheut
any stain upon my character, etc. My late
prosecutor was glad to stink cresttallen
away, yet not before he had received Sc
we're rebuke, administered 10y the Magi-
strate.
As for Ned, he was oyerfowing with
gratitude. He declared with tears in his
eyes that l had been the means of restor-
ing to him his lost treasure. What was
more, he'insisted upon paying the wager
which | had lost, and also of performing
the part OF Amphitryon at capital inner
in the evening
| CHEAPER THAN BEFORE TEE WARl-Epi-
cures, are you aware that you can snioy the
/ IuXuries OF the dessert at d much cheaper
rate than ten Yeas ago2 Science has con.
Yerted q wild product OF the Irish coast into
an element of immeasurable dainties Of the
{ NhAiASApNa md lnllplnll