Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-04-07
A QUAKER DETECTIVE.

huu Sh"hpi "a SA'S
on the front
The two ladies might have been mother
and daughter, aunt and niece, goVerness
and charge, and might have sustained an
other relationship, which made II prop r
for two ladies' to travel together unatt NE l.
The middle aged gentleman was spright'
" and talkative. He soon struck mp an
acquaintance with the ladies; towards whom
ia his zeal to do, be rather Overland the
agreeable -bowing and smiling and chat
tetine over his shoulder in way painfully
suooestiye at his time of lite OF "crlck
in the trick. He was evidently gay 10TH
arlo.
The Quaker wore the uniform OF his sect,
and confined his speech, rs many parila
mentarian would save his credit by dong,
to simple yeas" and "nays." As for my
self / make it an invariable rule of the road
10 be merely looker-on and listener.
Towards evening was aroused from one
of those reveries iuto which young man,
without being poet or lover, will some
times fall, by an abrupt query from the talk
alive gentleman:
"Are you armed, sir?"
81 am not" / answered, astonished, no
doubt vsiblv, at the question.
81 am sorry to hear it" he replied; 'for
before reaching our next stopping place 1t
will be several hours in the night, ana we
must pass over portion OF the road Oh
which more than one robbery is reported
to have been committed.
The ladies' turned pale, but the stranger
did his best to reasure them.
tNot ,L,t XhinE tbara il the SLIGHTEST
danger at present." he resumed; 'only
when one is responsible for the safety OF
the ladies, you know, such thing as PTS
toll in reach, would materially add to ones
confidence"
"Your principles, my friend" address
ing the Quaker II presume, are as much
opposed to carrying as to using carnal wea-
pons2'
Yes" was the response
"Have the villains murdered any of
their victims2" the cid lady nervously in
quired.
cor have they contented themselves with
with plundering theuI2" added the
younger, in timorous voice.
DECIDEDLY the latter the amiable gen
tleman hasened to give assurance; ''and
as none of us are prepared to offer resist
ance in case of attack, so nothing worse
than robbery can possibly belal! us
Then. after blaming his thoughtlessness
in having unnecessarily introduced DIS
agreeable subject the gentleman quite ex-
elled himself in efforts to raise the spirits
OF the company, and had succeeded so well
by the time night set in, that all had quite
forgotten, or only remembered their fears
to laugh at them.
Our genial companion fairly talked him
self hoarse. Percelvlng which, he took
from his pocketa box of newly-invented
cough candy an / after passing it first to
the ladies, be helped himself to the balance
and tossed the paper ont of the window.
DE was in the midst of high enc'mium
on the new nostrum, more than half the
efficacy of which, he insisted, depended on
its being taken by suction, when shrlll
whistle was heard, and almost Immediately
the coach stopped while two faces, hide
ously BACKED, presented themselves, one
at each window.
"Sorry TO trouble YOU" said the man on
the right, acknowledging with bow, two
lady-lke screams from the back seat but
business is business and ours will soon be
over if things go smoothly
"Of course, gentlemen, you will spare,
as far as may be consistent with your dis
agreeable duty, the feelings of these ladies, "
appealed the polite passenger, in his bland
est manner.
ooh, certainly; they shall be first attend
ed to- and shall not be required to leave
their places, unless their conduct renders
it necessary
"And now ladies'" continued the rob
ber the barrel of his pistols glittering in
the light Of the coach lamp; be so good Ms
TO pass your purses, watches, and such 9th
er tr,nkets as may be accessible without too
much trouble.
The ladies came down handsomely, and
were no further inolested.
"0ne by one, the rest got out. The mid
die aged gentleman's turn coming first. -
lie submitted with winning grace, and
was robbed like a very Chesterfield.
My own affairs, like the sum lost, are
scarcely worth mentioning.
The Quaker's turn came next He quiet.
ly handed over his pocket book and watch,
aud when asked If lac had any other yalu-
ables snid "Nay."
A Qlaker's word is good, even among
thieves;so, after a hasty good night, the
robber thrust his pistol into his pocket
md with bis two companions, one OF whom
had held the reins Of the leaders, was about
departing,
"SfJpl" exclaimed the Quaker, in n some
more Of command than of request.
"Stopl What fot2' returned the other
in evident gurpriee
For at least too good reasons" was the
reply, emphasized with couple of Der
ringers cooked and presented.
"Iielt" shouted the robber
stop" the Quaker again exclaimed -
Sand II any one ol thy sinful companions
advance step 10 thy relief, the spirit will
surely move me to blow thy brains out
The robber AZ the opposite window, and
the one at the leaders heads, thought ii u
good time td leave.
Now, get in, friend, said the Quaker,
still covering his man. "an1 take the mid
die seat; bu, first deliver up thy pistol.
The other hesitated,