The Republican journal., 1870-11-03

humor, convinced that on the arrival of Sprl-
cington | should get clear of my tormentors.
Presently lane was made for the owner of
the stolen property. Judge my horror on
perceiving that the painting individual who
made his appearance was total stranger to
mel
OF course all myprotestations of innocence
were Of no avail and | was treated in the
manner described in the commencement
Chatter, clash, rumble, bang The cell
door closed upon me. ! was prisoner
The gloom was great, that though it was
daylight, | could at first distinguish nothing.
Gradually | became aware that | was in a
narrow vaulted room, as strong as brick and
iron could make it. Half way up the walls
was 2 wooden wainscoting, and round two
sides | could dimly see a low bench, barely
two feet from floor which was an inch deep
in saw-dust. The iron door of this delight
ful apartment was of great thickness, dis
| clOsing-about five feet from the ground-a
small grating of round holes By pressing
my face against this grating | could see into
the corridor without. But the only view OBJ
tainable was ground glass window opposite
Illuminated by the last lingering rays OF the
setting sun. 1t was altogether a most depres-
sing place. The flavor suggested to me was
combined one, made up of the condemned
cell in Newgate, the dungeons of the Bastile,
and the Spanish Inquisition. Occasional
grutf voices and heavy footsteps in the cor
ridor deepened the impression. A mouse in
a trap was king to me.
Then | began to think seriously of my situ-
alton. That | had committed felony there
could not be the least doubt, though with no
telonious intention. Would the magistrate
believe my explanation? Surely, my man
ner and appearance were not those OF pick
pocket-but my heart sank within me as re-
membered that the London swell mob are
known to be the cleverest actors in the world
in fact can initiate to perfection any class
of society. My only hope was in Sprucing-
ton. He would be of material assistance in
clearing up the mystery. And yet that UNI
brella-I could have sworn it to belong to
none other but he However, had dispatch
ed messengers to him, my employer, and my
friends; therefore the only thing to be done
was to wait patiently till the morning.
[ spare you q description of that night of
horror, for such one it was to one who had
never before suffered an hours deprivation of
liberty; how the monotony of the long, long
hours was only broken at intervals by the ap-
pearance at the grating of stern, helmeted
visage, demanding whether all'' was
''right, ,"--how at four o'clock A. M. two tel-
low prisoners, in the shapes of a drunken
scavenger and deserter from the Royal Ar
tillery, were thrust in 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 a melancholy 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 detenms, each guarded by
a constable, who filled an outer room.
At the cry of ''Charles Blankn' U shudder-
ed to hear my name in such place. | and
my attendant policeman marched into the
court. The jailer, a big, hurley, ,bald-headed,
gilt-buttoned person, placed me in the dock.
At the same moment, the prosecutor entered
the witness-boX to be sworn. lie was a prig-
gish-looking man about forty-tive and no
more like Ned Sprucington IN front than
was like the Monument.
In a few calm, well-chosen words, he de-
scribed the whole occurancc. When he had
finished, | was told that | could put any
question to him that thought proper. l de
clned to do so. Then, after his evidence had
been confirmed by the constable who arrested
me, the magistrate--an amiable-looking gen
tleman-asked me, .'Well my friend, what
have you to say to this ?" In reply, gave
the same simple and unvarnished statement
hlilNll btlt tlICuNt} SlNtii ~ btit l'oRANS
ton.
That is all very we'll, US far as it goes,
but have:you any witnesses to character?"
Yes sir,-Mr. Edward Sprucington.'
Call Mr.. Edward Sprucington.n
Then | could hear the crier shouting the
familiar name through the passages of the
court.
After few minutes suspense the official
returned accompanied, to my great delight,
by Ned. The good fellow looked so dis
tressing;to see me in such a predlacment that
l felt convinced he would have given dozen
umbrellas to have got me out OF the scrape
AS soon rs he made his appearance, noticed
that the prosecutor changed color; | also
noticed while taking the oath, Ned kept one
hand behind his back; | could not have told
you why, but somehow derived encour-
agement from both these trlt1lng clrcum-
stances.
To shorten matters, may say that if had
been 4 seraph, | could not have received a
better character than that give me BY Ned.
At last came the question, "then you think
the prisoner incapable of stealing ,his UNI
brella ?"
"Well, sir,n said Ned, who had recovered
his self-possession, ''if, rs | understand.
stealing means taking property from the
owner it is impossible the prisoner could
have committed the theft.
What a first rate advocate Ned was Lecom-
mg jar
s:Impossible Why?"
''Bccause that umbrella was first stolen
from men'
1T is an infamous talsehood" cried the
prosecutor, starting up.
SIS it ?'' replied Ned. THAT person need
not be so particular about words, for this is
all he left me in exchangc,-at the Cigar
Diyan.'
With that he produced, amid the laughter
of the court, what he had hitherto concealed
behind his back, namely, a wooden handled
umbrella much the worse for wear, Of silk,
certainly, but no more to be compared with
the glories of the onyN-handled than a cos
termonger's wide awake with the Archbishop
of Canterburv's best "shovel."
An attempt ut bluster by the possessor of
his umbrella was quietly met by Ned with a
request that an officer of the court should
examine the initials upon the handle. This
was conclusive. The strangers initials were
IT. W." and he had not had time to take
notice of the minute "E. s." cut into the onyx
stone.
OF course my immediate release followed
upon the discovery, accompanied by the as
surance that had left the court without any
stain upOn nv character, &c Nv late prose