Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1871-05-10
THE FOOL AND THE HIGNWAYMAN.

1hc tiSu HiS Sn"dy iouoei "tii, th4t
surprising. Your English Turpins and
French Duvals couldn't hold candle TO
our highwayman. But for all his
shrewdness he met his match once, and
III tell you how it was.
Redmond was fine, strapping. gen
tlemanly fellow, and devoted admirer
of the ladies-as where is the Irishman
that is not? and what is more, friend
to the poor as you II admit when l tell
| you that his demands for cash were only
made on persons who could well afford
to meet them. and that he delighted in
forcing contributions from those who had
the name of hard landlords to their ten
ants. There was one Of this class whom
Redmond never lost an opportunity of
taxing-for that was the polite name he
gave to his own robberies Every quar-
ter day this gentleman or one of his ser
wants s-sOmetimes more than one-used
to take ajourney a of six or seven miles
to collect his rents, and as regular as
clock work there was Redmond o Han
Ian, with some stout companions if neces
sary, to waylay the collector as he re-
turned home Every means was used
to elude him, but to no purpose He had
spies everywhere, and contrived to get
the exact information he needed in ad-
vance.
SO one quarter day, when the gentle
mans servants asked about going for the
rents, he swore at O. lianlon and said
he didn't see the use of collecting money
to hand it over to him.
Now this gentleman had on his estate
a boy called Jerry the Fool who had
the run of the house, and made fun for
the family. He had great conceit for
himself, and when he heard what the
master said, he immedi diately asked to be
allowed to 90 after The rents for once,
and declared he would know the way to
bring uhem safe home. OF course he
was only laughed at but when he rep
} resented that no harm could come from
trying, as he couldn't do worse than all
who had gone before him, the master
agreed to humor him. Upon that Jerry
made such preparations as he thought
! suitable, chose the worst horse in the
stable-an old hack half blind and three
: quarters lame-and started on his enter
prise Nothing occurred on the way.
He collected a considerable amount of
!, money, carefully disposed it about his
person, and started homeward Towards
; evening, as he was quietly jogging along
on the old hack and was just entering a
| long lane with high hedges on each side,
r a tall fine looking man rode up to him on
| handsome roam mare.
t "God save you, my man" says the
, gentleman.
"God save yourhonor = replies Jerry
E "W hats your name, my man 2, asked
the gentleman
e Jerry the Fool, and | amt ashamed
of it. What's yours 7"
The gentleman took no notice of the
/, question. After awhile he says,
5 That's fine animal you're riding,
, jerry" .. ... ......
Faith, I'm glad your honor likes it,
says Jerry but it isn't myself tbat'd
care to take lease of his life But he d
serve my turn any way, for it's not in a
hurry I'm travelling-l've only been to
village beyond to collect the master 5
rents for him y
Surely he is not such fool as to
trust you with that job ~
E "Arrah, why not 7" asked jerry in
great surprise
why don't you know that Redmond
O'Honlan on this road :"
"Redmohd O. Hanlon, is it, says Jerry.
ugh That for Redmond O'Hanlon -
says he swapping his fingers. "Faix,
Jerry the Fool is a match for half a
dozen of the likes of him any day in the
week, Sunday into the bargain
The stranger laughed, and they rode
: ,t1 thayy N,
lonely part of the road, when he drew a
brace of pistols, and told Jerry to hand
over all the money he had about him, or
he'd try if he had any brains by sending
couple of bullets through his head.
"Meala Murther,' roars Jerry, in a
tone of surprise and fright You don't
: name to say your honor's Redmond
O'Han,on 2" ......
Il do. indeed. So hand over, my man
: and look sharp about it.
But, faix. its kilt entirely by the
master I'll be if | go home without the
= rint
0 whats that to me 2" said o Hanlon.
d "Anyhow," says Jerry, al must show
them that had numbering fight for it
Perhaps your honor wouldn't mind firing
shot through my old beaver"
O'Hanlon did SO, laughing at the trick
"And now another through the breast
: of my coat, and Heaven bless YOU
This was done. "Now, just one in the
: skirt of it, and good luck to your honor >
''' But I've discharged both my pistols