National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-12-15
"Dick No a! lSi't he here 1'

"No. You know what queer fellow
Dick Is. wanted to send for n carriage
bat he 81 ID that was all nonsense for such
a short distance, and In spite Of my objec-
tons, he put on an old summer overcoal
to cover his evening dress. and started t.
walk here with me. / told hlrn he did
not look much like bridegroom TO which
be gave the characteristic repy,that "Look'
aren't everything"
Sand how far did you come together 2
"To Fourtee street; there ! turned
oil to Irving place, and he started W
Broadway
The disappearance Of tho bridegroom was
rendered more mysterious by this state
ment. There seem.d absolutely nothing
to do but wait for his arrival as patiently
a. possible and as people began to pour
In. the time for the reception having come
MIS-. Weldon received them with what
self possession she could, lot telling them
to go away, sincc at any moment the miss
ing man might appear, and the ceremony
proceed. The com .,any was very dreary'
however; everyone knew what bad hap
pcned, gaiety was cut OF the question, and
the only amusement was TO rush to the
door of the hall every time anyone came,
in hopes Of seeing the pleasant brown face
cf Dick Strong.
Charlie Strong went down to the hotel
On the chance that for some ineXplicablc
cause Dick had returned there. No, he
had not been seen. Mr. Strong next in
quTed of the policemen along the route II
anyone had been taken suddenly III, as
this supposilion had occurred as a possible
explanation of Dicks absence his splendid
health rendered it iatsrr an absurd one.
No, nothing unusual had happened, except
that thera had been fire on Broadway
and q great crowd. This was the news
with which the young gentleman came
back to the house, and the non-appearancc
Of the bridegroom seemed stranger than
ever.
Poor Edith sat in her rooms looking
like pale and stricken flower; her brides
maids and friends were gathered around
her doing what they could TO cheer her,
but she grew hopelcssly sad The hours
of tse wedding evening stole by without
any news Of her lover. From time to
time when there was the hustle Of an
arrival below, one Of the girls looked out
to see if Nr. Strong had come, but each
time only TO return with fresh disappoint-
ment, so that in the bridal-roCm, as we'll
as in the parlor. there was gloom and
anxiety.
And now to tell of the man who had so
strangely disappeared. When he parted
from his cousin, Dick as Charlie had said,
went straight up Broadway, wllch was
the nearest road to Mr.. Weld0ns home or
West Twenty-sixth street. When he hGd
passed Union Square, he saw that quite
crowd Of people was assembled III front OF
Que OF the stores, from the upper windows
VI which smoke was issuing. No thoughts
Of turning aside to avoid the throHg oc-
Cured to Mr.. Strong's mind no, he was
broad. .s,ouldered and powerful, and he
began to push the throng, elbowing right
and left, and hurying OIL at little loss
than his usual brisk pace. He had pro-
ceeded IN this way, getting good lnany
angry looks, aud some very uncompllmen-
tary remarks, to whic,l he had paid no
manner OF heed until he had reached q
poigt where the crush was densest. Here
he was jostled about somewhat rudely, IN
spite of his endea7ors to forge ahead un-
checked lie began to feel little angry
at what seemed tLn unnecessary amount
of hustling h. received, and was pushing
on rather uncercmoniously when he was
suddenly grasred by a man, fully as
powerful as himself, who cried ont -" You
have got my watch! Police Police Stop
thief! Police!"
The men roared out the words in voice
that rang above all tie murmurs OF the
crowd, and Dick in fury OF rage turned
upon him like tiger.
YoI internal scoundrel, what do yo4
mean Let ine 81 Let me go, ] say "
lie struggled iercely, bat The man who
seizel him by the shoulder Lad him at a
disadvantage, and continued TO ssout
police Help! help! Stop thief"
In a moment three or four men had
hold OF Mr.. Strong, who fought and raved
in his wrath and Indignation, and then
two policemen appeared on the sccse and
summarily took him into custody.
"Thcre you amp-now we've got you!
cried tie man in triumph.
Dick glared at him, almost speechlcss
with anger, though he managed to say to
the policemen:
"You surely don't intend to take me
into custody o. the charge OF that maniac =
Indeed We do, my good man, and you .
might as well come along reaceably."
Now if there was enc thing that more /
than another Dick Strcng dosplsed, it was !
any b,asting of position, or family, or
money. lie had always declared that
" people would know a man was a gentle
man without any need OF telling them So"
and that "it wasn't any consequence what
a man wore il he only behaved himself
He had flattcred himself that he looked,
despite the ioughness of his dress, too
much the well-bred gentleman ever to be
and yet here were these two
policemen calling him "My good man."
nustling him al"rg, and no way to get out
Of tie scIape but to try to convince them
that he was not a common thief
Thus the unfortunate bridegroom was
pulled through the crowd, people staring
IT blm, the policemen holding him fast by
the arms, and his captor following close at
their heels, giving vent to feelings of en-
oyment in occasional cxclamations OF
= Scoundre!'" Scampi" " Bot he couldn't
,ome it over me' &c. Goaaed at last
beyond endurance, Dick suddenly turned
lron him:
But haven't got your watch, tell
rou! You ought to know what you're
alking about, before accusing an honest
nan in this way"
None OF that now," said the policeman
roughly; Come along quietly"
well see we'll scew shouted the I
tcImentor.
And thus was Dick led along, miscra-
BILE captiye. Men looked ouriously at him /:
rs they passed, women drew back in hor-
ror from the criminal. Never had poor /
Strong so looced for the face of an acquain-