Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1872-04-18
Death and the Highwavman.
BY MARY KYLE DALLAS.

vulgar rs the city honse breakers an,
pickpockets, and as likely to come t
grief.
There was time, however when thi
was not so. At that date n certai,
romance hung about the highwayman
who was often desperate of goo,
FAMILY. They were popularly suppose,
10 ROB Old churls and miscrs, and dis
comiit the emissaries of the law. VIII,
were IN no good odor, and to spar,
gentle ladies and innocent children
or even to give TO the deserving boo
what they snatched by force from III,
undeserving rich.
50 girls gathered together in th,
gloaming and told tales of their yalor
and wished themselves Gentlemen o
the Road for lovers and there wer,
landlsdics who welcomed them with
Smiles, refused 10 take pay for their
ale and wine and venison pas,ics, and
parted from them with kisses and q
"6oi speed YOU instead of rushing
ins 10 the authorities with information.
as would landlady OF to-day To
be sure, there was difference OF opin
| ion.
Old gentlemen who were lcft 10 walk
barefoot and without their wins through
the bleak night, over rough moorlands,
leaving their purses and their ward.
I robe IN the hands of some merry hirh.
wayman, we're not so complaisant and
stage coach loads OF robbed passen-
gers held Indignation meetings, in
which the Claude Duvals and Robin
Hoods of the dav were not highly com.
mended; but they seldom accomplish
anything. And If now and then one
gallant captain was caught and put 10
death by the strong arm Of the law. til,
girls wcpt for him as for MARTYR. and
The ballad singers made little fortune
from the rehearsal of his exploits.
They said, who knew. that of all the
gentlemen Of the road Captain Blythe
was The handsomcsi, the most gallant.
the ioadest of heroic deeds. He was
h,e aud twenty lie dressed like a
nobleman he was indeed nobleman's :
N~'f ." FNsH-Na opis "IANu Hitil>.
when the family estate is small and
the Golfers not over iull, nothing more
nor less than poor man.
SO, being penniless. and thus losing
the girl he loyed, who married his
elder brother, the title and tue estate,
the young man went to the bal alto
gether. lie flung away name and good
fame, joined band Of outlaws. called
himself Blythe, and being as daring
young fellow rs ever trod the earth,
became ere Ion. their captain.
"Beware OF Blythe and his men.
--ii 20 he on the road" was
a warning that made a whole stage full
OF stalwart men turn pale with terror.
For five years Jack Blythe had Is
capped all harm. His freaks were ,lar-
ing beyond expression. He feared no
one. While the magistrate was in
search OF him. he. under another name,
danced with his daughters at the coun-
try ball, and left early enough To sur
prise the magistrate emlssary on the
road, and rob him of the warrant OF
arrest.
He sent a diamond trinkct which
was a love gift, and So marked. back
10 his owner, with Captain Blythe's
compliments
And lie restored young ladv her
purse in payment for kiss. which she
gave him, 1t was said not uuwllIingly
And one night he rode out upon the
ROAD with four OF his band to lie in
wait for the mail coach, and rob II and
its passengers at any cost.
They reined their horses in the shad.
Ow of clump of trees and waited.
The moon at her full, shone down upon
the road. making il ashy white. The
towers OF an old convent arose in the
| distance. The roofs OF one OF twu
poor dwellings were visible. All else
was bleak and desolate moorland The
highwaymen were in high spirits ;
Captain Blythe at his best They were
for any mad freak whatsoever.
''Hark r cried one. Listen. They
are coming"
"Those are hoofs, not wheels" said
another.
''Hoofs or wheels. welcome - said
the Captain.
| lhe sound came nearer A solitary
rider evidently, advanced toward him
In moment more they saw it-a iig-
ure in black cloak, with hood drawn
over its head, hiding its face, riding
on black steed without spot or mark
Captain Blythe waited until it came
into full view, and rode oat TO meet
| it.
Un the instant the man drew rein,
and the horse stood utterly still-a
black blot in the whitest strength OF
the white moonlight-horse and ride.
alike motionless. There was some.
thing very mysterious about the whole
effect.
"Stand and deliver !" said Captain
Blythe.
~ stand" replied voice from be-
meath the cloak-a voice hollow, deep
and awful. "What would'st thou hay,
me deliver! We bring nothing into
the world, and we can take nothing on
Of it. Amen"
Captain Blythe laughed.
''Preach if you like" he SAID bu
keep your sermon for YOUR consolation
upon the road. will take your purse
and any valuables you NAV have abou
you. at your earliest convenience"
"Ha ha ha !" laughed the stranger
in hollow tones. "Ha! ha ha Be
ware! touch me not 7"
''Beware" scoffed Captain Blythe
"Who ever you may be, am one wh'
fears neither the King, the Devil. no
Death. Your money or your life p
keep your money and give me you
life, for l am Death, responded tn
stranger, in the same supulchrai tones
As he spoke he flung back cloak an
hood and the Mortified highwayma
saw grinning skull and the whit
bones of a skeleton.
"Your life!" repeated the awfu
| vo;oo puf alnnst harora th. ,yorJ