Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-02-22
The school of Reform.

keeper left his house in Sixth avenue. to
! procure medicine for one of his children
! taken suddenly i'll. The drug store To
/ which he had been particularly directed
/ by his family physician, who received &
! percentage upon all the prescriptions be
4 could induce thither, was about a mile
| distant, and as the anxious father trudC-
| ed patiently On his way with a half-gfII
vial In one hand and the dollar to nav
for ten cents worth of healing balm in
| the other, his inoffensive aspect caused
! several policemen to stop aud closely
! question him at different corners. con-
corning his purpose in being abroad at
| that hour, with bottle. With perfect
| good humor, he repeatedly explained
| that his name was Pauver, and that bis
! little bottle did not contain acid to be
| thrown upon the dresses of ladies; for
| he remembered that the goodly spirit of
! reform was now agitating the ,yigilaut
police authorities toerSsvryy.Sr ordinary sever
itT with insane persons suspected OF
mania for acid throwing, and, like the
GOOD citizen he was, his sense of the re-
9911irements of the public safety rendered
him perfectlv willing to bear any reason
able inouisition for that object. OBTAIN
inc his medicine at last, he had just
started homeward, when a well dressed
man, some PAGES ahead, attracted his
attention by walking in manner lndlcs-
tive of late dinner at one Of the fashion
able up town clubs. Even while the
shopkeeper gazed, there started from
the shadow Of an awning asecond inquire
which, advancing swiftly upon the cI-
cuitous genteel pedestrian at an acute
angle, knocked down that eccentric
I walker with one blow Of q deXtrOus fist,
and with lightning like celebrity abstract
ed watch and pOcket-bOOk from thepro-
/ strate diner out. The latter observed
.'mur'er =" and ''plice J" in a thick
( treble Of confused injury, but so quick
/ " had the irregularity been accomplish
( ed that the shocked Mr.. Pauver came
I'D only in time to receive the nod and
casual good night Of the highwayman.
care YOU much hurt, sir T" asked Pau
yer of the robbed gentleman, whom he
assisted to rise, "can l assist you to the
station house to make a complaint Z"
/ The gentleman gaZed at him a moment
in speechless, inebriOus dignity, remark
ed "C'mplain No thas nOrraway
. e-t'mor'-'noffer award :" and
/ catching sound Of approaching footsteps
. hurried around an adjacent corner with
strides of marvellous length and cOmpE-
cation. The coming steps Were those Of
a squad Of police on the way to arrest
the inmates Of q COnCeTt-hau Tor offend
inr the spirit Of reform by encouraging
drunkenness in youth. Noticing the
I sbOD keeper where he stood amazed with
the vial in hand. they would have arrest
ed and dubbed him on the spot Tor acid
throwing, but for his rapid explanation
of what he had seen. And you would
recognize the gentleman who took the
watch and pOcket-book II you
saw him again = asked the chief
of the squad Of policemen, some
what sternly. without DOUBT, vas
the answer WhereupOn Pauver Wa
arrested as a witness, TO be detained IN
ill the capture and conviction Of the
robber, because" as the officer added,
.ttbp authorities are determined to pro
spcute all criminals hereafter to the full
lest extent Of the law, and no good Cit
zen Of the middle class should object a.
a little restraint, in these days Of reform
for the purpose Of securing his tes-i-
timonv against alleged offenders" NJ
Pauver, after some thought, admitted
the force Of this argument, but begged
. them to carry home the medicine 10 his
sick child. No one could be spared
from the squad to 90 with him, however
all the men were needed TO effect TIC
proposed radical reform IN the Concer
hall-and he was obliged TO 20 with liz
capt0rs to q station on their way, and be
% there placed in custody Tor the night
I Next morning q messenger whom he
! paid was allowed 10 carry news Of his
, situation to his alarmed family; and.
soon thereafter, not being able 10 give
bail TO the amount Of SO, 900, he was
] committed to the house Of detention
there TO remain until the LighwaymgE
should be captured The remainder Of
his story NAV be tOld more COncisely.
The gentleman who had advertised
in the napers for O gentleman who La1
taken his things BY mistake, and the el-
D suing confidential meeting resulted IL
courteous return Of the pocket book and
: watch. in consideration OF suitable
honorarium. This, however did rot
satisfy the law, now fully aroused to tle
vindicatiOn Of its majesty and flushed
with the OyCTU helming success 81 rs
surprise Of the concert hall Dir. PAU
yer. somewhat unnerved temporarily by
the death of his sick child, was TebuEe7
for preferring his personal freedom and
comfort TO the public safety, and hela
? a prisoner until the T0bbeT should be
70
the little shop on Sixth avenue passed
into the sheriffs hands for arrears OF
rent. and Mrs. PauyeT and her remain
inc children went TO the almshCuse5 the
detained witness became more recon
ciled to his irving duty Ia the interest Of
reform, and pulled out fewer Of his gray
hairs than formerly. At the end Of the
third wear of bis captivity a kind-heaTtc1
chaplain waited upon him with an III
signed letter. which had been directed
to his care for Mr. Pauyer, house ~
detention for witnesses. New York
The missive was from the highwaymaL
who. pitving the man OF whose detel
ton on his account he had only recently
heard. informed him that he had, undo.
an assumed name. placed a small fund
of government bonds in trust for BIN
from which he should receive, per ha2c
of the chaplain. : a week during the N
turc of his Incarceration. Having at
cumulatcd a little property by nigh.
work i'm Brooklyn. concluded this AZ
fccting letter. Il have changed my mo-.
Of life. obtained @ promise OF place ID
the custom house. am heart and Soal ID
the reform movement. and hope TO tr
able some day. my dear friend. 10 al-
, pear I'm court and secure your discharge.
Mr.. Pauver received this uneTpeeite,d
help and hope with "a gratitude which
must have hccn too much 1o1
speech. is he gave no expression 10 IL .
and the chaplain FASTENED away 10 .
+ more comfortable prison. where he had
had engaged to read Gates Ajar' 10 8
finelv-situated gentleman awaiting ms
! acauittal for hOmicidal frenzy. Tine
passed on: the great city's people, So
long in training foe a radical measure OF
the kind, arose i'm their majesty ana
, swept corruption from high places win
the power and judgment of whirlwiad.
This grand work accomplished, MI.
r Pauyer might have been wholly forgot
! ten but for the memory of one Of the
several newly elected magistrates. Be