Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1873-11-20
WOODSTOCK, W., THURSDAY, NOV. 90, 1873.

time, when there was the hustle of an
arrival below, one of the girls would
look out to see if Mr.. Strong had
come, but each time only to return
with fresh disappointment, so that in
the bridal-room, as we'll as in the par
lor, 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, which was the nearest road
to Mr.. Weldon's house on West
Twenty-sixth street. When he had
passed Union Square, he saw that
quite crowd ofpeople was assembled
in front of one of the stores, from the
upper windows OF which smoke was
issuing No thoughts of turning
aside to avoid the throng occurred to
Mr.. Strong's mind no, he was broad
shouldered and powerful, and he be.
gan to push the throng, elbowing
right and left, and hurrying on at lit
tie less than his usual brisk pace.
He had proceeded in this way, getting
a good many angry looks, and some
very uncomplimentary remarks, to
which he had paid no manner Of heed
until he had reached q point where
the crush was densest. Here he was
jostled about somewhat rudely, in
spite of his endeavors to fore ahead
unchecked. He began to feel little
angry at what seemed the unnecessary
amount of husting he received, and
was pushing on rather unceremonious-
ly when he was suddenly graspcd by
a man, fully as powerful, as himself,
who cried out:
"You have got my watch Police !!
Stop thief! Police!"
The man roared out the words in a
voice that rang above all the muir
murs of the crowd, and Dick in q
fury turned on him like tiger.
"You internal scoundrel, what do
you mean? Let me 60! Let me 60,
say y"
He struggled fiercely, but the man
who seized him by the shoulder had
him at disadvantae, and continued
to shout:
"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 scene, and summarily took him
into custody.
"rhere, you scamp-now we've got
you!" cried the man in triumph.
Dick glared at him. almost speech
less with anger, though he managed
to say to the policeman
"You surely don't intend to take
me into custody on the charge of that
maniac 2
'Indeed we do, my good man, and
you might as we'll come along peace
ably
"Now, if there was one thing more
than another that Dick Strong despis-
ed, it was any boasting of position, OF
family, OIL money. He had always de
clared that people would know a man
was a gentleman without any need of
telling them SO" and that it wasn't
any consequence what man wore if
he only behaved himself. He had
fattered himself that he looked, de-
spite the roughness of of his dress,
too much the well-bred gentleman
even to be doubted, and yet here were
these two policemen calling him "My
good man." hustling him along, and
no way to get out of the scrape but
to try to convince them that he was
not common thief?
Thus the unfortunate, bridegroom
WAS pulled through the crowd, people
staring at him, the policemen holding
him fast by the arms, and his captor
following close at their heels giving
vent to feelings of enjoyment in oc-
casional EXPLANATIONS of "Scoundrel y
"Scamp!" "But he couldn't come it
over me ! etc. Goaded at last be-
yond endurance, Dick suddenly turn
ed upon him:
"But I haven't got your watch, l
tell you! You ought to know what
you're talking about, before accusing
an honest man in this way"
"None of that now," said the police =
men, roughly; 'come along quietly"
"We'll see! we'll see !" shouted the
tormentor.
And thus was Dick led along, a
miserable cantiye. Men lOoked OIL