Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-07-24

mother that's almost in the grave shall
entreat the Queen of Heaven for your
SOUL"
l was young and softhearted then;
couldn't withstand the sight of so much
distress. l gave him the sovereign, which
he handed over to his wife. "Now, Ter
ence," l said, II shall trust to your honor
BY ten O'Clock tomorrow morning you
must be at Dublin Castle gate; if you
fail me, l am ruined by my kindness to
you"
I'll be there, your hammer, by the holy
cross" said Terence, crossing himself de
voutly, to give effect to his words.
| didn't feel comfortable either, but !
wouldn't go back from my word; SO l
made my way across the heath. Terence
showed me my route till we came in
sight Of the Dublin road, white streak
in the darkness, and then he went Looping
on his way by some inscrutable tracks
across the hills.
After I'd waited some time, the coach
came up; the front seats were full, and l
took my place behind, where there was
nobody but an old woman, who was fast
asleep, propped up by some boxes.
seated myself beside the old woman, and
went to sleep too. The coach stopped at
Montmellick to change and that reused
me, and then l heard my own name
called
"McAlster! Saunders McAlster! are
you there?"
"Sure enough am" said, jumping
up and rubbing my eyes, "who wants me?"
A man clambered up to the roof of the
coach with dark lantern in his hand,
which he flashed full upon me and the
old woman-still asleep.
you've got your prisoner all right,
them" said the man.
"What do you know about prisoners?''
said sulkily; land what do you mean by
routing a fellow about just as he's com
fortably settled?"
"Oh!" says he loftily; no hairs with me
Pm your new supervisor"
Now I'd written just note to our su.
pervisor, old Blathery, decent old fellow
as ever lived: Dear Bladder-Fm go
ing to take prisoner to Dublin tonight
and as / come back I'll come and see you,
and we'll have gey willie waught for
auld lang syne"
EYES," said the man, tallow-candle.
looking kind of chap, with big teeth,
that made quite shine, as you may say,
"yes, Pm your new supervisor, and I'm
astonished that you should make so free
with your superior officers as to write
such letter to him as that got tonight
But Pm glad to see you've got your pris-
oner all right. I'm going up to Dublin
too. Zee got prisoner, and there's no.
body else to take him, SO I'm going my
self"
"Why, where's Blatherys" said L.
"Suspended; sure to be dismissed
"And Tomkins and Jones, the officers?''
"Suspended too"
"Gude save usm said /; land what's
that fOr?'
II can't tell We all, but l can tell you
this much: they were constantly taking
prisoners to Dublin Castle, and getting
paid for their cOach-fare and expenses,
and all the while they'd be driving them
up in carts they'd borrow from their
friends for nothing; and there was one
impident fellow made his prisoner walk,
and claimed his fare just the same"
"And was it for that they suspended
'em?"
wasn't it enough--to be defrauding
the Revenue? I'm glad to see ye've got
your man safe alongside you, forby lingo,
if I'd caught you at those tricks, I'd have
been the dismission of you"
Well, felt my heart go down into my
boots. What on earth was to do? Sure
enough the next time the old woman
woke, I'd be discovered, and then what
would be the end of it! I'd be dismissed
in disgrace, and ruin my prospects for life
and then poor Katie Stewart, who was
waiting for me up in Kirkcaldy, waiting
till I'd get my next rise in my salary-Oh,
whatever would l do? Just catch me
doing work of mercy and charity again
go Lordn' l said, breathing u mental
prayer, "let me off this once; pll never
offend any more"
The upervisor-Chandler his name
was, queer enough, seeing he was for all
the world, as I've said before, just like a
tallow candle--hc clambered up with his
prisoner to where / was sitting, and took
his place just opposite me, at the very
back Of the coach, you know, with his
face to the horses. Just the jerk OF start
ing the coach woke up the old woman,
and she, looking about in wonder for a
moment, threw up her arms and began to
cry.
ooh, sure Pm past the place entirely
Oh, sure Pm left behind! Oh, Pll never
way udCh' oliO tiiSo w jump
off the coach.
threw my arms round her and held
her down; but the more / held her the
more she struggled, till in the end man
aged to pinion her arms, and, fairly over
powered she became quiet at last.
Mr.. Chandler was all of shake.
"W-what's the meaning of that extra
ordinary scene?" he cried.
prisoner trying to escape" / said.
"Blcss me, that was very courageous
resistance on your part. I'll make note
Of that" and Chandler pulled out big
motel book but between the jerking OF the
coach and the shaking of his hands he
couldn't write a word However, it
wasn't long before we were at POrtarling-
ton, which l was thankful to see. | was
tired Of hugging my old woman. What
I'd do after that, didn't know. But as
luck would have it, the moment the coach
stopped, Chandler leaped down.
"I'll get drop Of something hot" he
cried, ITO stop this shivering. Look after
the prisoners, McAllister"
Mother, amt you thankful to me |