Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1873-04-18
Swift Justice.

| n mrECudHt lttG 1 otctooutS ~
across Europe. In the course of his jour
pey he arrived at Warsaw. Being furnish
/; ed With a letter OF Introduction. be repaired
to the house Of one of the chief citizens
there, and was most courteously received
He stayed at Warsaw for week. and bis
host spared no pains to make bis visit agree
able. and showed him everything worth see
ing in the town Indeed. the visitor wa.
overwhelmed by an amount of kindness
rarely shown but to friend Of long stand.
ing
At last the pleasant visit drew to its close.
and after breakfast the guests expressed a
with to zee some poor parts of TIE towo. Of
which he had heard. BIT said he. II hn We
with me box of great value that do not
like to risk 10 such places. II it were my
own I should no. be 80 part eular but it
was intru-ted to me by friend. who re-
quest d me to deliver it to person i'll an.
other town. It Cousins 1dismonds and orb.
er valuables. Would you do me the favor
of taking charge of it 'or the day ?"
The host. with his usual urbanity will
lnel> agreed to this proposal. aud the mer-
.haut departed With light heart on his tour
Of inspection | forget the name but let IN e
say in the "Seveu Dials,' or Eve points" of
Warsaw
N-x' morning afeer breakfast he cordi
! ally thanked his kind entertainers for their
jealous hospitality and added til t be would
now resume his charge Of the box, which
had never before quilted his person since
he had received it from the owner. The
host and hostess stared at him in we'll acted
amazemeut. "What box p replied the
host. Il r,member no box do you NY
dear p turning to his wife ''No," she
said, Il have no recollection of any box
whatever" what was it like p asked
the host 'perhaps you left it in your room "
But the merchant persi ting that it was
with the host himself it had been Lift, 90
turning to the hostess and trying to make
1,r collect the crtum tAnce. both G t I
! appealing to each other several tiue>, aud
orti'yng each other in their feniai) became
cold and distant. aud began limiting tn t
some thing must have happened to the ner-
chant to induce him to persist in so strange
a delusion. As the host touched his fore
head with significant glance, the poor
man remembered that he was in strange
city the ground seemed to be- shipping
from under his feet danger to bimsclf
doomed in the distance. and he FASTENED from
I the house in al,rm. Straight to the police
he went, and stated his case. The official
listened impcrturbably to the whole story,
and then said :
"Yau gave up this valuable box 10 an
Acquaintance OF a weeks standing. without
any witness or any written acknowledg
ment p
s'He had been so very kind ; a man in
his position
bah 7ou are man of business But
have you no proof that the box belongs to
you p
None whatever, except the kes-here
it is" aud he produced small key from an
inner pocket.
The official rem aimed lost in thou hit for
some time, and then said. well. I will do
the only thing l can for you The Arch.
duke Constantine Che Governor of Poland)
is a stern, harsh man, but he is known for
his rigorous justice. and if he believes your
story he will do his best for you. will
take you to him at once.
No time was lost and the merchant soon
found himself in the Archduke's presence.
and was desired 10 relate his story. When
it was concluded the Archduke, after few
minutes reflection, rang bell. An officer
appeared, "Send for MIR. NJ" nam
lug the treacherous host. 1t was quickly
done. and the Archduke. without preamble
or question. said to the guilty man Sit
down at that table, and write as | shall die.
tate to you" The man took his seat and
took mp the pen. The Archduke began
debating:
my DEAR WIFE:
'All is found out -"
No." said the man. spriuging from bis
seat Il won't write that"
Then YOU are guilty." was the prompt
answer
Puzzled and foiled. be resumed his seat
and wrote as he was desired:
My DEAR WIFE: H
''All is found out Send me the box by
the bearer"
Then he signed it with his own name,
by the Archduke's order, and messenger
was dispatched with it. The messenger
found the lady at her toilet When she
read the misslve she turned ashy pale,
trembling vil ntly Then, leaning tor
ward, she dew the bog from recess 10 her
tnl.t t,bl,. and banded it t, the bearer
who, swiftly returning placed it IN the
hands of the Arckduke. He immediately
handed it to he merchant. desiring him t.
unlock it That being done he asked wheth
er the diamonds were all there Yes, the
box tad no. been opened; they were exact
ly us the merchant had left them. 10
Again the Archduke rang the bell, ape
to the attendant who entered he said. desig
mating the guilty man. Take him t. S'be
ria he is not to 60 to his own hous'