Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-07-24
"McAlister Saunders McAlister, are

you there?"
Sure enough l am,' I said, jumping
| up ana 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,
then?" said the man.
What do you know about prisoners?,
sald sulklly; land what do you mean by
routing fellow about Just as he's com
fortably settled?"
r, ON says he loftily; no hairs with me +;
I'm your new supervisor"
NOW Ia written just a note to our SUI
pervisor, Old Blathery, decent old fellow
as ever lived: Dear Bladder-Im go
ing to take prisoner to Dublin tonight,
ana as come back I'll come and see YOU,
ana We'll have gey willie waught for
auld lang syne."
! Yes" said the man, a tallow-candle-
looking kind of chap, with big teeth,
that made quite shine, as you NAV say,
yes, Pm your new supervisor, and Pm
astonlshed that you should make so free
with your superior officers as to write
such letter to him as that got tonight.
But I'm glad to see you've got your pris-
oner all right. I'm going up to Dublin
too; I0e got prisoner, and there's no.
body else to take him, so Pm going my
self"
| "Why, where's Blathery?" said I.
suspended; sure to be dismissed"
| And Tomkins and Jones, the otficers?"
"Suspended too.'
| Guide save us!' said I; land what's
that for?"
II can't tell We all, but I 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
lmpident 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 defraudng
the Revenue? I'm glad to see we've got
your man safe alongside you, for by lingo,
| if I'd caught you at those tricks, I'd have
| been the dismission Of you"
! Well, | felt my heart go down into nv
| 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 | do? Just catch me
doing a work of mercy and charity again
80 Lordr' [ said, breathing a mental
prayer, 'let me off this once; I'll never
offend any more"
The supervisor-Chandler his name
was, queer enough, seeing he was for all
| the world, as I've said before, Just like
tallow candle-he 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
moment, threw up her arms and began to
cry.
"Oh, sure I'm past the place entirely!
Oh, sure I'm left behindl Oh, I'll never
find my way back!' and she tried to 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.
'N-What's the meaning of that extra
ordinary scene?" he cried.
'Prisoner trying to escape" | said.
BLESS me, that was very courageous
resistance on your part, III make note
Of that" and Chandler pulled out a big
notebook; but between the Jerking of the
coach and the shaking of his hands he
couldn't write word. However, it
wasn't long before we were at Portarling-
| ton, which | 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.
III get drop of something hot" he
cried, ''to stop this shivering. Look after
the prisoners, McAllister.n
Mother, amt you thankful to me |
saved your life: I said to the old
woman, unclasping my embrace. She
gave me a look and a curse, and stepped
off the coach. And then bright thought
| came into my brain. "Come over here"
| said to the prisoner opposite, who had
| been stolidly looking on; "youll be
warmer and more comfortable in this cor
ner, and you'll get a bit of sleep, per-
| haps."
| The man came over, and sat down in
the corner the old woman vacated.
whats your name?"
"Andrew Mccarthy"
How much have they given you ?"
asked of him.
Six months"
Now, my lad" [ said quickly, "would
! you rather take two months imprisOn-
ment as Crown debtor, living on the
| best Of everything, or your six months on
prison fare ~
Why I'd take the two, Az coorse'
"Then you've only got to change your
name from Andrew to Terence. Willyou
| do it %
THAT I will, your hammer" said the
man with grin. | think he OWNED my
purpose.
"Hh! hi Lii. Halo! halo! Stop. stop"
| began holloaing and shouting with all
my might and all the passengers and the
| cOachman, and Chandler among the lot,
came tumbling out Of the inn.
He's gone!" l cried; your prisoners
gomez
"Why the deuce didn't you stop him?n
Glow could | hold the two of them?"
roared
Andrew, entering into the spirit of the
scene, began to struggle 'iolently, and
threw my arms about him, and held him
down
(Which way did he go?" roared Chand-
Ter
down Montmellick way!'
| Away went Chandler, his long legs fly