The Republican journal., 1874-09-10
Almost an Adventure.

wrote to friend: England is q picture
OF happiness and dream of beauty. All
her meadows are green, all her window
curtains are white, all her mutton-chops
are tender, all her chambermaids are
beautiful. The idea Of war with such a
country is simply absurd
AS l continued my walk along the
crowded Strand, a low pleasant voice, al
most in my ear, said, Don't look behind,
sirn
If anything was likely to make me look
behind, it was just that. But | didn't |
kept my course without turning my head.
| Presently again: eff you want some
very fine cigars very cheap, follow me-"
l did want some very fine cigars, and
though | was bearer OF dispatches their
being very cheap was no objection. also
wanted another thing as the reader no
doubt has already began to suspect My
| excuse is, was a great deal younger then
than | am now.
In few moments square-shouldered,
decently dressed man passed before me
and crossed the street; SO did |, Present.
ly he turned a corner: SO did l. He cross
ed again; so did l. lie walked onward Il
considerable distance; so did |. He en-
tered narrow alley; SO did |, After
variety of turnings and windings toward
the very worst part Of the town, through
a region of squalid misery and pestilental
air, he turned into gin-palace; so did |.
There was number of rowdy-looking
ladies and gentlemen with red noses stand
ing at the counter, but no notice was taken
of us. My silent pilot, always without
| turning his head. crossed the gin palace
| and passed out Of it in the rear, made his
way rapidly along q gloomy, solitary
| court, entered a dirty dismal looking I'm
furnished room, and out of that into an
other; SO did |. We were now in a dark
small chamber with only one window,
about two tcet square and ten or twelve
| from the floor. so that nobody could look
| in or out
| Strange rs it may seem, not till this
moment did ! think what a foolish thing
| ! was doing.
Now sirr' said my new friend who,
as found when he turned his head, was
anything but handsome fellow lie I'M
locked u large closet crammed with an
ample provision of cigar boxes.
"Just look at them cigars! They're
the best in the whole world, and at the
lowest prices. Seven and a halt pounds.
Seven pounds. Six pounds. YOU can't
get them cigars anywhere in the whole
United Kingdom Of Great Britain and
| Ireland without paying twice as much.
Mr.. So-and-so (naming a son Of one Of the
| leading members Of the British House Of
Commons) has just bought for fifty
pounds
Fifty pounds exclaimed l. My
good fellow | don't want fifty pounds
worth Of cigars. I'm going in Il few days
where | can get cigars as cheap as these
| Ill take hundred, or if you like, two
| hundred, but | shan't take any more
| The man looked at me with a very curl
Gus expression in his bad, ugly face, and
pressed his lips hard together like one
who has difficulty to control a fierce gust
of passion. Then he answered; "Ie
don't think brought ye here, and exposed
myself and my den to We Oor, ye must
know, we're smugglers), only to sell We a
shllin's worth Of cigars, do ye? If ye're
gentleman, rs ! supposed We was, yell
take enough to pay for trouble ana risk,
There was a pause.
| at We don't like cigars" said he, per
| haps YEN take some other goods
As he spoke, with a sudden energetic
movement he threw open a trapdoor at my
feet looked into it. Black as midnight,
A most cheerful object under the circum-
stances lie stepped down and instantly
rose again With an armiul OF articles.
Camel hair shawls, = said he-'real cash
mere India shawls, both sides alike Brus-
sells lace, velvet, iewelry. Ie can sell any
Of them articles for three times what
charge
Magnificent y exclaimed with affect
ed admiration, for was not contemplate
| ing the elegant articles, but my own
| elegant position | perceived ! was not
only in a smuggler'. den, but III Il robbers
cave Not only robbery, but murder. was
written in every lineament of the lutfian5
| face and sounded in every tone of his voice.
| What was | to do ? Whatever | did [
must do quickly. While he arranged the
wares for my inspection | measured his
proportions He was far more than i
match for me. Besides, had been strong
enough and bold enough to spring upon
him or to attempt to knock him down that
trapdoor with any chance of success, a cry
or whistle would no doubt bring to his
assistance accomplices as irresistible if not
as numerous as the army Of Rodericl Dhu:
and even bearer of dispatches in that
case would be handled rather roughly. |
saw but one course, and that doubtful and
dangerous, but the Only orc my impru-
dence had left me.
We'll old fellow said with a tamil
iar air, Il tell you what, such a chance
does not come every day. II you'll give
me one of those articles cheap enough to
enable me to make real profit, III take
something
"Oh," said he, eye shall have 'em just
cboo,, Hirt only y-n D1uGt l)oy hptA1.p
We leave the room"
'Wen,' said |, let Us see il we can
strike bargain. Unfold that shawl hold
it up SO that can see it,
He held the shawl broadly up with both
hands, his face and half his body hidden
behind it,
splendid, !" said l. Hold it higher.
Farther back, so that the light can fall on
it. Now, what's the damage p
Its worth three hundred pounds, |
give We the honor of agentleman. 1e shall
have it for fifty pounds
"Hold it little farther back said |
Its worth the money, and I'll tell YOU
what I'll take III take-my 7eafc.'
dashed to the door. BY the mercy Of
God it was not locked. | slammed it to
after me and flew on my way. Not Bly-
BREED with Mazeppa ON his back, not
Camilla skimming DER the rnbending
corn, gol over vi, ground mnrh fnster
than | as | leaped across that gloomy
court, burst into the gin-palace and ont of
it again, and winged my breathless and
inglorious flight away from my pursuer,
whose tread l could hear approaching
nearer and nearer behind me. BY what
heavenly instinct, by what unseen guild
ance, threaded that dark, filthy and not
very nice-smelling labyrinth of turnings
and windings | know not, but did thread
it, and suddenly found myself in one OF
the open, respectable streets The tread
Of my pursuer ceased: | was safe. The
odore S. Fay. in Lippincott's Magazine.
In a town not hundred miles away,
where even the children are popularity
supposed to be well versed in theological
matters genial professor has a bright