American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-10-23
VOL. XIV.

| we wanted - was the reply, and in anoth
err second the coast guardsman had seize.
| me by the arms, while his companion hat
slipped pair of handouts on my wrist
before | was well aware that it was done
In my confusion and surprise the trutl
| did not as yet dawn upon me- This strang
| treatment added only another mystery I,
| the affair; but l well remember that, il
spite of my perplexity, was diverted b,
the behavior of the boys as, with yell o
| triumph, they scampered back in the di
rection which they had come. What fol
lowed next is less distinct in my recollec
| ton. l only know that l protested, re
monstrated and begged my captors to ex
plain. 1t was in vain-thc sailors lip:
seemed Theoretically sealed, and all
| could elicit from the policeman was dry
"All right; push on, or we shant get tc
Portland before it's closed for the night
Twas evidently taken for an escaped
convict, and, looking at my dress, there
| were grounds for the supposition. o.
course 1 protested against such belief
| told who l was and mentioned how it was
my clothes were stolen while bathing. AL
| was in vain; l was only laughed at, and
heard that a reward of five pounds was
offered for my recovery.
"We've got you, and will keep you, y
said the policeman. Here comes the
chaise to pick us up" So into the chaist
l was put, in spite of all remonstrance.
Now, am man of patient disposition
and my temper is not easily ruffied; al
though, in my present position, there was
much to annoy; although the personal in
| dignity of my arrest and the mystery thai
| hung over my immediate future might
make even the most stolid philosopher un
| easy, there were some crumbs of comfort
| to be got from the ludicrous absurdity OF
the whole affair. Happily, in this out-of-
the-way spot there was no one to recognize
me as the branded felon borne back in
letters to the prison from which had es.
capped. If the chief in Criticized Friars
were close at hand, or even the melancholy.
interesting young lady whose chances had
pierced my blue spectacles, might have
hung my head, but knew that, after all,
this was only case of temporary inconven
| fence; could not fail, sooner or later
| to succeed in proving my identity, and
| that must then be at once set free. Bar
| ring the personal discomforts, the loss of a
good suit of clothes, etc., and the escape
of some hardened wretch, thanks to my
! unconscious assistance, the present was a
| to compass. In this way l argued myself
into laughing almost at this excellent
| practical joke, in which Self was the prin-
| cipal sufferer, and the end of which, for
all knew, might still be indefinitely de-
layed.
Away, in the twilight cleaning, over
the downs for a mile or two, and along
the white, winding chalk roads, to the
more level and wooded country; then past
farms, and between tall hedgerows and
struggling villages, until we reached the
outskirts of Weymouth; then through the
lighted streets and parades of the fashion
oh In
pany and merry music; treading our way
across the bridge, amongst docks and
wharves and shipping, till at length we
emerged upon the long, fiat causeway that
tops the Chesil Bank and joins Portland
to the mainland. The night had fallen,
but the glory of full moon flooded every
thing with light. On each side of the
ridge slept the quiet sea, beneath the
twinkling stars, and right in front doomed
couched like lion against the moon
lit sky.
Miles high it seemed, that hill, a
terrible ascent, steep as the climb that
faces many who have also travelled this
road if, when once again free, they seek
to struggle from crime to honesty. My
courage sank somewhat during the long
gradient, and by the time we reached the
gloomy portals of the prison it was at its
silent as the tomb; a solitary lamp flick
cred above the heavy gates, touching with
spots of luster the tips of the steel nails
| that studded all their panels. One of my
escort jumped out and touched deep
toned bell, and the next minute a little
window, some six inches square, was
opened in the door, and through it saw
the CLEAN of two white eyeballs, belong
ing doubtless to the same head from which
now came very gruff and threatening:
"Well?"
"We've got himp'
Instantly the voice changed. 1t was clear
the escape was the source of deep anxiety
to all at Portland, and that this was joyful
news.
}" What! Raschkoffs For these and all
other mercies, the Lords name be
praised" As if 1, in my character of Rasch-
koff, was a very excellent dinner about to
be digested.
With solemn, changing sound the
heavy doors swung back upon the hinges !;
and was inside. Almost like clock-work
they closed again behind me, and, although
l knew my Incarceration was certain to be
short, 1 felt quite as if hope were al
ready extinguished from my breast. At
that moment 1 would gladly have pur-
chased immediate release at any price !;
and asked Indignantly to see the Gov
ernOr at once.
''He says he's Mr.. John Wray, of
Criticized FrIars, said the policeman, with
a grin.
replied the gate-keeper, pointing to me
menacingly with his heavy key. It's
not the first time he's done it, neither;
calls himself gentleman because he was
convicted of some genteel crime, forgery,
or like that. He was away six months
last time, but we nabbed him then, just
as you have now. But he made his
guy again this morning in a fog, and
got away again as smooth as butter. It's
here to-day with him and gone to-mor-
row.
Gay, and back again at night" said the
sailor, profoundly.
g. insist on seeing the Governor"
said
"That you will, and sooner than you
care to, either. He'll be in this Office
about nine tomorrow morning, and he'll
have something to say to you, l suspect,
private and particular
There's no call for us to watt said
the policeman; we can look up this way
In the morning for our reward"
"Of you go, then; but you'd better
stay in the village tonight; the Major
might want to speak to you tomorrow.
Good night"
The gates were opened again, my late
companions issued forth, and in another
minute heard the sound of their wheels
retreating down the hill. Immediately
afterward / was ordered to move on to the
inner gate.
There was a second gate under the
archwaY. dozen feet from tho Outer