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

ter. Evidently the joke of my alleged
mistaken identity was considered highly
amusing.
81 repeat, my name is Wray, and not
| Raschkoff."
The Governor for the moment looked as
if he would cat me, and his myrmidons
were little less aghast at my persistent in
science.
But Dunkley at last found his tongue.
alp
Mot Raschkoffr" from the Governor,
who felt himself still one short of his total
number.
Mot Raschkoff!" from the policeman,
who felt himself a fool, and five pounds
poorer.
mot Raschkoffr' from the pious gate
keeper, from the first warder to the second,
to the third and so on along the scale, and
all in turn expressed their surprise. But
there was no doubt about it; Dunkley was
positive; and other officers corroborated
his statement. There were plenty now
who knew the real Raschkotf by sight
waIdens with whom he had been in
daily contact, and who saw at once that
l was quite different man. 1t was my
misfortune that, on the previous evening,
none of these had been on duty; but
in a prison containing nearly two thou
|
possible.
At last the Governor spoke, and angrily:
ooh! but this is too absurd. What
were you about, all of you? It's disgrace
full! And you, sirr'-this to. me" how
dare you come here to insult us and make
us look like fools?"
| One might have thought that / had
been guilty of breaking into the prison by
force and that had insisted they should
/ H. fIor for ba of 1ifn
"But let me tell you, STRIP he went on,
"that there is such thing as connivance,
and that it is felony to assist convict to
escape, and that before you are many
hours older you will be by the heels in
Dorchester Jail, for trial at the next as
size"
"And let me tell you, sir!'' 1 replied
holly in my turn, THAT there is such a
thing as action for false Imprisonment,
and that if you do not instantly set me
free, if there is any law in the land, be-
fore you are many months older, you will
be cast in heavy damages in the Court of
| Queens Bench"
Nonsense, sir I insist on hearing
your explanation"
MY explanation! as i'll hadn't wanted
to give it these twelve hours past!
Then in a few hurried words told him
the whole story.
"But can this be corroborated? Have
you anyone within reach to speak to your
identity?"
There is the innkeeper at Lulworth,
and others there. Or stay; telegraph to
my firm, Stokes, Wray s. Co., of Criticized
Friars."
"Will one of the partners come down ~
ayes, no doubt, if it is urgent"
at is urgent. l am sorry to appear
discourteOus or to disbelieve your story;
all ask is that you will remain here
"In prison ~
By no means; in my house, as my
guest" said the Governor, with a bow of
a finished courtier "All ask is to be
quite convinced. 1 trust you will under
stand that l am bound in my serious and
responsible position TO take nothing for
granted"
81 dare say we can fit you. out" said
the Governor, with slight smile. 1--WE
keep large stock of ready-made clothes
no, not convicts', but treedmen's-fOr
prisoners on discharge. Step into my
private room and you shall make the
change at once"
In half an hour I was at breakfast and
at the right side of the gates with my host.
"Our Mr.. Stokes" arrived that evening
by five, with full proof of my identity;
the Governor was satisfied; and l left
Portland gladly enough within half an
hour afterward. Mr.. Stokes went back to
town at oEce, but got out at Wool, in
tending to walk to the inn. Strangely
enough there was wye, who had taken me
and my luggage in his cart from the sta
ton at my first arrival three weeks before.
1 hailed him. He evidently did not rec
ognize me in the least.
No wonder you don't know me-" l
said "a nice time I've been having of
it these last four and-twenty hours
My voice alone seemed to bring back
CLEAN of intelligence into his face. Slow
ly his eyes opened wide, and his lower
jaw dropped.
"Surely," he said, az saw you a-goin'
away last night quite late with the two
ladies. They sends down to the Cove and
orders a cab just afore ten-says they are
Obliged to go unexpected, and must catch
the mailtrain; and as l was a. comm over
top o. Church Hill / seed you a-standin'
at corner O. crossroads. Then l remem-
Der the moon was a-shinin' pretty nigh as
bright as the sun at day. l was comm
down towards you when up comes the
ladies' cab, and in you gets long afore
could near you. tells my missus, and
she says: Pend upon it, the gentleman's
elOped;' and when Iheard at the Cove this
morning as you 'adn't been home all
night l thought she was about right; may
hap"
here wye stopped DIuplty, looked
round as he saw the station.master coming
out of the Office, and called to him !:
Here, Muster Coombs, didn't the two
ladies go away last night with the gentle
man in blue pants and brown coat, same
as drove over to the Cove three weeks
agop'
Yes; surely," answered Mr.. Coombs,
but with little hesitation as he looked
at me. 81 certainly thought it was the
same gentleman, from his dress and short
hair; but we were rather busy, and l
didn't take very close notice. Wasn't it
he, after all? Now look at you again,
sir, how is it9 You have just come from
Weymouth. l don't rightly remember
you, either. ANYHOW, l gave two ladies
and the gentleman took to be you three
first-class tickets to Southampton by the
10 :45 last night; more, can't say"
Here was complication! What asso-
citation could there have been between the
convict and these two ladies'? And was
it really he, disguised in my dress, that
wye and Mr.. Coombs had seen?
AS pondered for a moment, the sta
tion-master had gone back to his Office,
and came out again with a large brown
paper parcel in hand. "By the way,
WYE" he said, "you may as well take
this to Richards, at the Cove. I'd almost
forgotten it; came down midday; there's
nothing to pays" and he handed it to the
fisherman.
Of course, it was not unusual to make
Nye a carrier; and very soon he and l
were again jolting toward Lulworth.
The parcel lay in the bottom of the cart
at nv feet and I remember observing