Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1877-07-14
One Night as a Watchman.
BY MARK TAPLEY.

as he sat one evening in our dormitory
at BlakeviiIe Academy.
"a book, replied he, "entitled The
Customs and / eculiorStieSo all Nations.
l am reading now Of the Hollanders,
and their quaint old buildings. Their
scrupulously- clean streets, and rover
ence for old traditions, make them
a noteworthy people among the varied
nationahties Of the old world. Listen
to this:
"With slow measured tread the
watch of the night pace their lonely
round-the streets being almost de-
serted after ten o'clock-and as the
town clock tolls out each passing hour,
they stop, uncover the head and rails
ing their eyes reverently to Heaven,
sing, in loud voice:
"'All is we'll; God save our land
from fire and brand. all is we'll, and
continue on their lonely way. A
beautiful custom is it not?"
eyes, replied I one that I would
ike to see adopted in our country"
"5pealing about watchmen,' con-
tinued Frank, "reminds nae Of an ad-
venture | had while acting in that
capacity, If you care to listen l will
relate it.
Assuring him of my willingness to
do so, lighted his pipe, and leaning
back on the lounge, began:
"When about sixteen yeas Of age,
my father moved from Chicago tc a
hourishing little village twenty-five
miles west on the line Of the Chicago
and Rock Island Railroad.
cat that time there were but two
or three business houses in the village,
but as the population increased new
ones were established.
"Ihe largest establishment-a gen
eral grocery store-was owned by
man by the name of Pierce, public
spirited, enterprising fellow, as we'll
as one of the most genial men ever
met.
"Thege qualities made him hosts of
friends, and his business hourished ac-
cordingly.
AT the same time there was living
in the village man by the name of
Baker, laWless, dissolute fellow, who
had accumulated quite sum of money
by horse trading gambling, and other
questionable means, and invested it
in a gorgrously htted-up saloon, which
was the resort of the most detrayed
characters in the village and surround,
ing country.
Here they gathered every evening,
played cards, drank whiskey, and
sang ribald songs, and when he closed
up they wandered about making the
night hideous with their drunken rev.
eIry.
''The place became an intolerable
nuisance, and, in Difference to yhe
public opinion, the board of excise, of
which Mr.. Pierce was president, re-
solved to refuse him a license as soon
as the license he then held should ex-
pire. This they accordingly did, and
Baker was left the alternative of en-
gaglng in some other business, or defy
ing the law and taking the consequent
ces.
He was a determined fellow, not
easily ball1ed, and his place was
thrown open and liquor Of all kinds
flowed as freely as the water from the
town pump.
The result was that he was brought
before the board and fined one hun
drcd dollars, with the assurance that
for the next oiIenso he would be fined
five hundred, and be imprisoned for
one year.
mo man cares oPay away his mon
'ey for the privilege Of violating the
law, so the saloon remained closed,
and Baker disappeared to parts un-
known.
"Quiet remained undisturbed for
two months, and we were congratu-
lating ourselves upon the good order
and peace that prevailed, when one
night, in the early part of October
the people wer aroused from their beds
to find Mr.. Pierce's store in flames.
"Despite all efforts tie save it, itwas
burned to the ground, entailing upon
him a heavy loss.
mo clue could be obtained as to
the origin Of the fire but suspicion
ge ,eraIly rested upon Baker as being
the guilty party.
1.-The villagers were thrown into
state of great uneasiness, each one