Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1877-01-25

nearly twenty minutes yet
"Confound it, I muttered: ''why
did it wake me, then!' and returned
to the fireplace.
''Cold night, sly" remarked the
guard a. he came towards me.
YES" said I, and a wretched fire,
too"
II think we can mend that, at any
rate," he replied ;and leaving the room
he returned in a few minutes accom-.
panied by an individual whom right.
~ conjectured to be the stoker of the
''goods" train, carrying a large shovel.
full of live Goals, which, placed upon
tho cinders, soon improved our fire,
and gave quite cheerful aspect to the
dingy apartment.
THANK ye, Jim," said the guard as
the stoker departed. snow. sir, that's
an improvement, amt it," he added
cheerfully.
at is. indeed, l replied; :'and I am
much obliged to you for procuring the
Goals"
''Don't name it. sir" was the reply,
Zone must do something when one
has to wait, you know"
''How long do YOU remain here,
then?" ! asked.
"Till $40. sir. ltake up the mail,'
was the reply.
"Oh, indeed" said I.
"Yes, sir. I'm on this job all this
month"; And as he spoke the guard
drew pipe from his pocket. and hav.
ing filed and lit it, he began to smoke
in silence.
Have you been long on this linel"
asked after pause.
swell, sir, about three years, and on
the mail duty, on and off, about one.
I'm a regular man Of letters" he add
ed, with grin.
laughed, and he continued.
Il was nearly cl,oked with a capital
letter when was a baby. l had let
ters on my collar when I was in the
police. was made guard all along
Of bit of letter. And now I am a
guard, l looks after the letters" Hav-
ing made these remarks in ocular
tone, my companion gave me a know.
ing nod, and pulled away at his pipe
with greater vigor than before. Twas
much amused at his rej0inder, and
asked him what he meant by having
been made . guard call along of a bit
Of a letter."
II wasn't always a guard, SIR" he
said. Il was once in the police, and
it was through being a detective as I
got to be employed on this line
II suppose you didn't like the police
them" said l.
| "Well, sir, not much, though at
times it was pretty good, and we had
some jolly business. Ay." he contin'
ued, with good scent it's almost as
eXcitin' as fox.huntin' is thief.catchin'
for some of those fellows is as cunnin
as foxes, every bit.
1T was through robbery and bit
of paper that was made guard, as
said just now
"How was that!" said l catching at
the idea of a story tobeguile the time
81 should like to hear a bit Of your ex
perience as detective
ut amt much of a story, sir, but
I'll tell it to you with pleasure" and
taking few rapid pulls at his pipe
the guard commenced.
lit was about two years ago. and
there had been a great plate robbery
In the city, and the thieves had got
clear away, so we was all obliged to
keep our eyes open and our wits about
us, for, though we had some suspic'
ions, there was no real clues to 20 up
on; it was mostly guess.work. Two o,
three men was arrested, but nothing
was ever proved against them, 50 they
was let 60, in course. Nothing ever
transpired respecting the robbery, anG
was almost forgotten, except by some
of us detectives, for a reward Of $500
had been offered and we was, in course
anxious to catch the men, rs vel
for the credit of the force as for the
money, which, sir, was not by ne
means to be despised. Well, sir,
wasn't half satisfied about one of thu
men who had been arrested, and whose
name was Dover. He and another
was always together, and we in the
force had nicknamed them 'Chatham
and Dover in consequence. We had
Chatham Whose real name was Byles
up too, but nothing turned up. How
ever, one night after the business had
blown over, I thought I'D have a look
after Dover; 80 goes to where was
sure to lind him or his pal in an out
OF the way place near Field Lane
When the door was opened, saw a.
the woman was new hand, and didn't
know me. So I asked if Dover was
in. No." says she, 'he's gone out OF
town. Tin which direction!" says /
She pointed upwards, which meant
north. Indeed says I. "Well tell
him as Mr.. Moss wants to see him as
soon as he returns'-makin', shot
sir. was at man as I suspected was
q fence and who had my eye on
All right says she, and shut thu
door.
"Thinks l, I've done a bad stroke Of
business this evening. Mr.. Moss anC
will settle our little account now; 81
I went quietly home. Next afternoon
just after dinner, a message come.
from the--Bank for Mr.. +, ou]
inspector. Telling me to be ready IL
case Of bein' wanted, off he goes AM
in about an hour he came back ant
said, We've got a job tonight h
says. for q party has wrote anothe
gentleman's name by mistake, ant
bolted with large sum of money an,
his young woman, as is supposed t.
America We had to start that even
lug by the nine o'clock train for Liver
pool, which we did, and arrived Their
about four the next morning. We i'm
mediately put ourselves in communi
cation with the local authorities, an,
searched several outgoing ships, bu
without any success, just as we wer
leaving one of the vessels, the captail
said to me, ''1t's pity you didn t know
little sooner. for an American barqu
sailed yesterdays tide for New York,
"The deucs 1t did, says Mr.. r
"Yes,' says the captain; and 70,
may depend upon it your man was Of
in that vessel
"'We're done, then, says Mr.. T
and viii have to 60 back with our Ia
Dor for our pains "
''Well,' says I, L don't see that, b
no means. When does the mail go!'
asked the captain.
It's gone says he; went las
night -..-, ..e..