Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-05-29
From Tinsley's Magazine.
6aIIsping OF with a Baby.
Midnight Ride--The Timely Evil
dence OF Brown the Doctor.
CHAPTER 1.

dence OF Brown the Doctor.
CHAPTER ].
"What that man said is true my lord /;
that child carried. / am Brown the
Doctor, Brown of BeacOnsfied;" and as
the murmur of approval which rang
through the court was promptly check
ed, the one who had spoken pushed his
way to the witness box, and then by his
lordship's permission. went into it, and
all eyes were turned to him.
He was short, stout. resOlute-loOking
man, in appearance fifty, but whose age
was fifty-seven; and ne had good frank
fiorid face, and dark gray eyes. CoOlly
surveying the crowded court in front of
him, he took the oath as he removed his
gloves, and answered to his name, and
then, as unembarrassed in manner as
though he had made the simplest state
ment possible, he passed his hand thro'
his brown hair, and looked at his lord
ship.
That's the man, Sirl" said the prison.
er to his counsel. "and he rode cob"
Silence" cried the Judge, as those in
the court approved, and the windows
ratified as the dust rose up again-the
dust from the crowded street, where
hundreds waited.
1t was blowing, gusty day, Friday,
the 5th of March. the second day of the
Lent AsSizes; and the spacious court in
the country town was completely filled
with people, townSfolk and countrymen,
who, in spite of close packing and in
creased discomfort, had kept their places
there for many hours, waiting for the
conclusion of the trial, in which the ma
jority of those there were deeply inter-
ested-the trial of Ralph Perks, the
pOacher, and against whom true bill
had been returned for the wilful mur-
der of Walter White, the keeper-keeper
to Sir Norman Digby, of BecktOn Hill
who, few months previously, had
been found in the Home Wood, shot
through the chest.
The evidence that was then brought
against the prisoner was purely circum-
stantial; but it seemed conclusive, and
he was committed to Jail to wait his tri-
al on the full charge. But in short
time he escaped by the connivance, as it
was thought, of one of his jailers, man
who was known to him, and it was only
within week of the commencement of
the assizes that he had been retaken.
He was 1.-THE, wiry, dark-complex-
ioned man, thirty years of age, and by
trade blacksmith; and, although his
poaching propensities were well-known
to all, his trade stuck to him, for he was
not only the best shoer for miles around
his own neigborhOod, and shod all the
"hunting horses" but he was Jack-of-
sll-trades, and clever at most things,
from locks and clocks to brass-work,
bells, and baskets, and at the latter, no
matter what they were, useful or fanci-
full, no basket-maker could beat him.
Hence, being able to turn his hand to 50
many pursuits, his services were much
sought after; sor whatever was needed
in the mending line, Ralph, Athe handy
man" was the man sent for.
He was a good mole-man, too: and
useful to the farmers; a crack fisherman,
and Of service to the villagers; famous
runner, and hence great with hounds.
1t was this latter quality which con-
tributed so much to his popularity with
those whose horses he shod, and with
the huntsmen generally, for, as he was
always present during the season, at eY-
cry meet within distance, had much hunt
knowledge, and kept well with hounds,
his ringing Gone awayr which made
the woodlands echo as the fox broke
cover, was always listened for, for it was
ever reliable; ~Ralph the Runner" being
an old hand at woodcraft, and so well
versed in yulpine tactics that, unless the
fox went out at one end as the hounds
came in at the other, Ralph was the man
to see him; and as he never gave tongue
till the varmint was well away, and the
hounds on a line with him, each man
then out gripped his reins as he heard
him, and galloped his hardest.
Such voice as Ralph had for shout
loud. clear, and ringing men had
1t was piercer, like the voice of the
famed Tom Moody; and as most of the
woods IN that part of the country-West
Worcestershire thick, dense. and
tangled, when he was out it was a gain
for the lost ones, many of whom would
frequently have missed the hounds alto
gether had not his rafting "Gone awayi"
which could be heard from one end of
the wood to the other, proclaimed "a
yiew,' and piloted them into the open.
He was pleasant, merry fellow; ev-
er CHEEKY and always civil ready to help
those who came to grief, and willing to
aid the distressed ones; no matter what
was the form it took. or what was the
difficulty-whether the catching of hors-
es, the lifting of beavers, the pulling out
of stakes, or the slipping of puzzle-locks
were Ralph but at hand, it was done
with; and though many a coin was
thrown to him. he never waited for it
his work once over, his place was with
the hounds; and as he could run and
leap better than most men, he was nev-
er far behind them.
He was very useful man, too, among |
cattle, and also among the horses, as he |
understood their ailments, and was up |
to doctOring them; and he was clever as |
a breaker with young horses, as he had |
a good seat, good hands, firm nerve, and |
plenty Of patience; so he soon made them
fit and handy. With the people of his |
hamlet-the hamlet of Beckton-he was
a great favorite, and at the wakes and |
club wakes, village feasts and festivals, |
Ralph was the main there; for he had |
fiddle, and he could play it well, and he |
was strong in jigs and dances; and his |
various feats among the Far-Foresters,
in jumping, running, quoit-pitching and |
wrestling were known for miles round. |
In wrestling he was especially good, as
he knew aCornish man, and was up to
Schips"-the hypes and heaves, and
hanks aud .inside-elick-so he could |
throw laest men; and it was the ability
TO do 50 that made him 80 daring when
20 was peaehing, and that caused him to