The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-10-30
4 COURIER's STORY.

COURIER'S STORY.
My name is Carl Johann Roeckel. BY
birth and nationalityI ANA Swiss but
cosmopolitan in every taste and habit.
In my early days i regularly followed
the profession OF q courier, as / do now
occasionally when any OF my old-patrons
or their friends require such services,
which is rather infrequent, the taste of
the travelling public having degenerated
into hasty Journeys by express trains,
with the consequent loss of all enjoy
ment of the different phases of scenery,
through which the travellers arc pass
ing. In the conrse of my many years
experience / have been witness to many
strange occurrences, have assisted in
many~a secret and adventurous under
taking, and have been subject to many
perils. From among such varied eXpe-
riences l give the following strange
story, suppressing for obvious reasons
the real names of those interested.
Many years AGO 7 was engaged as
courier TO his EXcellency the HonoFable
Frederick Eslington, Ambassador-extra
ordinaryof his Britannia Majesty King
George, on a special secret mission to
one of the great Continental powers.
Having finished his duties and success
fully attained the object of his mission,
we started on our llomewmd journey in.
the summer of 1S-. The period was
one to be long remembered, from the
political excitement which existed
throughout all Europe, almost every
= Government having unsheathed the
\sword We had travelled a eonsid-
cradle part of the first stage of
our return journey, when his
EXcellency, who was feeling the
fatigues of 1.-The incessant travelling
in the heavy, rumbling carriage, said he
should stop at the next town we arrived
at, and take rest and refreshment, both
of which he was much in need Of be-
sides having important state documents
to transcribe.' In due course we arrived
at the small town of s., on the con-
fines of Germany, where we put up.
We staid day and a half there; and /
was then instructed to have the carriage
and horses in readiness to continue our
journey. His EXcelleucy meanwhile
had completed his writings, to which he
had assduously applied himself; and
told me, as il was a fine afternoon, he
would take a short walk, and on his re-
turn resume his journey at once, and
must therefore make all necessary prep
arations. He accordingly left the hotel.
But he was never seen afterward, nor
was any thing knowus0f his fatess---
iously, and then made q close search for
him, which / continued for several days,
but not n trace could | discover of my
master. A villager, however, living
outside the town, brought to me at the
hotel pair of overalls, which he stated
he had found in a neighboring copse.i
recognized the garment as belonging to
his Excellency, and at once repaired
with the villagef-to tho eopse, and close
ly examined the spot, but found no trace
or sign of any struggle.
Finding it useless to prosecute the
search, / at once returned to London
with his EXcellency's travelling gear,
which l handed to his family. The
British Government at once Instituted
inquiries, as also did his Excellency's
family, and large. rewards we're offered
by both, and advertisements widely dis
seminated for any information respect
ing the missing Ambassador; but they
failed one and all to gain any. informa-
ton of or the slightest clew to his fate
A certain amount of suspicion attached
to me, but it was only momentaIy,( and
at once cleared myself of it, and rs.
sisted the distracted wife and her miss
ing hoshand : family as much as Law II
my power. Well l remember the
agonies of anNeiy. and suspense caused
to the Ambassadors wife and family by
the distressing calamity. Magisteria
investigation was made, experts werI
employed, and every endeavOr made tC
penetrate the dark veil of mystery sur
rounding theevent; but all efforts wer,
unsuccessful. One of his Majesty's Am
bassadOrs had completely and mysteri
ously disappeared, without leaving
clew to light up the awful obscWit
which enveloped the tragic occurrence
.H|F L
Several years had elapsed since th,
g distressing event. and the memory, tn,
painful memory, of it was beginning t
fade from my mind, when / happened
to be in Antwerp ON a short tour through
Belgium with patrons. And, while list
leSsly strolling by myself ON the qua.
one summers evening, watching the
passengers disembarking from the new
ly arrived steamer, l was accosted bv
mean, haggard-looking little man o
beggarly appearance, who spoke to mt
in Flemish.
" Are you not Herr Roeckel the cour
ierP'' he said.
eyes" replied 1. .sWhat do vot
want with me? Who are you?''
% / suppose you have quite forgotten
mePn said he
l stared at him keenly. The man
features were somewhat familiar to me
yet was confused in my remembrance
of how and where had seen him. .
do not know you," said l.
Yes you do, aud very well, " reptile,
he. any name is Ludwig Kuhl, and
have frequently driven you the first stag
out of Vienna 1 did so when you wer
courier to His EXcellency the Honora
BILE Eslington, in the SUMMER of the yea
Is
(The courier is remembered eve
when the patron is forgotten, for it is {
US that landlords and their servants loo
for their gratuities.) a3t
| stared at him, and then recognize
the haggard looks. ''True,'} said /
- remember you now WE'LL bow goe
1t with you? What do you here in Ant
werpP The old trade, ehP"
"Ah, no." he replied with deepl
drawn sigh. g It's along story, and
can't tell it TO you-heresin all this pois
and hustle. Let go to quiet Nabd
Tst."