The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-02-01

Of the way locality tho arrival OF a stranger
was az great An event az that Of foreign
! spent PLEASANTLY at the biz house, playing
Ia wr-tannis with the Young ladies' Ut the place.
whom found to be far more proficient In the
art than their English sisters probably from
the solitude OF their country life having
obliged them to concentrate their energies on
that particular form OF amusement.
Zone day that | had been spending In the
above manner, and on which had accepted
kind invitation 10 dinner en- famtne. noticed
that Mr.. M seemed more absent than
usual and trltle quick tempered, as though
he had been annoyed ny snmathp9 or some
body. When tho ladies had left us, and we
were sitting over thu usual post-pra,dlai bot
tie Of wne he took letter from hts pocket
aud showed 1t to me-.
"'rhat's the kind Or thing va have to put UP
with here, Mr.. Elierslte." said he. You
mustn't 20 away with your Ideas 81 the Coun-
try too much coule'r de rose
Thdt Was IN truth y strange production. u
was written. Or rather laboriouRly printed.
on sheet of coarse paper, headed by u
rough but spirited drawing NJ eni1ins and
el-mouthed hlunderbuses Below was the
following comp" sitiOn OF which ! made a
copy out ut Curiuslty
IN NJ DON'T. 60 70 MOTE, OR. / Will.
II. YDOK END. TEr IT, RIOR WKONG
TEE PVT HIGGINS. STvY. Al. ONE.
! looked 1T my host for an explanation,
not the first either that have received. The
printing II easy enough to read on The phono.
graphic principle, with the caution that mnsto1
the - aud L'snraupaldedo The meaning
Ia, that one at my tenants having. asalns, my
express orders plowed up q grass field, !
have given him notice 10 quit, aud went into
Moate yesterday ta consuit my attorney as
to what compensation ! was Obliged 70 pay
under the irish land act l got this tho day
before am not personally much afraid OF
| it,, All In hat Ia
always on thpins lest one OF tts,se letters
should reach my wife: 1t would almost
Brighten her 10 death, fancy
you met with no interruption going into
Mnate | SUPPOSE I" sud /.
"No; but ] took my precautions. | got q
policeman on my car aud drove Ia by round
about route Ii Isn't pleasant way of doing
things, Is it,
quite agreed with Mr. NJ. that It was not,
and expressed my surprise that the author Oh
the letter could not he brought I" justlee.
You don't know the Irish. hlf E!larsIia
There Is not u soul about here who would not
swear black VS. whits lather than he he
means Ut Cunviettn1 II nstEhbOr. You KNOW
yonrself how completely the police system
failed over go daring 40 ohenea ~ tn. murder
~ the late Lord bsitlim. With such people
as witnesses aud Jury, what is tn be done
Pr NY own part ! have no doubt that Mr.
Pat Higgins himself wrote the letter; but
hunting no evidence would be hopeless.
"A sudden though struck me- i had seen
that the last few words ri the document were
lighter IN color, as II they had been blot'ed.
If 40, would there not remain an impression
Oh the hlottlnE papsif
II tion't know what evil spirit took posses
sion OF me at this juucture. uness-l own 1t
with contritinn-it were that ut inordlnhta
self -copceit. Should be able to get enough
evidence myself | should certainly derive
much credit for engaeity. aud have "a excel
lent story FOR my friends IN England on my
return With this eud IN view. sal moth
ing d my happy thought, determined 70
work ID out myself.
Next morning. having found out the
locality OF HiggiAs's cottage from Cormack.
went to make q call there. The cole ocon-
pant OK the tenement when l arrived there
was a wrinkled old woman aittipg on n
three-eRged stool and smoking black clay
pipe. She looked at tue susplcious,y. but ber
native hospitality fol babe her to Refuses me
seat For the first time felt some Itlalns
or conscience at the character OF my tirand,
but these were speedily dlesipated by the
sight. In the corner III the large open hearth,
of the very thing | was seekipR.a piece OF
dirty blotting-puper crumpled up into ball.
To be- sure, there was no telling how long the
paper might have laid there still felt q con-
vicllon that It was the object Of my search
"The devices t which reso, ted to get
possessIpn of that mute piece Of evidences
were worthy OF u detective policeman. l
manelvered my chair closer 10 1t under pre-
tense Of feeling u drauRht, though with the
unpleasant consciousness that the oid woman
did not believe ma. Fortune. however, Ia
vored me ut last IN tho shape OF Heres con
tes,t between All old SOW aud dog just out
side tho door, which male tho erone hobbs
out briskly to separate the combatants. Sh"
was not gone long but had plenty OF time
during her absence W seeftta inc paper
As s,nn as deoently could afterward | took
my leave.
aIhe moment ! was out 81 sight or tho
door OPENED my prize and found 1t to b.
what hep 4 q fairy good inverted copy 81
the threaleuins letter. or course the last
whole II wac very pretty piece Of prima tdcie
evidence against Mr.. Pat lltgglns.
Il presented the p per 70 Mr.: NJ. who
praised my sagacity and thanked me warmly
for my exertinps "a his behalf mat same
evening made deposition before mngis-
trate who lived near hy. and much to his sur
prise, Higgina was arrested.
"NowI come to the uulucky portion OF my
story. How my shore In the foregoing pro-
rnedinra got about don't know, but day or
two after this found n great change ID Cor
mack's manner toward me. Hitherto he had
been hoapitalit v itself now he seemed anxious
to get me to leave his house, though he was
AZ studionaly polite IN hiding his wishes az
the most finished gentleman could nave oeen.
OF course, however. ] could not stop longer
with man who was tired 81 me, and sig.
nied to him accordingly my intention OF
leaving him. He appeared to me somewhat
relieved by the news.
II diped at Mr.. MS the night before my
dcpart,re. after n farewell game Of tennis
with the ladies'. and did not leave the house
till nearly dusk. IS was walking back to
Cormack's noticed footsteps behind me. and
looking round. saw that was followed by
small body of men all armed with sticks. Not
Wishing them to come np with me, quick
ened MY pace n little. They did the same,
and closed on me- somewhat
Il had to paes sharp turn on the road
Just as / neared the hedge. ana for the mo-
ment lost sight Of my followers. l saw
woman on the other side close to me. Lean
Ing forward. she said, eagerly. Run for yer
life, sir; it's you they re after. Before could
renIy she had sunk down behind the hedge
again IL my pursners came In sight.
Il hope, II ever there be any chance OF hold
ing my own that shall MT % found ready
men with sticks II is about the only thing
that can be done, so | trust ! may be par
doned for taking to my heels
"The men instantly followed at full speed,
and for q time the pace was hot; but having