The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-01-13
Waking Up the Wrong Passenger.

A good story is told of that gallant |
Irish soldier, General Bligh, OF Sepoy
fame, which is altogether too good to be |
lost. While holding the commission of
captain in a dashing marching regiments
he was on trip of pleasure with hi
wife, in the north of England, and have
ing come, one day, to q small Yorkshir
inn, the larder of which was well nigh
empty, he ordered all the host had on
hand, in the shape of food, 10 beserved
up Tor his dinner, after which he Joined
his wife in an upper room.
While the host was preparing the
meal Tor his guest n party of sporting
gentlemen of the country entered the
inn, and called for refreshment. The
land lord was sorry to inform them that
all his larder contained of food had been
bespoken by gentleman who was at
that moment waiting upstairs, with his
wife, to have it served.
Who was the gentleman
The host could only tell them that he
was an lrishman, and seemed to be very
quiet, good-natured and harmless body.
CThe captain was travelling in citizen s
clothes.)
AN Irish gentle man! A potato,
with pepper and salt, will answer for
him. Go up and tell him So"
But Boniface preferred not to do so.
Then" cried one of the party-a
squire of the neighborhood, with more
money than sense, "take UP this watch
to the gentleman, and ask him if he will
send us word what's the time o. day, for
we can't tell"
1t was habit in that section, when
one would intimate to another that be
didn't have much faith in his good
sense, or in his judgment, to show him
a watch. and ask him to tell what's the
time o'clock.
The host, himself fond of fun, and
feeling assured that the last callers
would get the worst of it, took the
watch-a very valuable gold repeater
and went upstairs and did the errand.
Bligh took the watch and looked at it.
"By my lite! it's beauty. Tell the
gentlemen I'll be down presently, and
shall take pleasure in expounding tc
them the mystery O. time telling by the
watch. And I'll fetch the watch with
me-"
The host returned with the answer
and shortly afterwaro carried up hi:
guests dinner. The squire was, for
little time, furious with the landlord fol
having left his watch behind; but ht
,, finally cooled of, and having called fol
a gallon of beer he sat down with hi
friends to wait.
After he had finished his meal Cap
tain Bligh opened his portmanteau anC
took out two great horse-pistols, ant
placing them under his arm he tool
the watch in hand and went down int
the barroom, where the sporting gentr,
still waited.
"Ah, gentlemen, l give you q goo'
day. And now, who is the man tina
wants the time o. deyP l shall be de
lighted to enlighten him."
They didn't like the looks of the ma
at all. He carried the soldier in hi
every look; and, Just now, there was
good deal Of the tiger manifest
Come, come, gentleman-1 ar
= Captain Bligh, at your service. A shoI
time since the landlord brought to IN
5 this watch, accompanied by messag
{ which have come to answer as such
j message richly deserves" And b
a q Significantly tapped his finger upon th
I pistols. "Now, whose is the watch
e Is it yours, sirP' to the squire himself
The squire denied the ownershi
= promptly. All the watches in the worl
e would not have tempted him to expos
e his life to the terrible Irish captain
:; whose fame was known to him.
" Bigh then applied to the next mar
le and then to the next; and so on to tE
last; and all denied the ownership.
le 81 am happy to find, gentlemen, th
~ I have made mistake. You will pal
n don me, I am sure. thought the own
5, OF the watch was here"
e He then put the watch into his pocke
!! slipped the pistols into the pocket of h
l. blouse; turned to the bar and settled h
81 bill; then bade the company good eve
IL ing, alter which he joined his wife
|, the porch, at thf door of which his ca
o riage was in waiting.
d Captain, aiterward general, Bligh ke
a the watch to the day Of his death, oftt
1t telling tue story of its capture, when
" left it by will to his brother, the we
n known Dean of Elphin.