The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-03-05
The Time o. Day.

IL.
OF Sepoy fame, while holding the commits.
sion OF captain In a dashiDg marching rcgi
mcnt, was on trip of pleasure, with his
wife, in the north of England, and having
| come one day to small Yorkshire mn.
the larler of which was well nigh empty,
he ordered all the host had on hand in the
shape of food, 10 be served up for his din.
ner, after which he joined his wife in an
upper room.
While tho host was preparing the meal
for his guest party of sporting gentle.
men OF the country entered the inn. and
called for refreshments. The landlord was
sorry to inform them that all his Iarder
contained of food had been bcspokcn bv 1.
gentleman who was at that moment wait
ing up stairs with his wife to have il
served.
/ Who was the gentleman2
The host could only tell them that he
was an Irishman, and seemed to be very
quiet, goOd-naturcd and harmless body.
(Ihe Captain was travelling in citizens
clothes.)
''An Irish gentlemanl A potato, with
pepper and salt, will answer for him. Go
up and tell him so."
But Boniface preferred not to do so.
Of the ncighborhood, with moro money
than sense-."takc up this watch to the
gentleman, and ask him If he will send us
"or.! what's tho time O. day, for we can't
tell"
1t was habit in that section, when one
would intimate to another that be thdn',
have much faith in his good sense, or in his
Judgment. to show hlnl watch and ask
uh uhotD ln ,nl>
The host, himself fond of fun, and feel
ing assured tlut the last callers would get
the worst of it, took the wutch-a very
valuable gold repcutcr--and went up
stairs and did the GRAND. Bligh took the
watch and looked ut it.
''By my lifc it's u beauty. Tell the
gentleman pll be down presently, and shall
take pleasure in cXpounding to them the
mystery o. timc-lclling by the watch, and
LII fetch the watch with me-"
The host returned with the answer and
shortly afterwards carried up his guests
dinner. The 'squice was for little time
furious with the landlord for having left
his watch behind; but he finally cooled
OH, and having called for a gallon of beer,
he sa! down with his friends to wait.
After he had finished his meal, Captain
Bllgh opened his portmanlcau and took
out TWO great horsc-pistols ane placing them
under his arm, he took the watch in his
hand and went down into the barroom
where the sporting gentry still waited.
"Ah, gentlemen, give you Il good dav.
And now who is thc man that wants the
time O. day2 l shall be delighted to en-
tighten him."
u. They M dla a 9at 9ealakp lakp th the 9oks of the man
look; and just now there wRS gooa sdoaicff doai OF
the tiger manifest.
"Come, come, gentlemcn-I am Captain
Bligh, at your service. A short time since,
the landlord brought to me this watch, ac-
companled br message which | have
come TO answer rs such Il message richly
deserves. And he significantly tapped
his finger upon the pistols. "Now whose
is the watch2 Is 1t yours, sir2" to the
squire himself.
The 'sduire denied the ownership
promptly. All the watches in the world
would not have tempted him to expose his
life to the terrible Irish captain whose
fame was known to him.
Bligh then applied to the next man, and
then to the next, and 80 on to the next, and
all denied the ownership
81 am happy to find, gentlemen, have
made a mistake. You will pardon me,
am sure. l thought the owner of the
watch was here"
lie then put the watch into his pocket,
slipped the pistols into the pockets OF his
blouse, TUNED to the bar, and settled his
bill, then badc the company good evening,
after which he joined lis wife on tic
porch, at tho door OF which his carriage
was in waiting.
Captain, afterward General Bligh, kept
tho watch to the day OF his death, often
telling the story OF Its capture, when he
lett 1t ny will to his brother, the we'll
known dean of Elphin.