Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1882-09-01

| OF bliss immortal given, *
| And all the new born senses filld
With dreams Of opening heaven!
A PoL1cEMAN's MISTAKE.
1t was dull rainy day. toward the end
of August-one Of those days when earth
and sky alike are grey and dreary. and the
rain drops pattering against the window
sound like human sobs. The clock that
hung against the wall pointed to the hour
of three IN the afternoon, and l was sit
ting by myself in our little inner Office
looking out at the expanse of dull. grey wa
ter that formed my only prospect from the
not over cleaned window, and thinking
had read every square inch of type in the
newspal ers; had made out all the nec-
essary papers and documents, and now
with "nothine to do" was musing about
Kitty Elton, and wondering how long it
would be before would be able to marry
| her.
Dear little Kitty she was as sweet and
as patient as it was in the nature Of q wo-
man to be, but knew it. was hard life
for her in the oyercrowded miIliner' 8 work.
room day after day and month after month
and longed to set her free from the mon
onotous captivity. She was pretty blue
eyed girl Of twenty, with dimple in her
chin, and the sweetest roses on her cheek
that ever inspired the pen of a poet. Twas
no poet, yet l think understood and APP
preciated al! her womanly grace and deli
cate beauty as fully as if my hearts
thoughts could shape themselves into
verse. And it.was of them was thinking
when the door opened and Mr.. Clenner
came in.
Clenner was our ,'chief "a dark, silent
little man, with square stern mouth, and
cloudy grey eyes, which appeared almost
expressionless when they were turned full
upon you, and yet which SET everything at
glance. He sat down beside me.
Meredith" he said. in a quiet, sutdu-
ed tone, that was natural to him, didn't
you say you were getting tired of doing
nothing :"
Eyes, SIR"
well, 1 having something for you to
do"
wi hat is it, slr?" "
s'Somethlng that will bring you both
credit and friends, if you manage skillful-
| ~. | had intended to go rayself, but cir
cumstapces happened untowardly, and l
L
Fshall send you Instead"
| Bending his head toward me and speak
| ing scarcely above whisper. be told me-
| the special business on which l was to be
sent. There had been, it seems. series
of very neavy forgerles lately committed
with boldness and audacity that fairly
seemed to set the authorities at defiance.
For some time he had been In doubt as to
the exact perpetrator of the crime, but at
ter much quiet Investigation and casting
hither and thither, he had detected the
hidden spring-one Perley Matteson-who
had skillfully eluded all pursuit and was
now somewhere hidden in the northeast
ern portion of the State. His whereabouts
has been ascertained as nearly possible and
it was for ne to 60 quickly up and appre-
prehend him before he should become
aware of our knowledge of all his move
ments.
| | sat listening to all the various details
of our plan as they were sketched out by
Mr.. Clenner. The reward that had been
privately offered was high-my heart leap
ed as l reflected how much nearer 1t would
bring me to Kitty Elton. nor did the en-
terprise seem particularly difficult to ae-
complish.
do you think you can do lt?" Mr.. Glen
ner asked, after the whole thing had been
laid before me.
Eyes, sir. When shall start?'
"Now-within half an honr. - SIS
''Now ?" -
Eyes. why not p ''@"
could think OF no sufficient reason ex-
cept one, which did not care to commu-
nicate to my superior-the longing wish
to see Kitty once more before started.
"Just as you decide. Mr.. Clenner, of
course" said, rising. "If take the four
O'Clock express shall be there by daylight
| tomorrow morning."
eyes, and that is altogether the best plan.
he will not remain long in any one place
Just at present, depend upon it, and
what you have to do must be done at
oEce."
All through the long night journey.
unused upon the task that lay before ma.
The house to which l was directed was in
tho midst of woods, about half mile be-
yond the village OF Drownville-the resi-
dence of Mrs. Matteson, the mother of
the audacious forger. II help was nesded
I was fully authorized to call for it upon
the constabulary authorities of Drown
vile, but expected to ueed none.
J The rosy dawn was just flushing the
eastern SKY when alighted. stiff, weary
and jaded from the tram, at the little way
station of Drownville.
"Can you direct me to Mrs. Mattsson's
place." asked of the sleepy stationmas-
ter, who was yawuing behind the little ap-
erture of the ticket office.
"Matteson- Mrs. Matteson; don't know
her, but guess Likely can tell you where
she lives. just you follow the main street
of the village out about a half mile, and
ye'll come to patch o'Woods, with bars
at the fence. Go through them bars lit.
tie way farther on, and yell see q, little
yaller house just the last placeih the world
where you'd expect to see house. That's