The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-02-23
Clever Strategies.

twas that adopted by Queen Elizabeth's
famous AMBASSADOR, DIR. Dale. On one
occasion, when dispatching letters to
the Secretary of State, he artfully sent
one addressed inside to 'shis dear Kate"
in a cover addressed to "Her Most Ex-
cellent Majesty" The establishment
of the Queen when she opened the
missive and found herself addressed in
the most endearing terms, my deared,
my loved; petted and sweethearted,
can well be imagined. But when she
read the passage where she was made
and the emptiness of his purse, she fell
at once into the trap, and, with unusual
liberality, relieved his necessities. An
other good story is told of the way in
which the same party got pecuniary
help from his royal mistress. Prior to
his departure for Flanders on State
business he had an audience of the
Queen, when he was informed that he
was to receive daily allowance of
twenty shillings for expenses. Dale,
however, thought this sum very insult
ficient, and was not at all satisfied with
the amount. He was not slow in adopt
ing a method whereby his mistress
should be made acquainted with the
fact. He replied that he should spend
nineteen shillings day, and in answer
to question as to what would be done
with the other shilling, said: THAT l
shall keep for my Kate, and my boys,
Tom and Dick" The hint was taken
and the allowance increased.
Every one has heard the story of how
| Sir Walter Scott when boy cut off the
button from the waistcoat of his school
fellow, and by thus depriving him of
twirIing the button when he was asked
a question "a peculiar habit he had got
into) Sir Walter reached the top of his
class.
But the story of the clever physician
and the obstinate patient is not so well
known. The latter, who was West
of-England Bishop, and VIGOROUSLY
stanch Conservative, had for some time
been very i'll, and with other prescrip-
tons the doctor advised that at regular
intervals a small dose of brandy should
be administered. To this, however,
the prelate had decided objection; he
obstinately refused to taste drop of
the intoxicating liquor. The physician
insisted. nay, even implored his patient
to take small quantity, but the Bishop
as firmly and politely declined. Here
was dilemma. The probability was
that his obstinacy would be the cause
of his death. Few, in the same posi-
ton, would have been struck with the
same idea as the doctor. Quickly
walking to the bedside of the sick man,
he said: 'You are aware that Russell
is in Office, and a Wing will be your
successor to the bishopric. That
touched him in weak point. Slowly
raising himself in the bed, he said:
Fetch the brandy, doctor; if necessary
1 will drink quart
But by far the most singular method
of obtaining a desired end was that
which is accredited to Gretry. If he
happened to be walking with any one
who went too quick, or too slow, he
regulated their steps to his own by soft
ly singing or whistling tune, the time
of which was in accordance with the
time he wished to be kept. He would
argue: "To say you walk too fast, or
too Slow is impolite, but to sing softly
an air to the time of the walk of your
companion. and then by slow degrees
either to quicken the time or to make it
slower, is strategem as innocent as it
is convenient"
Stage robberies in Mexico were even
until lately very frequent, but at the
| time of the French occupation of the
State they were of almost daily occur
renee. To put stop to these continu-
al robberies the French commander hit
upon capital idea. Half dozen Zou-
ayes were dressed in ladies' attire,
closely yelled, and sent as passengers
in the next stage. They carried their
carbines beneath the folds of their dress.
As we expected, the mail was stopped,
and the ladies'" leaving with the
other passengers, drew up in line, as
was the custom, few PAGES from the
vehicle, while the searching was going
on. Suddenly the ''ladies" raised their
carbines and performed the strangely
unfeminine act of shooting stone dead
some dozen robbers. 1t is perhaps
needless to add that this served as .
warning to the stage robbers on that
route at least, it being only necessary
from thenceforth to display shawl
and a bonnet to secure comfortable
passage.
A device somewhat similar to the
foregoing, but in which the robbers, or
robber, reaped the benefit, was that of
a Hounslow Heath highwayman.
This ingenious rascal procured large
quantity of straw, old clothes, and half
dozen pistols. His next step was to
stuff the old clothes with the straw,
fastening the pistols in the outstretched
hands of his mock companions, and
then rear them against tree. Pres
emily carriage came rafting along,
and the usual cry of 'Haltr' rang out.
The coachman, with the cold muzzle
of pistol to his forehead, of course
complied. The inmates of the coach,
being shown the figures of the men,
which in the dark could only be imper-
fectly distinguished, yielded to what
they thought to be superior forces,
and the coach being robbed it was al
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