The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-01-31
GOOD, /" said T. $50 on"

"Good" said /, q 20 on"
''Stand up" said he, "and stretch out your
arms at right angles to your body"
Suppose / don't" said |.
Il shall send a bullet through your left ear"
said he
Permit me to Observe" said j.
Bang! A ball cut Off the lobe of my left
ear
The ear srnarted, and should have liked to
have attended to ii. but, under the circuTn-
stances, thought it better to comply with the
whimsical old gentlemans wishes.
Very good, y said he. Now do as / tell
you, promptly and without moments hesita-
ton. or cut of the lobe of your right ear.
Throw me that life-preserver."
But"
'tAh! would you?" said he, cooking his re-
volver.
The "clicll" decided me. Besides, the old
gentleman's eccentricity amused me, and was
curious to see how far it would carry him. So |
tossed my life-preServer TO him. He caught it
neatly.
Now take OF yourcoat and throw it to me-"
] took OF my coat and threw it to him diago-
nally across the roon."
Now the waistcoat."
I threw the waistcoat to him.
Boots" said he.
They are shoes" said /, in some trepidation,
lest he should take ofense when no ofense was
really intended.
Shoes, then. said he
threw my shoes to him.
" Trousers"
"Come, come, say" exclaimed /.
Bangi The lobe of the other ear came off
With ali his eccentricity the old gentleman was
q man Of his word. lie had the trousers, and
with them my revolver, which happened to be
In the rigit-hand pocket.
" Now the rest of your drapery."
1 threw him the rest of my drapery. He
tied up my clothes in the tabe-cloti, and, tell
ing me that he wouldn't detain HE any longer,
made for the door with the bundle under his
arm.
"stop!" said /. "What is to become of
meg"
Really, hardly know" said he
" You promised me my liberty" said /.
Certainly" said he. Don't let me tTespass
any further on your time. You will find the
street door open; or, If from force of habit you
prefer the window. you viii have no difficulty
in clearing the area ratings"
But / can't 60 like this. Won't you give
me something to put on?"
No. said he; nothing at all Good
night" &C
The quaint old man left the room with my
bundle went after him, but | found that he
had locked an inner door that led upstairs.
The situation was really dreadful one to deal
E WILL ! NJLAlAA4 pbSStBtA 4hlD cAASNE aS
j was, aud if | remained should certainly be
given into custody in the morning. For some
time / looked in vain for something to cover
myself with. The hats and great coats were,
no doubt, in the inner hall; at all events they
were not accessible under the circumstances.
There was a carpet on the floor, but If was
fitted TO the recesses OF the room, and, more
over, 3 heavy sideboard Stood on it.
However, there were twelve chairs in the
room, and it was with no little pleasure that L
found that on the back Of each was an anti
nacassar. Twelve intimacassars would go a
good ways towards covering me, and that was
something
did my best with the antimacassars, but on
reflection ] came to the conclusion that they
would not help ME very much. They certainly
covered me; but gentleman walking through
South Kensington at 3 a. m, dressed in nothing
whatever but antimacassars, with the snow
two feet deep on the ground, would be sure
10 attract attention / might pretend / was
doing it for a wager, but who could believe
me?p
grew very cold.
looked out of the window, and presently /
saw the bull's-eye OF a policeman who was
YEARLY plodding through the snow. / felt that
my only course was TO surrender TO him.
Policeman" said / from the window. " one
word
Anything wrong, sir?" said he.
have committed burglary in this house,
and ! shall feel deeply obliged to you if you
viii kindly take me into custody
Nonsense, sir, said he; you had better go
TO bed
There is nothing should like better, but
live in Lincoln's Inn, and have nothing on
but antimacassars; | am almost frozen. Pray
take me into custody"
The street doors open.n said he.
Yes said /; come in
He came in. explained the circumstances
to him, and with great difficulty / convinced
him that ] was in earnest. The good fellow
put his own great coat over me, and lent me
his own handcatEs. In ten minutes was thaw.
ing myself in Walton street Police Station. In
ten days was convicted at the Old Bailey. In
ten years returned from penal seryitude.
] found that poor Gr Davis had gone to his
long home In Brompton cemetery.
For many years / never passed his house
without a shudder at the terrible hours / spent
in it as his guest. / have often tried to forget
the incident have just been relating, and fol
a long time l tried in vain. Perseverance
however, met with its reward. / continued
TO try. Gradually one detail after another
slipped from my recollection, and one evening
last May found, to ray intense delight, that
had absolutely forgotten all about it.