The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-01-24
INVADING A SANCTUARY.

being sanctuary within the bounds of which no one could be arrested for debt. do not know whether this still is the case, but it probably arose from the site having been formerly occupied by royal castle, as the name would imply At all events, the freedom from arrest for debt was not only frequently considerable convenience to impecunious officers, but was also at times of service to several of the gentlemen of the neighborhood, who, living not wisely but too well, had out run the constable, and for time be- came the guests of those who had en- joyed the hospitality dispensed at their various houses with so free a hand. remember a ludicrous scene that was brought about by an occurrence of the kind.
 One Eery hot day in the height of sum- mer a party, consisting of half dozen or so of us, were refreshing our heated corpuses," after longish parade and drill, in the room of brother officer, and pipes, cigars, and various cooling drinks were the order of the day. The room was on the first floor, in the corner of the barracks, and, on going out of the door of the house in which 1t was situated, the banack gate was at some distance to the left, while close to the right ran the deep and rapid western branch of the river, that flows on both sides of the island upon which the town stands.
 A postern gate in a high and strong palisade gave access to the water, from which gate flight of several stone steps, running down to the left along the wall, enabled us to get to the boats lying there {; but, save small platform at the top of the steps, there was nothing between the open gate and the river. The gate was not locked during the day, as we con- stantly used it.
 While we were chatting de rebus om- nibus ct quibusdam aliis, hurried step was heard on the stair, the door was flung open, and MT. Dean, gentleman of the neighborhood, rushing in, flung himself into chair, exclaiming, "Sa6e at last But by love! had a squeak for it"
 Before he had time to explain, how ever, after him dashed bailiff, who, though considerably blown, at once put his hand on Mir. Deans shoulder, and bade him consider himself his prisoner. The bailif must either have been a stranger or very young at his trade not to have known that he was acting illegally |; but at this juncture the officer to whom the quarters belonged interposed, and sternly ordered him to leave the room, under pain of being removed by force if he did not.
 This the bailiff, with much insolent language, refused to do unless Mir. Dean came with him, interspersing his re- fusals with uncomplimentary remarks upon officers and soldiers in general, and the present company in particular. Upon this, the officer went to the open window, and seeing one of the servants in the barrack-yard, desired him to come up. stairs, and bring three or four others with him and in less than a minute several stout fellows entered the room.
 Pointing to the bailiff: "Put this man out of barracks at onceW was the next order.
 "Yes, your honor," replied\the leader of the party, gigantic irishm&n and in a second the bailiff found himself in hands from which there was no escape and as he would not be quiet, but con tinued to struggle and desist, he was turned face downwards, and SO carried by his arms and legs downstairs.
 Anticipating some fun, from acquaint- ance with the character of the giant leader of the party, we all went to the and presently the procession coming out of the door, the bailiff still objurgating and struggling as well as he could, which was not much. Just outside the door they came to halt.
 "Sure, Bill" said the big man, nodding his head towards the postern gate, " didn't the captain tell us to put him out of the barracks at onect, and isn't this the shortest way out~
 "Right you are, and Pm sure ,I don't want to be carrying this haste all across the yard, such broiling day as this"
 "Oh, gentlemen, gentiemenl" screamed the bailifi, who only then realized their "for mercy's sake don't put me in the waterI I'll get my death of cold Let me go-oh, do let me goV"
 "Can you swim p was the question, put in stern tone, by the giant.
 "Oh, yes, sir-yesp shrieked the whose fears led him to antiei- pate nothing short of murder; {" can swim we'll ["
 "Thank your stars for that" was the rejoinder "you'd have been drowned if you couldn't! Now you'll only be and you want it badly. To- gether now, boys l-One-two-threel l"
 And away flew the bailiff like spread eagle, and with loud shriek disappeared beneath the water. The men jumped l into boat, ready to save him if it had | been necessary, but it was not. The victim rose to the surface, blowing like a | grampus, and struck for the shore below | he barracks with all the ease of a prac- 'ised swimmer, and, landing there, went | his way sadder and wiser bailiff than l ae was few minutes before.
 Nothing was ever heard of it. He was 70 completely wrong that his employers would not have supported him in any | :omplaint.-CapkafH F. ORrien, is ca Magazine.
 Saved by Shakespeare.
 Philadelphia News.]
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