The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1886-04-13

ed; swell, can't be helped! Another
bottle Of champagne"
This bottle my American friend insis
ted upon paying for. l drank very lit
tie.
"Really, you know" Mr.. Church re-
marked over the new bottle, "most sim
gular thing-aw-three fellahs, perfect
strangers, should meet like this-and all
Of rs strange to London. Bay Jove.-
You're from the North I had told them
so, which was true). I'm from the E ,st.
and our friend aud American brother,
aw, IL may call bin so, is from the
West. Tell you what. As ssoon as ever
the lawyers have done up my business,
yon shall both come down to my place
in Essex and see me. Jolly good vel
come and deuced good shooting. You
shootf course p turningto my Amer
ican friend.
"Sheute2 Wal, small piece. / was
Lieutenant in General Sherman's army
for three yeeres, and very pretty sheutin'
We had. Concleude yeu mean rife
sheutin' :"
.Oh, no shooting game" Mr.. Church
explained,
"Yeu don't du life sheutin', then 2"
Bay Jove. DO. l only shoot pheas.
ants and partridges and all that sort ol
thing"
Reckon yu're good shot, perhaps r
mo, nothing uncommon"
"Wal, bow many times d'yu concleude
you'd hit the bulls eye out OF twenty
with q rife p
"Oh. sw. l suppose sixteen," said
Mr.. Church.
"Bet yeu ten dollars yen don't bit il
fourteen"
Done"
very good, sir. MY friend here shall
be umpire" This was I.
"Oh, no; hang it! He's a friend oi
vours-that's not fair. Have the land
lord" This Mr.. Church.
The American explained that the land.
lord could not leave his business, and
that I was only an acquaintance Of bali
an hour, and could not be prejudiceti
either way. So, with some apparent re.
luctance, Mr.. Church consented.
The next thing was, where SHOULD we
90 ITO sbeute off The affair."" as my
American friend putt. 81 know there's
a place, Westminster way" be said. II
know there is, cause the volunteers
sheute there"
! told him no; the volunteers did not
shoot at Westminster, but only paraded
II mean gallery" he said. IL know
I had sheule there with one or tew vol
unteers last week; but l couldn't find the
place again.
sCall a cab." sucg sted Church.
"Cabhy'll be sure to know"
"Where to, sir7'' the cabman asked
Church.
"WestmInster Palace Hotel" be re.
piled.
was in cab with two men whose
object was to rob me, and / was being
d,iven whittier they directed. However
l wss not going to be cowed at riding
alone with two thieves through the
crowded London streets in broad day
aud was bent on Disappointing them
As We rode on. they pretended Ignorance
of the various. buildings we passed.
pointed out Somerset House, the Char
ing Cross Hotel, National Gallery
Whitehall, etc. Arrived at Westminster
Mr.. Church dismissed the cab. W.
could walk The rest of the way, be said
aud the cabman had t,ld him where The
shooting gallery was. The two walked
one on either side OF ne. We came tC
dirty back street Immediately behint
the Westminster Palace Hotel. dowr
that, and to the right-a dirtier stree
till said this was strange situation
for shooting gallery. 1T was all righ
when you got there" Mr.. Cnurch said
"it was kept very snug"
At the lover end OF this street, Wal
not at all ill-pleased to see policeman
talking to Q woman. / tried my utmos
to catch bis eye as We passed, but sith
out success. We turned down tbir
street of slimy houses with here ant
there q filthy red curtain Of low publ,
house. Sharp round the corner into I
blind allev. A dark greasy brick wal
blocked the other end of the place, so
knew We had reached our destination
Scarcely more than one OF the dilapidatet
wooden houses IN the alley showed out
ward signs of being tenant d; decayet
shutters we're nailed up to the windows
the whole frontage was smothered il
llth and CRIME. The most vilainous
looking public house ! ever set my etei
On was the last house but one, neares
the wall.
"That's the gallery" said Church.
"Reckon it is." said my American
friend. "Thst's the identical crib where
| made some fine sheutiu' last week
Come along"
/ followed them to the door. "Gc
and f,tch-and f, -" two names
could net catch. overheard Church
whisper. The men vent in frst. I fol
loving. The beer.shop was filthy
room, about six feet square, on the rigti
as we entered, with only q window tc
serve be : through. The passage wa,
long. About three yards down it was .
partition Wit, half door, very strong
| saw, too, that 1t had st oug hasp oI
catch to it, without q handle, so that
once past that, q victim was shut 10 like
mouse in q trap l stopped there.
Come along, and look sharp" ssi'
my American friend, with less twane
than before; "here's the gallery" and be
opened door on the left
l looked in at that open door. | saw
q strong room or cell, seven feet square
as near ss l could judge-no'hing bu
bare brick walls, no window lt va.
lighted for the moment from the pas
ssee) and deep sawdu.t on the floor
Both the men were beaiie the door
stlnding half in light half in shadow.
"Harry the Maid. and Churcher,"
said, 81 know you both. 1t won't do
and you have lost some valuable time I
slammed the half door to gain q mo
ment's time from pursuit, and t,ok t.
nv heels. had heen in the court a
Worcester when those two men wer
tried for card-shsrping. / never slack
ened speed until came upon the police
man, who was still t.lking to the wo
/ man